Battle of Britain Walking Tour in London
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Free cancellation
Manual confirmation
Battle of Britain Walking Tour
Next available dates
Sat
Sep 14
Sun
Sep 15
Mon
Sep 16
Available options
Bestseller
Battle of Britain Walking Tour
Free cancellation
Manual confirmation
Next availability: Sat, Sep 14
From
USD 81.41
Highlights
This highly engaging tour with a Battle of Britain expert takes you back to the summer of 1940 and the experience of Churchill's "Few." Your tour will take in key sites in Central London, such as the memorials to the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, and the first RAF Chief, Hugh Trenchard; the Houses of Parliament; and a spectacular monument to commemorate all those who contributed to victory in the Battle. Your tour will conclude with a visit to a Mayfair pub that was used by fighter pilots in 1940, where you can enjoy a drink, soak up the atmosphere, and relive the dangers of combat through pilots' reports from 1940, short biographies, and photos.
Itinerary
Winston Churchill Statue
20 minsAdmission Ticket FreeThe statue of Winston Churchill provides a suitable starting point for the tour. You will hear about the perilous position faced in Europe and in Britain in May 1940; the advantages and disadvantages faced by Britain when it finally stood alone after the rapid invasion of German forces in France; and the challenges faced by the fighter pilots who stood between them and the might of the Luftwaffe.Houses of Parliament(Pass by)
Admission Ticket FreeTake in the historic splendour of the Houses of Parliament which has been the focal point and bastion of democracy in Britain for centuries.Cenotaph(Pass by)
Admission Ticket FreeAs we leave Parliament Square, we gain a view of Downing Street from where Churchill lead the nation in war and the Cenotaph, the nation's place of remembrance for the fallen.Hugh Trenchard Statue
20 minsAdmission Ticket FreeYou will hear how Hugh Trenchard - the first Chief of the Air Staff and recognised to be the 'Father of the RAF' - not only established an independent RAF in 1918 but did much to influence the characteristics of the pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain. In particular this meant the personal qualities the RAF sought in young men; the ways in which men could learn to fly in a full or part time capacity; the formal education and flying training they received; the backgrounds and social classes from which they were recruited; the tactics used in combat; and ultimately their ability to fight and survive in combat in the summer of 1940.Battle of Britain Monument
30 minsAdmission Ticket FreeAt this remarkable monument on the Embankment showing, as its centre-piece, a relief of a scramble scene, you will learn what it was like to be in action. Using the personal stories and experiences of individual fighter pilots, your guide will take you through being woken up before dawn and taken to the dispersal area at the airfield with your fellow pilots; getting yourself and your aircraft ready for the telephone to ring; and then the order to scramble. There will follow descriptions of taking off into battle, being in combat and the relief, for the lucky ones, of returning home to base.Big Ben(Pass by)
Admission Ticket FreeHead towards one of London's most iconic sites - Big Ben - for a photograph.Westminster Abbey(Pass by)
Admission Ticket FreeAs we stroll towards Westminster tube station for a one stop journey to London's exclusive Mayfair, take in the views of historic Westminster Abbey with its impressive chapel which commemorates the pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain.Green Park(Pass by)
Admission Ticket FreeAs we exit the tube station, we have a brief stroll through Green Park and pass the famous Ritz hotel and other night time hotspots in Piccadilly and Mayfair that were popular with pilots when they were released from duty.Shepherd Market
40 minsAdmission Ticket FreeOur final destination is a pub known by Battle of Britain pilots as the 'unofficial headquarters of Fighter Command'. If airmen made it back safely, it was here that they would try to forget the perils of the day by enjoying a beer with others in the squadron. Here you will learn about how the pressure on all pilots, experienced and inexperienced, intensified as the Battle progressed; how closely they lived with death and coped with pressures such as the loss of their friends. By concluding the tour in the pub used by the pilots themselves, guests will be able to relax and buy themselves a beer, before reviewing their personal profiles and combats reports written (and often hand signed) by the men themselves straight after combat.
What's included
INCLUDED
Expert guide
Access to copies of 1940 combat reports signed by Battle of Britain pilots
Access to brief biographies of individual pilots and combat records (and includes photos)
Access to copies of squadron Operations Record Books from the Battle of Britain
NOT INCLUDED
Alcoholic Beverages
Single tube ticket to Green Park station is £2.50.
Additional information
Must Know
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Good To Know
Wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Location
Address
Parliament Square, Westminster, London, United Kingdom SW1P 3BD
Provider
Battle of Britain Tours