Starting Point: London Ambulance Service NHS Trust Headquarters, 220 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8SD
[1] From the Headquarters building, turn right and walk down Waterloo Road a short way, before again turning right into Morley Street. Walk the length of Morley Street and cross Westminster Bridge Road and St. George’s Road. Outside Morley Gallery, turn left and walk down St. George's Road, crossing Lambeth Road at the lights, and passing Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park –where the Imperial War Museum is-and Charlotte Sharman School. Turn right into West Square, then cross the north end of West Square and enter the small garden (with its ancient mulberry trees).
[2] Cross the garden and exit at the far end. Enter Austral Street and cross Brook Drive. Go along Sullivan Road and turn right into Walcot Square (A) by Walcott Stores, which is no longer a shop!
(A) Walcot Square was donated to the poor of St Mary’s Lambeth in 1667. In Charles Dickens’ Bleak House, Mr. Guppy the solicitor’s clerk, intends to set himself up professionally in the square. The green is now privately owned.
Continue along the left hand side of the square until you reach Kennington Road (B). Turn left into Kennington Road and make for the lights.
(B) Kennington Road was formerly open land, in 1751, a year after Westminster Bridge was opened, it was constructed by the Turnpike Trustees to improve communication from the bridge to routes south of the River Thames. With the growing popularity of Brighton as a resort in the later eighteenth century, it became part of the route there, used by George IV on his excursions to the sea.
[3] Cross the road at the lights, turn left and walk a little way down the road. Turn right into Fitzalan Street and cross the road to enter Lambeth Walk Doorstep Green. Head for the blue chimney at the far end of the park. Exit the park through a green gate and fence, then turn right into Lollard Street and cross a small crossroads, looking out for passing traffic, then continue straight ahead as Lollard Street becomes Old Paradise Street.
[4] Walk under the railway arch and pass the headquarters building for Costa Coffee on your left, shortly followed by Lambeth High Street Recreational Ground (C).
(C) The park was originally a burial ground. The gravestones are still there, but have been moved to the edges of the park.
Turn right into Lambeth High Street and soon join the busy Lambeth Road with the Church of St Mary-at-Lambeth (D) opposite you.
(D) This is now the Museum of Garden History, open daily 10:30 to 17:00 cost £6 ,concessions £5.A café here, sells excellent cakes.
Cross the road to the church using the zebra crossing and turn left. Either walk through the small garden or the Church garden to gain views of the impressive gatehouse of Lambeth Palace, the River Thames, The Houses of Parliament and, of course, Lambeth Bridge.The churchyard contains the tomb of a man of science who contested that some lambs grew on plants.
[5] Re-trace your steps and walk up Lambeth Road. Go under the railway arch, cross Hercules Road and Kennington Road by the traffic lights, and turn left into King Edward Walk. Cross Westminster Bridge Road via the island and traffic lights, and return to the London Ambulance Headquarters via Pearman Street. (Pearman Street is to the left of the island, and left of Morley Street.)