Walking Class Hero: That’s a Wrap
Welcome to Walking Class Hero a regular blog about walking and the walking environment. Whether you like walking on your own, with friends or in an organised group this blog will cover it. It’ll embrace walking in cities and towns and villages. Walking in the countryside and along the coast and up hills and down dales. Walking through parks and by rivers and across heath and down and moor. It’ll comment on public rights of way, access to open country, permissive paths, public urban space and countryside protection. Basically if you can walk there it’ll be in this blog
That’s a Wrap (Wednesday 14 October 2009)
As 7 pm approached the number attending the walk swelled and by the time we kicked off it was over 70. We headed quickly for the river in front of the MI6 building (the home of James Bond). Most people associate this site with The World is Not Enough, when Pierce Brosnan was the star and he took part in a speed boat chase along the Thames. Never one to disappoint I started with this film. The walk continued along the south bank looking out across the Thames to the Houses of Parliament. This stretch of the Thames Path has been the scene of too many films to mention really – one of those quintessential London views that film makers love so much. We halted again at the London Eye with me mentioning 28 Days Later, The Fantastic Four and the Rise of the Silver Surfer and any number of films that include that iconic ariel tracking shot across Westminster Bridge to Big Ben. Including the recent British film The Stone of Destiny, set in 1950 but complete with 2008 road markings. Not far away is Waterloo Station, now famous worldwide for the shooting scene from The Bourne Ultimatum.
Moving on towards Borough Market we trail past The National Film Theatre where many of the festival’s films will be shown and where Hugh Grant, using the words of The Partridge Family, expressed his undying love for Andie McDowell in Four Weddings and a Funeral. Leaving the riverside briefly to divert round Blackfriars Bridge and its current major redevelopment we stop in front of Tate Modern. These days this is apparently the 3rd most popular film location in London. It’s especially liked by film makers wanting to shout contemporary London and cool Britannia. Woody Allen used it in Match Point, indeed he used the south bank a lot in that film.
Turning away from the river down Park Street we finally arrive at Borough Market. We stop in front of numbers 13 & 15 made famous by Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Then we move onto Green Dragon Court. It was here above The Globe that the film version of Bridget Jones made her home. In the surrounding streets Hugh Grant (again) comedically scuffled with Colin Firth. Then through the market to Stony Street where The Leaky Cauldron from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban can be found. If you plan to go and see The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus keep your eyes peeled as many of their scenes were filmed in Borough Market. The London Film Festival is well worth a look but if the film you fancy is fully booked make up for it by going on a Film on Foot walk. In fact go on a Film on Foot walk anyway.
More information
See the route here:
http://www.mapmyrun.com/view_route?r=404125568077481284
Useful links:
o The Ramblers http://www.ramblers.org.uk/
o BFI/Times London Film Festival http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/
o Films on Foot http://www.metropolitan-walkers.org.uk/index.php?pg=12
o Borough Market http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borough_Market
o London films http://www.movie-locations.com/places/uk/london.html
Listen to:
Moby – James Bond Theme (Moby’s Re-Version)
The Partridge Family – I Think I Love You
The Filmscore Orchestra – Have You Met Miss Jones? (from “Bridget Jones’s Diary”)