Outside in all weathers, the London Walks guides know a thing or two about battling the cold weather.
In this short series we're sharing our winter weather tips with our lovely London Walkers, a hardy bunch who join us rain or sleet in the winter months.
Here's London Walks' pen & Daily Constitutional Special Correspondent David Tucker…
Common sense and
knowing what you’re doing. It’s called savvy and experience.
If it’s perishing I
pull a couple of rabbits out of the hat – i.e., make some route adjustments so
I can work some interiors into the weave. In-out-of-the-cold-warm-up stops.
Been doing this long enough that I can call in some favours – friends with
premises on or near the route that will let us – "let us?”, welcome us –
stop in, stop by for a few minutes.
And you make “timing
adjustments” – e.g. break a four-minute stop into two two-minute stops. Keep
people moving, don’t have them standing there turning into blocks of ice.
And having enough
sense to to position your groups so they’ve got some protection from the wind.
And getting them to
huddle in closer together.
On walks where there’s
already an inside stop – my Kensington walk, for example – extend the stay in
there. Sit them down – I always put them right by the heater – and give them
there, inside, where they’re seated, warm comfortable, some of the info that
normally is imparted outside. “You can hear about it in here and then we’ll go
outside and you can see it. A briefer 'look stop' rather than a longer 'look
and listen stop’.”
There’s also “the
psychology factor.” “We’re not just heading toward the end of this London Walk
– we’re heading toward a really toasty coffee bar that does the best hot
chocolate (or cappuccino) in this part of London – that’s going to be right
there for us when we finish the walk.”
Finally – well, not
quite finally – I don’t feel the cold all that much. I grew up in Wisconsin so
London winters feel balmy to me. So I get someone who’s blue with cold – and
just plain badly dressed for the occasion (how’s that old Estonian saying put
it, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only wrong clothing” – off comes the
thick, six-foot long scarf and it goes onto (‘here, wrap yourself up with
this”) the bluest of the blue with cold; ditto the big furry mitts (hey, I’ve
got pockets, I’ve got Wisconsin anti-freeze, and I’ve got the adrenalin flow of
being the guide – the warmth of the attention).
Finally, finally –
head gear: caps, hats, bugle boy ear muffs, etc. Super important. The most
important bit of kit of all. I could top to the north a Life Guards regiment
with my collection. My favourite one of all I got in a luxury milliner’s in
Brussels. Deerskin with woollen lining. Cost an arm and a leg and is worth two
arms and a leg. I’ve often thought – this is the only “possession” about which
I’ve ever entertained a thought like this – “if I ever lose this hat I’m on the
next train to Brussels to get another one.” Their other “lines” they buy in –
the deerskin, wool-lined jobs they make there in their workshop at the back of
their shop. And it’s soft. And it’s beautiful. Tops out.
And here's David guiding in Kensington…
A London Walk costs £10 – £8 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.
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