Guided walks

Hi, welcome to this blog which introduces my tour guiding!

I qualified as a tour guide in 2025 with Islington Guided Walks. The course taught the skills of good guiding -skills and safety, presentation, and how to make it all fun.

My tours are in Central or North London, primarily in Islington and Clerkenwell, the area where I have lived all my adult life.

Last tour: Highbury History, bespoke Pub Tour for BSB, 10/07

Next Tour: July, bespoke for Kingsley Napley LLP Reg team

Current Tours:

1. Historic Highbury (pub version or straight history walk version)
2. Crazy Clerkenwell (- culture, crime and punishment, immigration, poverty, and the “gin craze”) Pub version also available.
3. Arsenal FC– history and surroundings (great for bespoke “pre-match” tours)
4. Archway and Hillrise: “beating the bounds” (circular walk starts and finishes at Archway)
5. Old Street and Bunhill (pub version also available)
6. Criminal Islington (crime + punishment in Clerkenwell + the City)

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One-off/unique tours:

Islington: Beating the Bounds:

An all day charity walk circumnavigating the whole Borough date tbc

Bespoke//commissioned/private tours:

I am more than happy to cater for private or specially commissioned tours, please get in touch below:

BEATING THE BOUNDS OF HILLRISE- a history walk around the border of North Islington

Beating the bounds or perambulating the bounds is an ancient custom where local residents walk the geographic boundaries of their locality for the purpose of maintaining the memory of the precise location of these boundaries,
Hillrise ward is the most Northern ward of the 18 wards that constitute London Borough of Islington. It includes Archway Road, Whitehall Park, Parkland Walk, and has a fascinating history from monastic times to highway robbers and more modern urban growth and renewal.
It recently underwent some boundary changes, and nobody has “beaten the bounds” of this wonderful ward since then- so this walk gives a unique opportunity to walk the new perimeter, take in the sites and sights, and talk about some of the history, politics, architecture, and characters of this part of N19.

Terrain, distant and suitability

This walk (7km or around 8000 steps) takes about 2 hours and is not for the faint-hearted- the ward is called Hillrise for a reason and has some steep inclines and flights of steps!
It is definitely not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies, the infirm, children or animals.

Guide

The walk is led by Greg Foxsmith, a student guide training with CIGA (Clerkenwell and Islington Guiding Association) who has lived in Hillrise for over 20 years and has represented Hillrise as a local councillor (2006-2014)

Date and time

This annual walk last took place in June 2025 and the 2026 walk will take place in July 2026 (date tbc)
It starts and finishes from MERRO Cafe, 85 Crouch End Hill https://www.instagram.com/merrocafe/ (arrive early if you would like to grab a coffee ☕️ or bite to eat)
(Option of joining for “half-tour” at Archway station)

Enquiries by email gregfoxsmith@icloud.com

Optional Bonus finish

At conclusion of the boundary walk, there is an option of walking on to Elthorne Park (two sculptures of note and a Peace Garden), Sunnyside Community Garden, and finishing at the Shaftesbury pub