Here is an intriguing question. Of all the London walks which would be the most essential to someone on a short time frame?

The answer is not as simple as might first appear. For a start is the person seeking the walk a first time visitor to London?

If so then they’d need to see all the major sights.

So for someone like this an essential London walk would begin at Green Park Underground Station. They’d come out of the Piccadilly South Exit ( a bit tricky at the moment as its boarded up!) But there is a temporary exit from which they would turn right and then right through the gates just before the Ritz Hotel.

They’d then walk along this path and at it end veer right to arrive at Buckingham Palace.

From Buckingham Palace their London walk would continue across St James’s Park, crossing the lake in its middle via the bridge. A pause on the bridge for a photo of the fantastic view is a must.

Once over the bridge they’d go left and then  when they reach the road they’d go right.

At the end go left and they will emerge into Parliament Square.

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament will be straight ahead. To the right is Westminster Abbey. The visitor could circumnavigate the Square to photgraph these attractions.

They would need to exit Parliament Square along Parliament Street and continue into Whitehall passing on the left the gates of Downing Street (number 10 being the home of the Prime minister Gordon Brown). A little further along they’d pass Horse Guards on the left where they can see the mounted guards.

Coming out into Trafalgar Square they can crane their necks and look up at Nelson’s Column which celebrates England’s greatest Naval hero, Horatio Nelson who was killed at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

All in all that route, though not particularly long, certainly crams in some great sights and some fascinating history so, for a first time visitor at least it could be considered one of the essential London walks.