London Serial Killers – The Blood and Tears Walk

London’s dark side comes into sharp focus on this brisk evening walk, which links ten serial killer stories to churches, courts, alleys, and streets around the City and Holborn. It is not simply a Jack the Ripper outing. You’ll hear about killers who are far less familiar, including one who operated on two continents and another whose crimes involved 15 boys and men.

I like the way guide Declan McHugh, author of Bloody London, mixes documented crime with local history, audience questions, and short interactive challenges. I also like the route itself: it takes you to corners of London that most sightseeing walks skip, including a gloomy alley used for a psychic experiment.

The main drawback is the pace. You cover about two miles, or 3.2 kilometers, in roughly two hours, often moving briskly between stops. The subject matter is grim, the tour runs in all weather, and it is not a good choice if you have significant mobility or health concerns.

Key points to know before you book

• Ten killers in two hours: Expect a packed evening of stories rather than a slow, leisurely stroll.
• Declan McHugh leads the walk: His style is energetic, interactive, and sometimes deliberately demanding.
• Not just Jack the Ripper: The route covers a broad range of British criminal cases, many less familiar than the Ripper story.
• A two-mile urban route: London’s streets are generally flat here, but the pace can be hard to maintain.
• The mood changes often: Grim crime scenes are mixed with horror movie questions and moments of dark humor.
• A pub finish: The walk ends at the Victorian-style Princess Louise near Holborn Underground Station.

London’s darker past, told on foot

This experience works because the locations are part of the storytelling. You are not sitting in a room hearing a lecture about crime. You move through the streets where suspects lived, cases were tried, and bodies were examined.

The route begins near Barbican at 7 p.m. and finishes in Holborn. The walk is roughly two miles, but the distance alone does not tell the whole story. You stop frequently for explanations, questions, and short activities, then move quickly to the next location.

Declan’s approach is highly interactive. He asks you to profile killers, judge horror films, and take part in a psychic experiment. If you want a quiet walk where you can simply listen, this may feel too forceful. If you enjoy being pulled into the subject, the format gives the evening more energy.

The experience is aimed at people aged 12 and older. Children aged 12 to 14 must be accompanied by an adult. The stories concern murder, child victims, grave-robbing, and other disturbing subjects, so parents should think carefully before bringing a young teenager.

St. Bartholomew the Great and the first case

The opening stop is the Church of St. Bartholomew the Great, where Declan tells the story of an uncaught killer who murdered a six-year-old girl and, seven years later, killed a seven-year-old girl inside Barbican Station.

This is a strong beginning because it introduces the kind of detail that sets the walk apart from a standard London ghost tour. Declan compares the two cases and asks you to consider what the similarities reveal about the killer’s behavior.

You spend only about eight minutes here, so do not expect a full crime-scene lecture. Instead, the stop establishes the method of the walk: a real place, a tightly focused story, and a question about how investigators might profile the person responsible.

Holy Sepulchre and the economics of death

At Holy Sepulchre London, the subject shifts from murder to the grim trade in human bodies. Declan explains how grave-robbing and serial killing became connected to the demand for corpses used in medical study.

The reference to doctors at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital adds a useful social layer. London’s medical institutions needed bodies, and that demand created opportunities for criminals willing to supply them by illegal means.

This is one of the shortest stops, at about five minutes, but it gives you context for the crimes that follow. You begin to see that London’s dark past was shaped not only by individual cruelty, but also by poverty, weak law enforcement, and institutions willing to deal with people at the bottom of society.

The Old Bailey and four notorious trials

The Old Bailey is the route’s main courtroom stop. As the Central Criminal Court, it connects several of the evening’s cases to the machinery of justice.

Declan first discusses a killer who appeared at the Old Bailey twice. This man helped send an innocent person to the gallows before later confessing to multiple murders of women. The story raises difficult questions about unreliable testimony, wrongful conviction, and how long it can take for the truth to surface.

The second case concerns a killer who murdered 13 women and caused fear for more than five years. You get the broader setting of the crimes as well as the legal aftermath, which helps explain why the Old Bailey matters beyond its impressive exterior.

Two more killers with trials here appear later in the walk. That structure keeps the court from feeling like a single isolated stop. Instead, it becomes a recurring thread connecting separate cases.

Printer Street and a break for horror films

Printer Street provides the evening’s lighter pause. Declan asks for your vote on the scariest horror movies and reveals the top ten choices collected over 23 years of running the walk.

This section is not a random change of subject. It gives you a breather after several grim cases and shows how popular culture turns real fear into entertainment. Declan also recommends a 60-year-old cult horror film that can be watched free on YouTube.

The movie discussion is interactive and may appeal most to horror fans. If you prefer every minute to focus on crime history, you might see it as a detour. I think it helps prevent the evening from becoming relentlessly bleak, especially when the next stops return to murder and disturbing behavior.

Red Lion Court and a killer with an international reach

At Red Lion Court, you hear about a little-known Victorian serial killer who murdered on two continents and lived in London.

This story is presented as a dramatic narrative with several twists. The case has the shape of a film script, yet no film has been made about it. Declan ends the section with a question based on the evidence you have just heard, asking you to work out an answer that most people miss.

That question-and-answer format is typical of the walk. You are not expected to arrive with specialist knowledge. The point is to listen closely, form an idea, and test your judgment against the facts.

Hare Place and Declan’s Jack the Ripper theory

Jack the Ripper appears at Hare Place, just off Fleet Street. Rather than offering only the familiar Whitechapel version of the case, Declan explains why he believes a particular man was the killer.

His theory is also covered in a chapter of Bloody London, which is available for purchase at the end of the tour. The important thing here is that you hear the reasoning behind a suspect, not just a list of names and dates.

This section includes a profiling exercise and what Declan describes as the hardest question of the entire walk. The answer is so rarely identified that he keeps a Roll of Honour for people who get it right.

You should approach this part with an open mind. Jack the Ripper theories are disputed, and the walk presents Declan’s case rather than a universally accepted solution. That makes it more interesting for people who already know the basic story and want to examine a less familiar argument.

St. Dunstan in the West and the eerie alley

The stop at St. Dunstan in the West is designed for atmosphere. You enter a narrow, isolated alley that Declan considers one of the creepiest places on the route.

Here you take part in a psychic experiment centered on a murder scene and hear about two devious serial killers who operated in the area. The setting matters. A bright museum gallery would create distance from the subject, but a confined, dingy passage makes the story feel immediate.

This is also the point where the tour’s horror element becomes strongest. Declan warns that the place can feel especially unsettling in the darker months. If you dislike enclosed spaces or strongly atmospheric crime storytelling, you may find this section uncomfortable.

The Royal Courts and your part in the story

At the Royal Courts of Justice, Declan gives you a section that he keeps deliberately unexplained in advance.

The surprise is part of the appeal. You have already spent much of the walk listening to cases and forming opinions about suspects. Here, the focus shifts toward your response and participation.

Because this stop is only about five minutes, do not expect a long architectural talk about the courts. The building serves as a stage for another interactive moment rather than a conventional sightseeing visit.

Portugal Street and two more killers

Portugal Street brings back two serial killers whose trials took place at the Old Bailey.

One murdered 15 boys and men. The other is described as perhaps the most dangerous woman in the world. The pairing gives the section a sharp contrast and broadens the evening beyond the male killers who dominate many true crime tours.

This is also where the route’s structure pays off. The Old Bailey stop introduced these cases, then Portugal Street returns to them with more detail. You are likely to remember the courtroom as a place tied to several very different crimes.

The Princess Louise and the final revelation

The walk ends at the Princess Louise, a pub known for its Victorian interior. The pub is close to Holborn Underground Station, with the station about a minute away, so it is a practical place to finish an evening tour.

Before you settle in for a drink, Declan tells one final story about a well-known British serial killer. The detail concerns a particularly horrible act that he says is not included in the usual books and documentaries about the case.

His source was the head of forensics involved in that investigation, who later attended the walk. That claim gives the final story a personal link to the criminal investigation process, though you should still treat any single account as part of a guided interpretation rather than a substitute for formal case records.

Declan sells signed copies of Bloody London at the end for £10, payable in cash or through PayPal. The book is a useful extra if you want to continue with the cases after the walk.

Pace, weather, and group size

The walk operates in all weather, so sturdy shoes and suitable clothing matter. Summer evenings can be hot throughout the two hours, while rain can make the experience less enjoyable and make it harder to take photographs.

The route is described as fairly flat, which helps, but flat does not mean effortless. You need to keep moving at a brisk pace, and you should allow extra time for the Underground. The tour advises adding 20 minutes because of frequent train delays. Arriving at exactly 7 p.m. is risky.

A booking can contain up to 20 people, while the total group may reach 45. That means the atmosphere can vary. A smaller group should make it easier to hear and ask questions, while a larger group may feel more like a street performance.

Some people love Declan’s direct, schoolteacher-like questioning. Others may find it condescending, especially if they prefer to listen without being tested. He also talks about his book and website, though the information provided indicates this takes only a small part of the two-hour walk.

Is $27.74 good value?

At $27.74 per person, the tour is fairly priced for a two-hour guided walk in central London, especially because it includes a named specialist guide, a carefully planned route, and live audience participation.

The value depends on what you want. If you are paying mainly to see major landmarks, this is not the right choice. Most stops are viewed from the street, admission is not charged, and the focus is on storytelling rather than entering attractions.

For true crime and horror fans, the price is easier to justify. You get ten cases, several unusual locations, a Jack the Ripper theory, film discussion, profiling questions, and a signed-book option at the end. The walk also takes you into parts of London you might not otherwise visit.

The price does not protect you from the practical limits. You still need to walk quickly, cope with weather, and spend two hours hearing about brutal crimes. Those are part of the value calculation.

Who should book the Blood and Tears Walk?

I would choose this experience if you enjoy true crime, British criminal history, horror films, and strong storytelling. It suits people who like being asked questions and do not mind a guide with a forceful style.

It can also work for families with teenagers aged 12 and up, but only if everyone is comfortable with disturbing subject matter. The stories involve murdered children and other graphic themes, so the minimum age is not the same as a guarantee that every child will enjoy it.

I would look elsewhere if you have mobility limitations, significant health issues, or difficulty walking quickly. The route covers about 3.2 kilometers, and the tour itself warns that it may not suit people in their 70s because of the pace.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made inside that window are not accepted, and a minimum group size is required for the tour to operate.

Should you book it?

Book this walk if you want a focused, unusual evening in London and you would rather hear about lesser-known killers than take another standard landmark tour. Declan McHugh brings a large amount of research, theatrical timing, and audience participation to the route.

Skip it if you want a calm stroll, dislike grisly subjects, or need plenty of time for photographs. The strongest reason to choose it is the combination of real London locations and stories that go well beyond Jack the Ripper. The strongest reason to avoid it is the brisk pace and Declan’s sometimes challenging presentation style.

FAQ

How long is the Blood and Tears Walk?

The walk lasts approximately two hours and covers about two miles, or 3.2 kilometers.

What time does the tour start?

The tour starts at 7 p.m.

Where does the walk begin?

It begins at Underground Ltd on Aldersgate Street near Barbican, London EC1A 4JA.

Where does the tour finish?

It finishes at the Princess Louise pub at 208 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EP. Holborn Underground Station is about 60 seconds away.

What age is allowed on the tour?

The minimum age is 12. Children aged 12 to 14 must be accompanied by an adult, while people aged 15 and over are classed as adults.

Is the tour suitable for people with mobility problems?

The walk is not recommended for people with significant mobility or health issues because it moves at a brisk pace and covers about 3.2 kilometers.

What happens if it rains?

The tour operates in all weather, so you should dress appropriately. Rain may make walking and taking photographs less comfortable.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.