10K Steps West to East

This 10,000 Steps Walk begins at King's Cross, where we'll admire the magnificent Gothic Revival architecture of St Pancras Railway Station, its world-famous hotel, the iconic Meeting Place sculpture, and the remarkable British Library, home to one of the world's greatest collections of books, manuscripts and historic documents.

From here, the walk leads into the elegant streets and garden squares of Bloomsbury, where London's architectural evolution comes to life. Discover Georgian, Regency and Brutalist architecture while walking in the footsteps of Charles Dickens, Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath. You'll also uncover the story of the influential Bloomsbury Group, including Virginia Woolf and John Maynard Keynes, whose ideas helped shape modern literature, art and society.

The journey continues through historic Clerkenwell into Hatton Garden, London's famous jewellery quarter and the setting associated with Fagin's den in Oliver Twist. Next comes the centuries-old Smithfield Market, where medieval history meets Victorian engineering. Discover one of London's oldest markets, St Bartholomew the Great Church, the oldest church in London.

Nearby stands the internationally acclaimed Barbican Centre, a masterpiece of Brutalist architecture built alongside the remains of Roman Londinium, where sections of the ancient Roman Wall still stand. The walk then heads east into Spitalfields, once home to one of Roman London's principal burial grounds, before continuing through the creativity of Brick Lane and the vibrant streets of Shoreditch, renowned for street art, independent businesses and contemporary culture.

This walk weaves together nearly 2,000 years of history from Roman Londinium through the medieval, Georgian and Victorian eras to the creative London of today. With countless opportunities to pause for photographs and enjoy peaceful gardens and hidden squares, this 10,000-step walking tour offers a captivating blend of history, architecture, literature, culture and modern city life, revealing the many layers that make London one of the world's most fascinating capitals.