The original London Bookshop Crawl, est. 2016
Founders & organisers of Canterbury Children's Literature Festival
2027 Programme
Celebrate & explore the amazing bookshops of central & greater London from Friday 12th - Sunday 14th February. We have a range of low pressure ways for you to meet other book lovers, as well as all the resources you'll need to explore on your own. There will be some fun extras on offer throughout the weekend, as well as behind the scenes tours, the return of the Big Bookish Quiz, book swaps, scavenger hunts and more.
Friday 12th February
Bunk Off & Book Shop
1pm - 5pm, , £18 General / £16 Members
1 - 3.30pm, £13 General / £11 Members
Join us for Bunk Off & Book Shop, a guided literary wander through some of London’s best bookish neighborhoods,
With three locations to choose from, this year we've gone for a longer route, our usual afternoon route, and a shorter route, so there's something for all energy levels!
Take an afternoon off your usual Friday activities to explore bookshops & meet other book lovers.
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Each includes a pre-planned route of brilliant indie bookshops, plenty of time to chat books, meet passionate booksellers, and (of course) buy books without anyone asking if you really need any more books! We’ll pause mid-afternoon for tea and cake (purchased separately) before continuing our literary adventure. Expect great company, new discoveries, and a joyful celebration of London’s bookshop scene.
The Big Bookish Quiz
6.45 for 7pm, £7 General / £5 Members
The Big Bookish Quiz returns, bringing our annual night of bookish hilarity and fundraising back to Bard Books! Bring a team (up to 5 per table) or come on your own and join ours, and enjoy a fun hour of book related silliness. As always there will be prizes, and the bar will be open for you to purchase drinks and snacks - and books, of course!
All profits will be split between Give a Book and Canterbury Children's Literature Festival and are hugely appreciated.
Saturday 13th February
Cartoons, Comics & Literary Treasures
(Group Bookshop Crawl Plus)
10.30am - 2.30pm, £28 General / £25 Members
Following a fantastic trial last year, we are once again offering the opportunity to explore London's Cartoon Museum before heading off on a Group Bookshop Crawl, visiting the many and varied bookshops from Oxford Circus to Covent Garden with other book lovers. Give yourself the push to visit somewhere fascinating, and follow it up with a plethora of poetry, comics, second hand bookshops and adventure! Ticket includes admission to the Cartoon Museum.
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Camberwell & Peckham
10.30am - 1pm, £13 General / £11 Members
A reworking of an old favourite, this route takes in one of London's newest bookshops as well as some much more established indies, art galleries, teeny tiny second hand treasure troves and more! Get ready for a fun and informative walk with other book lovers, led by our friendly group leader with a few fun surprises along the way....
Ending up at The Feminist Library, where you can join us for Book Swap!
South Bank & Surrounding
10.30am - 1.30pm, £15 General / £13 Members
This is the perfect bookshop crawl for people who love theatre and art! Wander the beautiful South Bank, exploring unusual and unique bookshops with fellow book lovers, discovering London's smallest theatre, amazing indies, open air book markets and more
Finsbury Park & Crouch End Group Bookshop Crawl
1- 4.30pm, £18 General / £15 Members
A brand new route for 2027! Incorporating bookshop bars, cafes, second hand loveliness, bookshops with fascinating specialisms, and the chance to meet other book lovers and connect over a shared love of books.
If you're a bookshop crawl regular, take the chance to try a new thing! If you're brand new to bookshop crawling, this is a great place to begin. This bookshop crawl may include a short bus journey.
Kew & Chiswick
1 - 4.30pm, £18 General / £15 Members
Explore leafy Kew & the bookish gems of Chiswick. Wander indie bookshops, second hand wonders, and other fascinating bookish places, swap book recommendations, and chat as much or little as you like about books. This bookshop crawl will include a short bus or tube journey, and a snack break mid afternoon.
Book Swap at the Feminist Library
1.30 - 3.30pm, Pay as you feel from £1
We have an amazing book swap community in London, and we're really excited to be teeming up with the Feminist Library for a special London Bookshop Crawl Book Swap.
Bring along a book or two you no longer want and swap them for some that you do! Meet other book lovers and chat about whatever you've been reading lately. Tea, coffee & biscuits included!
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Herne Hill & Brixton Group Bookshop Crawl
2pm - 4.30pm, £13 General / £11 Members
Wander the leafy streets of Herne Hill, and take a short journey into Brixton, exploring amazing indie bookshops, eclectic second hand and charity bookshops and a couple of the best children's bookshops London has to offer with a group of lovely book lovers. You'll be led around by our friendly group leaders, with the chance to swap recommendations, chat books and buy books without anyone asking if you really need any more!
Treasures of the British Library
2pm & 2.15pm
Come with us on a behind the scenes tour of the Treasures of the British Library, a staple of the London Bookshop Crawl weekend for many years. The perfect tour for bibliophiles and usually not available at the weekend, this tour is the perfect hour of bookish escapism to add to your bookshop crawl weekend.
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Bloomsbury & Surrounding
2pm - 4.30pm, £13 General / £11 Members
The bookshops of Bloomsbury and the surrounding area are a varied bunch. Explore beautiful, unusual indie bookshops, iconic pioneering pillars of the bookselling world, secondhand labyrinths and so much more, while meeting other book lovers and connecting over a shared love of books. You'll be led around by our friendly group leader and there might even be some fun surprises along the way.
The Socially Antisocial Bookshop Crawl Party!
7pm, Pay as you feel from £1
Join us for the most socially antisocial party you've ever experienced! Hosted in a bookshop, with the chance to spend more time chatting to people you've met on bookshop crawls over the weekend, or getting to know other book lovers. There will be bookish games, crafts, a blind date with a book swap, and other activities so the standing around making small talk part can be as minimal as you like!
Sunday 14th February
Kentish Town & Camden
1 1am - 2.30pm, £18 General / £15 Members
Blending a fantastic mix of second hand, antiquarian, new and specialist bookshops, the Kentish Town and Camden route takes in a beautiful and unusual area of London, with lots to see for those interested in street art and architecture as well as bookshops! You'll be led around by our friendly group leader, with the chance to meet other book lovers and chat along the way.
Kings Cross & Surrounding Group Bookshop Crawl
1 - 4.30pm, £18 General / £15 Members
One of our most popular routes, explore some of London's most exciting and unusual bookshops and meet other book lovers along the way! Join our group bookshop crawl to discover some fantastic indie bookshops, floating curiosities, subterranean labyrinths and many more, while having the chance to chat books, swap recommendations and add to your piles of possibility.
Treasures of the British Library Tour
2pm & 2.15pm, £12
Come with us on a behind the scenes tour of the Treasures of the British Library, a staple of the London Bookshop Crawl weekend for many years. The perfect tour for bibliophiles and usually not available at the weekend, this tour is the perfect hour of bookish escapism to add to your bookshop crawl weekend.