Slow Horses Locations – TV Walking Tour in London

The best part of this Slow Horses walking tour is the way it connects fiction to real London. You start at William Blake’s grave in Bunhill Fields, pass through the Barbican and Aldersgate, see the building that inspired Slough House, and finish at Leadenhall Market, with Bank Junction along the way.

I like the small group size, capped at 15 people, and the mix of television detail with London history. Guide Susannah brings clear enthusiasm to the subject, including a well-timed Jackson Lamb impression. The main thing to consider is the walking: the route covers about three miles in roughly two hours, so comfortable shoes matter.

Key points to know before you book

• Start with William Blake and Slough House: Bunhill Fields sets the tone with a literary and slightly mysterious opening.
• Walk through the show’s real London setting: The Barbican, Aldersgate, Bank Junction, and Leadenhall Market all add visual context to the series.
• Hear about both books and television: The tour covers Mick Herron’s Slow Horses novels as well as the Apple TV adaptation.
• Keep the group personal: A maximum of 15 people gives you a better chance to hear the guide and ask questions.
• Plan for about three miles on foot: The route is manageable for most people, but it is not a short photo stop between taxis.
• End near food and transport: Leadenhall Market gives you an easy place to eat after the walk.

Why this Slow Horses walk works so well

A good filming-location tour should do more than point at a doorway and say that a scene happened here. This walk has a stronger idea behind it: London itself helps explain the odd world of Slow Horses.

The series follows disgraced or sidelined MI5 officers sent to Slough House, where careers are meant to fade away. The actual city around them is not glamorous in the usual tourist sense. It is made up of office blocks, old lanes, public spaces, churches, markets, and financial district streets. That contrast suits the show. Secret work and failed careers take place in ordinary parts of London, often within sight of busy offices and commuter routes.

You get the television locations, but you also hear about the books that came first. That makes the walk a good fit for someone who has watched the show and wants extra context, as well as for readers who want to picture the streets behind Mick Herron’s stories.

The guide, Susannah, is a major part of the experience. She keeps up with the show and books, explains the locations clearly, and adds facts about espionage and London along the route. Her Jackson Lamb impersonation is an amusing extra, but the real value is the way she joins fictional details to actual places.

Bunhill Fields and William Blake’s grave

The tour begins at Blake’s grave in Bunhill Fields. This is a clever starting point, since the location is not simply a famous London cemetery. It is also presented as one of the meeting places for Jackson Lamb’s team of spies.

That opening gives you an immediate sense of the tour’s approach. You are not only looking for a recognisable building from the screen. You are being asked to notice how a real place can take on a fictional role. A quiet graveyard can become part of the Slough House world, with its mixture of secrecy, old London, and slightly battered charm.

You will also hear about William Blake and the place itself. That helps the first half hour feel like a London walk rather than a narrow television quiz. If you know little about Blake, the stop adds useful city context. If you are already familiar with him, the Slow Horses connection gives the visit a new angle.

The tour then heads toward the fictional Slough House. This section is a gentle start to the walking, with time to get used to the pace and hear how the series uses London. Since admission is free at the stops, the value comes from the guide’s explanation rather than from access to an indoor attraction.

The Barbican Highwalk and Aldersgate

The longest part of the walk takes place around the Barbican and Aldersgate. Allow about 45 minutes here, which tells you that this is more than a quick look at a filming backdrop.

The Barbican can feel confusing when you first arrive. Its elevated walkways, concrete buildings, stairs, planted areas, and passages do not follow the familiar street pattern of central London. That makes it a strong setting for Slow Horses. The architecture has a controlled, enclosed quality that fits a story about surveillance, bureaucracy, and people trying to disappear inside the city.

I like this section because it gives you a chance to look beyond the exact shot used on television. The guide can explain how the area functions on screen and in real life, while also pointing out parts of the Barbican and Aldersgate that you might otherwise pass without understanding.

This is also where the tour’s London angle becomes most useful. You are hearing about the show, but you are walking through a distinctive part of the city with its own design and character. The experience is better for that extra layer. If you only want a series of famous facades, this may feel slower than expected. If you enjoy seeing how a real neighbourhood supports a fictional story, it is likely to be one of the strongest parts.

The Barbican is also a good reason to bring a camera, though the tour is not built around long photo stops. Pay attention to the route underfoot. You may use steps, elevated paths, and city pavements, and the overall walk reaches around three miles.

The real-life Slough House inspiration

One of the most interesting moments comes when you stop outside the building that inspired the fictional Slough House. The show’s version is the place where unwanted MI5 officers are sent, or as the premise puts it, where MI5 careers go to die.

Seeing the real-life inspiration helps separate the fictional office from its London setting. You can picture the characters working in Slough House while also understanding that the building and surrounding streets belong to the everyday city. That gap between the grim office in the story and the actual place is part of the fun.

This stop will mean the most to people who know the main characters and the setup of the series. If you have watched only a few episodes, you will still understand the basic idea, but the references may not land as fully. The tour explains the connection, so you do not need to arrive as an expert.

You should also expect to stop outside rather than enter a working office. The appeal is the explanation and the connection to the show, not an interior visit.

Bank Junction and the Royal Exchange

The walk continues toward Bank Junction, one of the key areas used in the show. The Royal Exchange Building is included among the locations, adding a grander architectural note to a route that has so far focused on cemeteries, modernist walkways, and office streets.

Bank is one of the places where London’s layers sit close together. The financial district brings a strong sense of power and movement, while the older buildings provide the kind of setting that can make a television scene feel larger than a normal city walk. Slow Horses uses these streets for important moments, and standing in the area helps you see how the show moves its characters through real public spaces.

This stop also brings more London history into the tour. That matters because the walk could otherwise become a sequence of screen references. Instead, you get a better sense of why these parts of the city look the way they do and how they fit together.

The Royal Exchange and Bank Junction are especially useful for fans who enjoy spotting locations after the fact. Once you know the setting, you may find yourself watching later episodes with a sharper eye for streets, corners, and building fronts.

Leadenhall Market makes a useful finale

The walk finishes at Leadenhall Market, another location used in Slow Horses. The market is a practical ending point as well as a filming site, since you can stop for food afterward.

That matters after two hours on foot. A tour that ends in an attractive, central area gives you choices. You can grab a bite, continue exploring the City, or use public transport to reach your next stop. The finish also gives the experience a clear shape: Bunhill Fields provides the quiet opening, the Barbican supplies the main setting, Bank adds scale, and Leadenhall Market closes the route with food and atmosphere.

The market is not simply a final photograph. It helps show how the series moves between different faces of London. The city can look secretive and severe in one scene, then open into a market or public square a few minutes later.

You should not expect a long meal break as part of the tour itself. The market is the endpoint, not a scheduled dining stop. Plan to eat afterward if you want to make full use of the location.

What you learn beyond the television show

The tour covers the Slow Horses books as well as the television series. That is useful because adaptations often change details, combine settings, or present familiar places in different ways. Hearing about both versions can make a later rewatch more interesting.

You also get information about real espionage. The tour does not treat the fictional world as if it were a documentary, but it uses the story as a way to discuss real intelligence work and London’s connection to it. For fans, this is one of the best reasons to book rather than simply visit the filming spots independently.

The London material gives the walk wider appeal. You hear about historical places and the city’s development while moving between locations. The result is not a standard sightseeing tour, but it is more than a fan event. I would choose it for someone who likes television with a strong sense of place and wants practical city context along with the plot details.

Price, group size, and overall value

At $27.62 per person, the price is reasonable for a two-hour guided walk in central London, especially with a maximum group size of 15. You are paying for the route, the guide’s preparation, and the added information that would be hard to gather by simply searching for filming locations on your own.

The small group is important. A group of 15 is large enough to create a friendly atmosphere but small enough for Susannah to speak without shouting at a crowd. It should also make it easier to ask about a favourite character, book detail, or filming location.

The tour is offered in English and uses a mobile ticket. Confirmation arrives when you book. It is best to save the meeting details before you set out, since one person had trouble getting the extra location numbers to work in Apple Maps. The starting address is Greggs, U1, 91 City Road, London EC1Y 1BD, and the end point is Leadenhall Market on Gracechurch Street, EC3V 1LT.

The route is near public transport, and most people can take part. Service animals are allowed. The practical limitation is the walking distance, not a difficult attraction entry or a long indoor visit.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted for a refund.

Who should book this London tour

I would book this for:

• Fans who have watched several seasons of Slow Horses
• Readers of Mick Herron’s novels
• People who enjoy filming locations with real city context
• Visitors who like walking tours more than bus-based sightseeing
• Anyone interested in London architecture, espionage stories, and unusual city settings

I would be more cautious if you want a short, low-effort activity. Two hours and about three miles is not extreme, but it is still a proper walk. It may also be less satisfying if you have never seen the show and do not care about the books.

You do not need to know every character before arriving. Still, the more familiar you are with Jackson Lamb, Slough House, and the main storylines, the more you will get from the details.

Should you book the Slow Horses Locations tour?

Book it if you want to see how the series turns ordinary London streets, modern walkways, old buildings, and markets into part of its spy story. The strongest features are the personal small-group format, Susannah’s command of the books and show, and the steady supply of London history along the way.

Skip it if you are looking for indoor access, a relaxed stroll of less than a mile, or a general London highlights tour. For a fan who has already binge-watched Slow Horses and wants to see the Slough House neighbourhood with extra context, the $27.62 price offers good value.

FAQ

Where does the Slow Horses walking tour start?

The tour starts at Greggs, U1, 91 City Road, London EC1Y 1BD, UK.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at Leadenhall Market, Gracechurch Street, London EC3V 1LT, UK.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately two hours.

How far do you walk?

The route covers about three miles.

What locations are included?

The walk includes Bunhill Fields, the Barbican Highwalk, Aldersgate, the real-life inspiration for Slough House, Bank Junction, the Royal Exchange Building, and Leadenhall Market.

Is the tour suitable for most people?

Most people can participate, and the tour is near public transportation. The activity involves about three miles of walking. Service animals are allowed.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted for a refund.