Burgess Hill u3a members go to town!

On one of the few recent dry days a group of 26 u3a London Walks group members undertook a walk from London Bridge to Farringdon, mainly visiting the Old London Markets plus other points of interest, such as churches and the new skyscrapers. This was a flat walk with the only incline being stepping off and onto pavements. The group was split in two, enabling the walk leaders to lead and disseminate points of interest information to smaller groups.

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The groups exited London Bridge station and proceeded to the corner of Duke’s Street Hill and London Bridge to view Southwark Gateway Needle. The groups then continued over London Bridge, taking the steps down to the Thames Path and along to the old Billingsgate Market building, continuing along Lower Thames Street to St Magnus the Martyr church which was the northern entrance to the old London Bridge that was replaced in 1831 after over 600 years of service.

They continued past The Monument and the first of the new London skyscrapers, the Walkie Talkie, onto the beautiful Leadenhall Market, then a series of buildings – Lloyd’s Building (the Inside-Out building), The Scalpel, The Cheesegrater, and The Gherkin before reaching Petticoat Lane Market. The groups, independently, reached the old Spitalfields Market for lunch. After a well-earned lunch both groups continued the walk going past Liverpool Street station, including the Kindertransport memorial, a Victorian Bath House, Finsbury Circus and Gardens, London Wall, Barbican, a few churches, Bart’s Hospital to the old Smithfield Market and finally Farringdon rail and tube stations.

The next London Walk will take place on Tuesday 19 March 2024, this is a circular walk, from and to Warren Street tube station, and is nicknamed The Square Route due to the number of squares that will be visited as well as other points of interest.

The u3a London Walks group undertakes a walk each month, weather and trains permitting, taking in the historical aspect of our capital city. The walks consist of around 4 miles in distance, normally from a railway/tube station to either the same or another, with periodic stops to talk about the points of interest on the route and a break for lunch/drink.

If you are interested in joining u3a contact Steve Furber on 07958 776397 or email at [email protected]. Alternatively come to one of our regular monthly meetings. The next one is on 4th April with a speaker on the Camino de Santiago; The Way. The meeting will be at Cyprus Hall, Burgess Hill, with the doors opening at 11.30am.