35: There’s A Walk For That with Harriet Thomas & guest walk leader Martin O’Donnell

35: There’s A Walk For That with Harriet Thomas & guest walk leader Martin O’Donnell

Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This conversation with walk host Harriet Thomas and community project development manager Martin O’Donnell turns a simple stroll through Soho into a rich mix of history, health and human stories. The chat is framed around Harriet’s belief that “there really is a walk for that”, and here that walk runs straight through central London.

Harriet admits she’s trained herself to notice colour and movement in nature, but in the city she realises, “I am missing so much.” Along the way, the pair touch on addiction through Martin’s reading of Thomas De Quincey’s *Diary of an Opium Eater* and its link to Soho’s streets, and they pause at the John Snow pub to talk about the GP who “realised that they’re all drinking this light beer that they make” and worked out that cholera was waterborne.

Martin, an official walking tour guide for Westminster City Council, leads her past film landmarks, music streets and old markets, showing how walking can reconnect you with a place you thought you already knew. It’s history told at pavement level, with plenty of humour and curiosity. The episode also speaks to anyone interested in community and recovery.

Martin explains how walking helped him after a traumatic accident, and how he now uses walking tours to build bonds between staff, residents and local businesses. He shares ideas for turning disused red phone boxes into mini libraries or tiny museums, encouraging people to “become an activist in your neighbourhood” just by paying attention on foot.

If you’ve ever wondered whether city walking can be as nourishing as a countryside hike, this Soho wander makes a strong case that every step can uncover stories, spark ideas and strengthen your sense of belonging. Where might your next walk take you?