The Solo Scale:

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If you’re going to London, you might think about visiting the London Eye, St. Paul’s, or maybe one of the other tourist locations. One hidden gem that you might not have considered is a walking tour within London that will let you sample incredible cheese, visit various shops, and see London in a great new way — all while learning facts about the cheese-making process, different varieties, and answering cheesy trivia!

You’ll get five stops on the tour and considering that includes cheese samples, a guide, and a drink, it’s well-worth it for the price.

The tour departs from Green Park, just after eleven. That means you’ll get a chance to sleep in and relax in the morning, while enjoying breakfast. You will be eating at five different locations, so you’ll get a light lunch out of it that will keep you full until dinner, so you won’t have to worry about it. This tour isn’t just for tourists, though. While there were a few of us from North America, the majority were from either England or Scotland.

After the guide makes sure everyone is there, you’ll form small groups. In these groups, you pick a team name and begin with a little bit of cheese trivia to get things competitive. There’s points for the name, but also for how well you know your cheese-making!

The Cheese Crawl Begins

Then, it’s off to the first stop. The stops may vary on the tour, but they’ll likely stick to a similar itinerary, which is all within walking distance.

Our first stop was Fortnum and Mason. Here, they let us meander a bit before we sampled Cornish Yarg and sourdough crackers. The cheese had an ash rind, which made the cheese more distinctive.

Then, on to Paxton and Whitfield for a Stilton cheese, which was a much stronger cheese, but quite delicious. The shop has a great map on the wall that shows all the locations where cheeses are made across Britain.

Our third stop was at a Whole Foods. This is a great median point, as you can get other food/snacks if you’re hungry for more than cheese and crackers. We sampled truffle brie and parmesan crisps that were absolutely addictive for how good they were. On top of that, they served a nice glass of prosecco to wash it all down.

Our fourth stop was at a shop called Lina’s for an ‘ubbriaco’. This is a red wine infused cheese, taking its name from the Italian word for ‘drunk’. This wasn’t particularly offensive, despite any worries about wine in cheese. Our last stop was to Neal’s Yard for a Doorstone goat cheese, which we enjoyed in the little courtyard. Once everyone finished eating, the group took a picture before everyone dispersed.

If I had to pick favourites, I would say that the Doorstone goat cheese and the parmesan crisps at Whole Foods were the favourite. However, all the cheeses were high quality. Combined with the walk through London, the trivia, and the cheese, it was a fantastic way to spend an afternoon. The experience was under three hours, too. Plus, it didn’t leave too early in the morning, which means I had a great and relaxed experience.

Are you in London for a few days and want something unique that shows you the city, gives you plenty of cheese, and gives you fun facts while you do it? Book your Cheese Crawl today by visiting the website here!

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