Battle of Britain Walking Tour
Battle of Britain Walking Tour
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.
Book This ExperienceA glimpse of the journey
Your Itinerary
A curated journey through the experience
Winston Churchill Statue
The 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.
20 minutesHouses of Parliament
Take in the historic splendour of the Houses of Parliament which has been the focal point and bastion of democracy in Britain for centuries.
Cenotaph
As 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
You 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.
20 minutesBattle of Britain Monument
At 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.
30 minutesBig Ben
Head towards one of London's most iconic sites - Big Ben - for a photograph.
Westminster Abbey
As 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
As 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
Our 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.
40 minutesIncluded
- 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.
Good to Know
- Wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- COVID-19 vaccination required for guides
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Tickets & Cancellation
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.