The London Monopoly Board Walk
Hi, Marc here. Just a quick note before you dive into my blog, to say that due to such high interest in the London Monopoly Board Walk, i’m now offering YOU the chance to experience this for yourselves with Walking in Circles!
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page for more details of live events and bespoke group and corporate challenges - after you’ve read my blog of course!
Ready to play? Let’s GO!
Some of my earliest and most fondest childhood memories were made whilst playing Monopoly as a family. From the heated debates over property trades, or the collective groans as someone lands on a Mayfair hotel, to the general laughter when someone gets sent to jail! Monopoly has that ability to bring people of all generations together in a shared and timeless experience.
Having the opportunity to bring the game to life through physically walking my way around the Monopoly Board, was a temptation that was too hard to resist!
But first I needed some rules…
The Rules of Play
Collect all the following, and take photos as proof…
Start at GO (traditional start point is Lambeth North Tube)
Visit all 22 streets and 4 Stations
Collect money from the bank
Find all 6 playing pieces
Find Houses and Hotels
Locate Waterworks and Electric company
Play a Chance and Community Chest
Free Parking (a challenge in London!)
Income and Super Tax
Go to Jail, and Get out of Jail Free
The London Monopoly Board Route
Now, the first thing to say is, that it’s a bit crazy to try and walk the route in the order of the Monopoly Board. If you know London, then you’ll understand! It would mean crisscrossing all over London, with a total distance of approximately 56km! Ok, I’ve walked that distance and much more before.
However, the Monopoly Walk is supposed to be a bit of fun, and something almost anyone could try. So I looked at creating a route that anyone could complete the challenge in a more logical way, and thereby covering a shorter overall distance.
The result…I created a route with an overall distance of around 28kms. Given all the additional challenges of the game rules, and allowing myself some food and drink stop offs, I was expecting this to take between 6 - 6 1/2 hours. I was in no rush, this was a game after all!
You can download my route from OS Maps here
Streets and Stations
(In order of my route)
GO: Lambeth North tube (on the Bakerloo Line)
Old Kent Road
Fenchurch Street Station
Whitechapel Road
Liverpool Street Station
Fleet Street
The Strand
Bow Street
Leicester Square
Coventry Street
Trafalgar Square
Northumberland Avenue
Whitehall
Pall Mall
Piccadilly
Vine Street
Regents Street
Marlborough Street
Bond Street
Mayfair
Park Lane
Oxford Street
Marylebone Station
Euston Road
Kings Cross Station
Pentonville Road
The Angel, Islington (Finish)
The London Monopoly Board Walk
GO!
Like on so many of my hiking adventures, I was joined by my good friend Richard. We met outside Lambeth North tube on a cold Friday morning at 8.30am.
GO!! (Card one)
Surprisingly, there’s only one street that’s South of the River Thames that’s on the Monopoly Board (original version), that being Old Kent Road. It’s a good couple of kms until then. So we headed straight opposite Lambeth North tube into Kennington Road.
The route goes through some housing estates, as we turn left into Brook Drive, and then further down, a right into Churchyard Row, next to the Castle Centre. It’s not long before we reach Elephant and Castle.
We keep navigating our way through the narrow streets lined with houses, and I spot an opportunity to collect my 2nd card of the day…COMMUNITY CHEST.
Heading left into Manor Place, Rich and I cross over Walworth Road into Browning Street. There’s a few right and left turns, as we’re nearing the first of our Monopoly Street cards. But just before that, in Surrey Square, I see an ideal place to grab my CHANCE card! A betting shop…perfect!
Delighted at bagging both those cards early on, the fun continues, as across the road is our first Monopoly Street…OLD KENT ROAD.
Having completed the only street on the South of the River, we began to head in the direction of Tower Bridge. First going into Dunton Road, then a left into Southwark Park Road, and right again through Bermondsey Spa Gardens.
After a short stretch which runs underneath the railway to London Bridge station, there are a couple of car workshops, and I spot my first Monopoly playing piece, the CAR. Ok, so there are loads of passing cars throughout London, but this one would do nicely!
We eventually turn right onto Tower Bridge Road. I take the opportunity to collect my £200 for passing GO (which technically I haven’t, but seeing as I wouldn’t actually be passing GO again…I made a quick stop off at a Monopoly cash point #Whoknew!
The cash point was extremely generous and gave me an extra pay out! Maybe I’d won a prize in a beauty contest?
Heading onto Tower Bridge, it’s an easy place to find my next Monopoly playing pieces…the SHIP.
HMS Belfast
As we walked across Tower Bridge, the Monopoly tasks would start to come in quick succession…
The Tower of London, which dates back to 1066…hmm…ok, so technically the oldest prison in London? It was time to GO TO JAIL!
Not having collected my Get out of Jail free card yet, I decided to make a prison break and carry on! I was now technically a fugitive!
Best find myself a disguise…Ah! A HAT.
Now feeling a little safer to walk the London streets once more, Rich and I continued on our Monopoly journey. Just around the corner, our first Monopoly Station…FENCHURCH STREET STATION.
Now in the heart of the City, it’s a short walk through Aldgate and into WHITECHAPEL ROAD…
There are plenty of side streets we could have taken from here to get to Liverpool Street. But Rich and I took a slightly longer route to get there, as we were in deep conversation about London, noticing and discussing the changes over time to our beloved City. That’s one of the great things about this walk. You get a real taste of the history and diversity of British culture, and architecture. It was fascinating!
Now in Bishopsgate, we eventually arrive at LIVERPOOL STREET STATION.
It’s now raining, unsurprisingly for the UK! So with waterproof jackets on, we continue. It’s a bit of a stretch until our next Monopoly street. As we’re now walking towards Bank, which is the heart of the City, what strikes me is the quiet. There’s hardly anyone around, and little traffic. A definite sign of the times since Covid and all that.
As intriguing as this was, it doesn’t stop us from keeping an eye out for more things to collect along the way. Then Bingo! Within quick succession I find two of my Monopoly playing piece challenges…a DOG and the BOOT.
I mean…how cute! Trust Paddington Bear to come to the rescue!
Once past St. Paul’s Cathedral, we continue straight onto Ludgate Hill, which leads into FLEET STREET.
We’re now in the surroundings of the Law firms and Barrister Chambers. Along the road my eye catches a hardware store, and as luck would have it, proudly displayed in the front window, an IRON!
It’s a short walk from here into THE STRAND.
Still aware of my fugitive status, having broken out of the Tower of London earlier, I get my chance to appeal at the Royal Courts of Justice!
Successfully acquitted of my crimes against Monopoly, I am now able to search for my get out of jail free card. But where will i find that? We shall see.
But first, as we approach Aldwych, and The Waldorf…HOTEL.
It’s beginning to rain a little heavier now as we head into Covent Garden. I quickly grab a photo of our next street…BOW STREET, before we decide to make a pit stop for lunch.
It’s 11.15am, and Rich and I decide this is a good moment to take a little rest whilst we dry out. It’s been a great morning so far, and we’re happy with our progress. But there’s still a lot more to do, and places to reach.
Stepping outside, and it’s still raining, but thankfully a little lighter now! We immediately walk into LEICESTER SQUARE.
2 minutes later…COVENTRY STREET.
We then turn left into Haymarket, and head towards our next location…TRAFALGAR SQUARE.
If you look closely, like i did, to the left of the fountain are two policemen. Aha! I have a cunning plan (much to the dismay of Richard).
My opportunity to get my GET OUT OF JAIL FREE card.
I walk up to the policemen, and explain what I’m up to, and would they play along. They were only too happy to, and even offered to put me in handcuffs! Hmm…maybe they weren’t as happy as i had thought! “No, just a handshake please”, i pleaded.
Job done. I’m now out of jail.
Walking on, with Richard shaking his head, we bear right around the Square, and yes, one of my utilities…ELECTRIC COMPANY.
The fun doesn’t stop, as more and more streets are in close reach. Just across the road we walk into NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE.
Then just around the corner…WHITEHALL.
We then head into the Mall, with St. James Park to our left and Buckingham Palace further down the road in the distance. We turn right and then left into PALL MALL.
From there, there’s an option to come back onto the Mall and go via Buckingham Palace if you wish, and then through Green Park. Or you can walk up St. James Street. Either way, you reach PICCADILLY.
I’m about to turn off Piccadilly when Richard spots our other utility we need to find…the WATER WORKS. Great spot Rich!
And the Monopoly streets keep coming now…just off Piccadilly we pass VINE STREET.
Quickly followed by REGENT STREET.
We turn off Regent Street, and head through the iconic Carnaby Street, before we we enter MARLBOROUGH STREET.
We then decide to make another short pit stop to grab a cup of over-priced, but delicious coffee.
15 minutes later we’re back on London’s streets. All day I’ve been thinking of where on earth I’ll find FREE PARKING. It’s London…nothing is free!
However, after having examined several parking bay signs along the way, I find one that will do nicely!
Phew! I can breathe! I knew that would be a tough one to crack.
Continuing on, next up…BOND STREET.
Just around the corner we enter MAYFAIR.
From there we head up Grosvenor Street, through the Square past the site of the old US Embassy (now being converted into a hotel), and then make a right into PARK LANE.
Time for a quick check on what was left to find…
4 streets, 2 rail stations, houses, and a super tax and income tax card.
The tax challenge was nagging at me.
The next street is just around the corner…OXFORD STREET.
We turn off Oxford Street into Portman Street, and pass a lovely row of HOUSES.
Then a further 5 minutes or so, crossing over Marylebone Road, we make a left, and to our next station…MARYLEBONE STATION.
From here, there’s a long stretch before reaching our next destination. You can of course walk down Marylebone Road. But it’s a busy road with lots of traffic, and quite unappealing. So we diverted via Baker Street, and Great Portland Street, before finally turning left into Marchmont Street, and then right onto the EUSTON ROAD.
I then think of a cunning plan to complete my tax cards. What i need is a firm of accountants! I do a quick Google search for the nearest ones. Perfect, there’s one very close to our next stop…KINGS CROSS ST. PANCRAS.
Whilst i go off to search for the accountancy firm, Richard waits for me by the station. I head down the road following the directions on Google, but when i arrive where it’s supposed to be, it’s not there. Well perhaps it is, but it’s inside an office block which i can’t gain access to! Harrumph! Or words to that effect"!
Hopes dashed, I head back to my friend. Before setting off, i look up some other places along the remainder of our journey, which really isn’t too far to go now. I’m pinning my hopes now on finding my tax cards close to the finish.
There’s just two more roads to complete, and it’s a straight line from here towards them both.
Our penultimate road isn’t too far…PENTONVILLE ROAD.
10 minutes later, we arrive at our final destination!
ANGEL ISLINGTON.
Our walk is complete, except for just one more task…TAX.
Just down the road I discover a firm of Chartered Accountants! I’m happy enough that this will do for my remaining Super Tax and Income Tax cards.
Just to highlight this, I mark my photo!
THE LONDON MONOPOLY BOARD WALK…completed!
SUMMARY
Well that was a lot of fun wasn’t it? As you can see, I certainly enjoyed myself!
But before you go, let’s just double check i completed the RULES OF PLAY.
Rule 1: Pass GO and
Rule 3: Collect £200 from the Bank
Rule 2: Visit all 22 streets and 4 Stations
Rule 4: Find all 6 playing pieces
Rule 5: Find Houses and Hotels
Rule 6: Locate Waterworks and Electric Company
Rule 7: Play a Chance and Community Chest
Rule 8: Free Parking
Rule 9: Income Tax and Super Tax
And my personal favourites…
Rule 10: Go to Jail, and Get Out of Jail Free
So that’s it!
The London Monopoly Board Walk!
I hope you enjoyed reading my blog. I’d love to hear from anyone that has either completed it, or perhaps is thinking about doing it one day! Get in touch.
Don’t forget to check out the London Monopoly Board Tour page for more details of live events and bespoke group and corporate challenges
Happy Hiking!
Marc
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