This walk was created with commuters in mind, so they might avoid using public transport between Victoria Station and Waterloo Station during the London 2012 Games. It is a pleasant and interesting walk and can equally be used by members of the public who wish to discover something new about these popular areas of the city.
Route Developers: DfT staff Route Checker: Mary Pearson
Starting from: Victoria Station Finishing at: Waterloo Station
[1] Outside the main Victoria railway station (Terminus Place), face away from the station and turn right to cross Wilton Road, using the pedestrian crossing. Walk ahead across Vauxhall Bridge Road, again using the pedestrian crossing and walk straight ahead onto Victoria Street, keeping the Victoria Palace theatre on your left. Take the first right into Carlisle Place, then the first left into Ashley Place. Walking down Ashley Place, Westminster Cathedral is in front of you on the right.
(A) Westminster Catherdral is the largest catholic church in England and Wales (not to be confused with Westminster Abbey of the Church of England) and was constructed between 1895-1903.
[2] Walk straight across the square in front of the Cathedral into Ambrosden Avenue. Walk straight ahead, then turn left (passing through square archway in the buildings) to return to Victoria Street. Cross Victoria Street using the pedestrian crossing to your left and walk straight ahead into Palace Street. CCCaaa Cardinal Place shopping centre is on the left here (refreshments, shops, toilet facilities etc). Passing along Palace Street you will walk past Westminster City School and the excellent Cask & Glass pub, both on your right.
(B) Westminster City School is a voluntary aided Christian school for boys in Westminster, London. Each year the school offers 105 new places to boys practising the Christian faith in the Anglican dioceses of London and Southwark, and 25 new spaces are allocated to boys of other world faiths.
[3] Cross Palace Street carefully if you are on the left hand side, and then turn right into Stafford Place (opposite the Phoenix pub). Walk down Stafford Street, passing a blue plaque at number 16 (on the right) marking the former home (C) of Lord Hore-Belisha.
Lord Hore-Belisha was appointed Minister of Transport (1943-37) and brought about significant improvements in road safety, introducing the 30mph speed limit in built-up areas, rewriting the Highway Code and reducing traffic accidents. On retirement he was made vice-president of the Pedestrian's Association. The orange Belisha beacon (seen at zebra crossings) was named after him by the public.
Immediately, turn left off Stafford Place into a small walkway that opens onto Buckingham Gate. On your left across the road are Buckingham Palace State Rooms.
(D) The State Rooms are lavishly furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection - paintings, sculptures, porcelain and fine furniture. Visitors will also see the south side of the gardens of Buckingham Palace. Opening hours and admission prices on website.
Turn right, walking along Buckingham Gate. Walk straight on, then cross the road using the pedestrian crossing into Birdcage Walk. Pass along Birdcage Walk, with the Wellington Barracks (E) on your right. Cross Bird Cage Walk into St James' Park.
St James' Park was created by Henry VIII as a deer park and remodelled in the 17th Century into formal gardens for King Charles II. It was reshaped into the current style during the 1820s, this time by John Nash. The park lies at the southernmost tip of the St. James' area, which was named after a leper hospital dedicated to St. James the Less. St James' Park is home to four resident pelicans, friendly squirrels and a variety of bird species.
[4] On entering the park, follow the footpath to the right and walk along to the Blue Bridge in the centre of the park, with the lake on your left.
Optional diversion to Green Park Station
On entering St James' Park, if you take the footpath to the left and follow it around the lake, it will take you to an exit from the park onto The Mall. Crossing the Mall takes you into Green Park, where there are clear signs to Green Park Station. You have a choice of paths through the park which head in the direction of Green Park underground station. Two possibilities are shown on the map.
For the main route, do not cross the Blue Bridge. However, do note that there are toilet facilities a short way up the path on the far side of the bridge, if required. The middle of the bridge offers an excellent view of Buckingham Palace (to the left) and Horse Guards Parade and the London Eye (to the right).
Our route continues along the footpath past the bridge, keeping the lake on the left. On reaching a junction of paths, you should head left (staying closest to the lake) and head to the exit from the park onto Horse Guards Parade. Directly across the road are the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms (F) and the HM Treasury building.
[5] Cross Horse Guards Parade (no marked crossing so take care) and then walk up the steps directly in front onto King Charles Street. Walk down the street, passing the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on your left. Go through the arch at the end and onto Parliament Street opposite the Red Lion pub. Turn left and walk up Parliament Street.
Optional loop to Parliament Square / Westminster tube station
On crossing Horse Guards Parade, don't go up the steps, but instead turn right and pass in front of the HM Treasury building. At the end, turn left into Great George Street. The Institutes of Civil Engineers and Mechanical Engineers are opposite to the right. Walk along Great George Street and pass Parliament Square. From here you can see Big Ben; the Houses of Parliament ahead and Westminster Abbey to your right. Turn left into Parliament Street, passing past the subway entrance for Westminster tube station. Note: this section may be especially busy. To rejoin the main route, continue along Parliament Street, cross King Charles Street and continue straight ahead. Continue from [6].
[6] Passing along Parliament Street, the Cenotaph is on your right and Downing Street is on the left.
(G) The Cenotaph was constructed from 1919-1920, specifically to commemorate the victims of the First World War. However, it is used to commemorate all of the dead in all wars in which British service personel have fought.
Cross Parliament Street using the crossing just past the Downing Street entrance (at which point the road becomes Whitehall) and continue walking along it in the same direction on the opposite side. You will pass by the Ministry of Defence building and a number of military statues, including Field Marshals Montgomery, Alanbrooke and Slim. Continue along Whitehall, with the Banqueting House on the right. Cross Horse Guards Avenue and turn right into Whitehall Place, directly opposite the Admiralty House. Passing along Whitehall Place, the Department of Energy and Climate Change is on the left and the Royal Tank Regiment Memorial Statue is on your right. Continue to the end of Whitehall Place.
[7] Cross Northumberland Avenue when safe to do so, using the central reservation. If the road is very busy, use the pedestrian lights along the road to the right. Embankment Tube Station is under the arches in front of you, where there is also a selection of shops and cafes. You now need to cross the Thames and can use one of two footbridges (both part of the Golden Jubilee Bridge, completed in 2002), either side of the Hungerford Bridge, which carries the railway line across the river. You can use the west bridge and the steps are right in front of you. To use the east bridge you need to go under the arches (Embankment Place), turn right and go through the ticket hall of Embankment underground station and then go up the steps to your right.
If you use the near (west) bridge your view will be of Parliament and the London Eye. If you go under the arches to the far (east) bridge, the view will be of St Paul’s Cathedral, the City, the Shard and the Royal Festival Hall.
Having crossed the bridge to the far side of the river (the South bank), the Royal Festival Hall (H) is in front of you. Refreshments, toilet facilities and restaurants are all available here. Note: if you used the west footbridge, you will need to turn left under the Hungerford rail bridge first.
[8] Walk straight ahead, heading away from the river and passing by the Royal Festival Hall and a statue of Nelson Mandela to the left. You will descend some steps to an open plaza behind the Hall (where there is a food market on Fridays, Saturday and Sunday). Cross Belvedere Road ahead (take care as there is no designated crossing) and walk straight ahead into Concert Hall Approach. Then walk under the railway arch bearing to the right, following the walkway (Sutton Walk) towards the pedestrian crossing on York Road, in front of Waterloo Station. Cross York Road.
[9] You have reached the main entrance of Waterloo Station, your final destination. (Mainline and underground trains are available here).