London inspired Dickens, and in particular London on a dark winter’s night:

“But the streets of London, to be beheld in the very height of their glory, should be seen on a dark, dull, murky winter’s night, when there is just enough damp gently stealing down to make the pavement greasy, without cleansing it of any of its impurities; and when the heavy lazy mist, which hangs over every object, makes the gas-lamps look brighter, and the brilliantly-lighted shops more splendid, from the contrast they present to the darkness around…”

Charles Dickens: The Streets – Night, Sketches by Boz

Afflicted by bouts of “sleeplessness”, Dickens would take to epic night walks intended to create a self-afflicted state of “houselessness” in an attempt to share the experiences of some of his greatest characters and to turn his gimlet-eyed observation on the slumbering City in his search for inspiration.

Join me on this tour of Dickens’ London where we’ll trace some of his steps along these night walks and explore the extent to which the ups and downs of life in the greatest city in the world inspired and appalled him in equal measure.

Meeting point is directly outside the old St Peter Cheap churchyard at the junction of Wood Street and Cheapside and the walk finishes at the northern end of Old Bailey, walk duration is about 2 hours.

You can check your travel options using the TFL Journey Planner.

Some tripadvisor reviewer comments about this walking tour:

“An atmospheric walk following Dickens on his wanderings through the City – Mark was brilliant at creating the stories at each stop and it was easy to imagine the boy Dickens trudging through the streets to work and the adult Dickens scribbling notes as he walked the night.”

“Mark Rowland made us feel very comfortable in a wonderful, well-planned and interesting tour of Charles Dickens’ London. Being Londoners ourselves, we were both excited to discover new back-streets and hidden gems that we never knew existed. Clearly passionate about his topic, Mark quoted relevant Dickensian passages that both gave depth to and were illustrated by the view surrounding us. Mark painted London as Dickens saw it – the place, the people and the basis for so many dark and wondrous stories. This is highly recommended for people of any level of interest in the works of Dickens or the history of London and all can learn something from it.”

“Have just returned from this walk, and can’t speak highly enough of it. Informative, evocative and hugely entertaining, courtesy of tour guide Mark Rowlands. You don’t have to be a hardcore Dickens fan to engage with it – but if you are, it will deepen your appreciation and help you connect further with the stories and the man who wrote them.”