By Hannah Moss | July 2, 2012 | Pass it on:

SalesGossip Talk London Shopping Walks With Trip Stylist

When it comes to finding out all the best things to see and do in London, Kathryn Abrams from Trip Stylist is our oracle.

Kathryn creates self-guided London walks that combine great places to eat and drink with hidden gems and more popular London sights. On the Trip Stylist website you’ll find easy to follow walks that will help you get off the beaten track and discover new places – and now we’ve teamed up with Kathryn to bring you a special series of 6 London Shopping Walks.

We asked Kathryn to tell us more about Trip Stylist and share some of her favourite London sights…

So Kathryn, how was the idea for Trip Stylist born?

I love travelling and exploring new places. In particular I love London and discovering new places to go, eat, drink and wander. Over the years I’ve accumulated a huge list of great places to eat and drink, hidden gems, latest gourmet coffee shops, exhibitions to check out, new bars, oddities – you name it I had picked up the flyer or bookmarked the web address!

I also found myself researching and planning other people’s holidays for fun (odd, I know) so I decided it was time do something about it this obsession and make use of the masses of information I had gathered over the years – and so Trip Stylist was born!

Is it just for tourists, or can Londoners learn a thing or two?

It’s definitely for Londoners too! I wanted the walks to help people get off the beaten track and discover new places, see things they might not have found otherwise – both for Londoners wanting a day out at the weekend as well as visitors to London. Hopefully Trip Stylist can help people explore London’s neighbourhoods and quirkier side rather than just the major tourist attractions.

There is so much to see in London – how do you choose your routes?

The walks are designed by area so I started by choosing the areas I knew the best. I’ve gradually added walks over the last few months so I now have 11 London walks available to download. I wanted to be able to combine visiting popular tourist sights with lesser known places – for example the “To The Tower” walk which visits popular Borough market, Thames Path and Tower of London and also detours via Bermondsey and Maltby Street food market – places tourists (and many Londoners) would probably never visit, despite them being very close to major tourist destinations.

And you offer personalised walks too…

Yes, I can personalise any of the London walks by changing the titles of the walks, adding in favourite cafes or sights etc – great for unique presents or surprise days out.

I also offer bespoke walks, tailor-made to your specifications.

Which is your favourite walk and why?

That’s a tough question! Probably “London Villages” which explores Marylebone and Primrose Hill – a tranquil, greener side of London that many visitors don’t see.

How much do your walks generally cost to download?

The walks cost £4 each or 3 for £10. Try out the free Sales Gossip shopping walks and see what you think!

Where is your favourite place in London to shop and why?

I love the Shoreditch area because there are so many great markets as well as pop ups and stores selling clothes from new young designers. It’s a great area to shop if you want to find something unique or a bit different. There’s also loads of great cafes and bars to stop at en route….

For someone visiting London for the first time this summer, what would be your top 3 recommendations of things to see and do?

The Southbank is a great summer destination – there’s always lots of outdoor entertainment and you can see many of London’s iconic sights by taking a stroll from Westminster Bridge to London Bridge.

Escape the hustle and bustle for a while, grab a picnic and enjoy the sunshine (fingers crossed) by visiting one or two of London’s Royal Parks – St James’s Park and Regent’s Park are my favourites.

We can’t forget the Olympics of course – if you don’t have tickets to the events you could soak up the London 2012 atmosphere by watching the Games on one of the big screens that will be popping up all over London – head to Hyde Park, Potters Fields or Victoria Park or to Trafalgar Square during the Paralympics.

And 3 hidden gems to be seen on your walks…

Arnold Circus in Shoreditch – a beautiful bandstand and garden built from the rubble of a former slum.

Sir John Soane’s Museum - the former home of the famous architect, Sir John Soane. It’s stuffed full of paintings, antiquities, sculptures, furniture and even a crypt complete with tombs and mummies.