London After Dark

As the nights draw in and the tubes begin to run 24 hours, we celebrate the many nocturnal delights of the English capital.

- Steve Pill

In her 1927 essay Street Haunting, Virginia Woolf claimed the “greatest pleasure of town life in winter” was rambling the streets of London. Doing so in the evening, noted the Bloomsbury Group author, “gives us the irresponsibility which darkness and lamplight bestow.”

Almost a century on and, while the gas lamps have been replaced by sodium street lights, many of the sights that so inspired Woolf continue to beguile visitors and locals today.

And with the launch of the long-awaited 24-hour Night Tube service providing yet another means for navigating the city, there has never been a better time to explore the English capital after hours. Like many major international cities, London began life as a settlement along a bend in a river and, as a result, many of the most breathtaking views and grand architectural statements can be found along the banks of the Thames. In the late evening, one of the nicest routes – a 1.5-mile walk that takes in many of the capital’s most iconic landmarks – begins at Westminster underground station.

As you ascend the steps from the tube, most eyes will be on the iconic clock face of the Elizabeth Tower – or ‘Big Ben’ as the tower's bell is known to its friends – but keep a look out at the top for the Ayrton Light. It was installed for Queen Victoria in 1885, so she could tell from her window at nearby Buckingham Palace whether either parliament was in session – if the light was on in the evening, either the House of Commons or Lords was sitting.