Dark Christmas - London before Dickens, Artifical Light, Gaslight & Electricity!

BRAND NEW WALK, PLEASE NOTE APPROX 30-35 MEMBERS WILL BE ON THE WALK, NOT WHAT IS ADVERTISED, AS ONLY ABOUT HALF THE MEMBERS TURN UP WITH MOST MEETUP GROUPS. Hi all, cost & info below. Please join everyone for a lantern-led, enchanting 2.5 mile linear walk from Green Park Station to St James Station. It is also the main get-together at the end of the walk for a Christmas drinks/meal at the Feathers Pub opposite St James underground station.

Extract from 'Brilliant - The Evolution of Artificial Light' Jane Brox

500 years ago, if you could have seen the Earth from above, cities, towns and villages would have appeared nearly as dark as the oak forests. Perhaps glints of light would have leaked through doorways and shuttered windows early in the evening, or a few lanterns would have bobbed down the lanes but no street lights would have shone

Within, candles and lamps no brighter than those of Roman times would have lit only a bowl of porridge, a book, a garment in need of mending. If someone reached for a thread or let out a long sigh, the flame would quiver, and the shadows would quiver; such small light was precious and meted out sparingly.

For much of the evening, people would lie in their houses after dousing their cooking fires, sleeping and dreaming away the hours. If, on a clear moonless night, they stepped out of their intimate dark and looked up to the heavens, the stars would have been so many that "one could not have put a finger between them"

Highlights from our walk include alleyways and dimly lit streets, what was Christmas like before Oxford Street main lights, what was London like before this time, see where the first gaslights in London first appeared, see remaining gaslights from over 200 years ago, a walk through the area of St James, past the Tudor Palace and some of the oldest shops in the World dating from the 1600's!

A walk through St James' Park at night, the oldest Royal Park in London, Buckingham Palace at night, where King Charles III lives at Clarence House and where they still demand gaslights! What was it like to walk and travel through London at night, the Taverns at Christmas time and lantern horse carriages? A time of candles and lanterns and atmospheric background music with some of the most famous Christmas Songs and Carols to join us on our peaceful, enchanting, festive walk!

Charles Dickens' vision of what Christmas looked like. Dickens was born to a Georgian era, candles and oil Lanterns. What black-out of London was like during the war and the dense fog, Lady with the Lamp, Florence Nightingale, what the Kings and Queens did during Christmas in Tudor Times, how many gaslights are left In London, how do they work and who operates them?

Please meet outside the front of Green Park Station on the main road. The meeting area outside the station is directly next to Ritz Restaurant. When you arrive at Green Park underground station, please look for the Piccadilly (South Side) exit.

The walk ends at St James Station (District and Circle Line)

£10 cash/card payment by simply turning up on the day

ABOUT OUR SECRET LONDON WALKS
It is a 15-year fascinating journey together to explore the whole of beautiful, enchanting Secret London. The only walking group in the World offering this unique experience!

The individual walks have been created from an original route several miles in length (usually on average about 40 miles) where we have checked every nook and cranny, every hidden alleyway, lane, lost cobbled path, cul de sac, avenue, road or street in that area for you!
It is then shortened, to give back to you a magical walk with all the best bits of 'Lovely London', voted the best City in the World for the 10th year running!

What is given back to you is the most scenic, healthy walk (usually 3-6 miles in length) with some of the walks containing hidden cobbled lanes, lost shops, secret gems, areas lost in time, wonderful views, idyllic Instagram photo shots and all sorts! Now and then some brief local info is mentioned or something of historical importance along the way.

You will have plenty of time to chat and meet new friends whilst walking the amazing lost areas of London! So we welcome you to the colourful highlights of this fascinating City of London with simply wonderful things to see!

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
PLEASE ensure ARRIVAL at least 15 minutes BEFORE the start of the walk, sorry no latecomers are accepted for whatever reason.

Members attend the unique walks from our different meetup groups.

IF LATE, SORRY WE ARE UNABLE TO RECEIVE CALLS OR ANSWER EMAILS AS WELCOMING MEMBERS, LEADING THE WALK, AND CONCENTRATING ON THE SAFETY OF THE GROUP. PLEASE DO NOT BE LATE, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CATCH THE GROUP UP, PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT.

Part Tour - Medium pace walk from 'Visit England' Award-Winning Guide and our group featured in the National Press! Please Note: Some events, being a large attended meetup group will be an organised walk only, but members are very welcome to organise their own get-togethers after the event.

You are required to be fit and healthy with appropriate footwear & clothing, responsible for meeting at the correct location, own safety and to not lose the group by viewing the organiser/making the organiser aware as much as possible, or follow/not lose sight of the person(s) from the same walk in front. We advise carrying water and some snacks.

The organiser is also not responsible for any circumstances that may affect the group or personally such as personal accidents, rail information, engineering works, cancellations, rail strikes or delays, heavy traffic, tours affected, weather, walk paths or routes closed, postcodes for car parks or for when we arrive back at the station, or anything else not mentioned!

By joining the event you agree to all the terms and conditions.

No Dogs allowed sorry

We really look forward to welcoming you on the walks/tours for a wonderful, great, fun day!