With our Daily Constitutional archive now bulging with more than 3,500 posts, we've decided to spend the long summer days of August sharing some of our favorite moments from the past seven years. We hope you enjoy them!
This post, by LW Guide & Daily Constitutional Associate Editor Richard III first appeared in August 2010…
Daily Constitutional Editor Adam adds… Of all the 3,5000 posts in The DC archive, this remains my all-time favorite. It has everything I love about London and London Walks: it has weird and unexpected spectacle, which is always just around the corner in our city; and it has the wit and ease of a great London Walks guide in full spate.
Most fishing stories get exaggerated in the retelling. Not ours. Richard III has photographic evidence to back his up…
“Last Wednesday on the Hampstead walk we were in the Vale of Health and I was waxing lyrical about John Keats when I realised that no-one was listening to me.A fisherman had landed a huge fish moments after we arrived at the pond. Half of the group were down by the pond taking pictures. I could not believe that such a small pond could have such a large fish. He weighed it, coming in at just over two stone. In Zone Two!
That's the only problem with being a London Walks guide. Sometimes events upstage you.
I tried to soldier on. ‘He got it in Tesco,’ I cried, ‘I can see the bar code on it.’ But then the enormous beast refused to pose for pictures and put up a brave fight, thrashing around to such an extent that it almost toppled the fisherman over. I gave up and went with the flow and we all worshipped at the altar of the monster in NW3.
Thanks to Shirley Reeves who took this picture, without which you would think I was not telling the truth or exaggerating. Which of course, a London Walks guide would never do.”
Thanks Richard III!
Thanks also to London Walker Shirley Reeves, who sent us the picture. She adds:
“Attached is the carp photograph you requested. Thanks once again for the hugely enjoyable and informative walk. I hope to join you again in the fairly near future.”
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.
