Matchday stories
Arsenal Matchday: Highbury to the Emirates
A renamed Tube station, the ghost of Highbury, five bronze legends and a proper pre-match pub.
For fans who want the stories before the whistle: a self-guided PDF walk to kick-off.
No match ticket needed · works on non-matchdays too
€5,99digital download, VAT included
Checkout on Etsy · 5.0 shop rating · 10 Etsy reviews
Instant PDF download · Yours to keep · No app needed.
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Your kind of afternoon
Arrive with a few more stories.
Before the turnstiles open, Arsenal's north London story is already under your feet. This self-guided walk starts at the only Tube station named after a football club, traces the old Highbury Stadium from the public streets, and crosses the neighbourhood that shaped matchday ritual.
You circle the Emirates, look for one detail that ties it back to Highbury, and finish in a pub that knows exactly what ninety minutes can do to a room. Every stop gives you a short mission and a story to find rather than a lecture to sit through, and it works on a quiet day as well as a matchday.
Out on the walk
What you'll do on the walk
Start at the station that changed its name for a football club, and find the old tiles that kept the first one. Hunt down Highbury’s East Stand, still pretending to be a stadium. Then line up all five bronze legends at the Emirates before a proper pre-match pint.
Fox spotting chance
Keep an eye on quiet corners and front gardens, especially towards dusk.
Inside the guide
A walk with something to discover at every stop.
Example pages from the Greenwich guide; this walk follows the same format.
Take a look inside
See the actual guide.
A look through this walk’s real PDF, route and cards. Press play to explore.
Make this your afternoon → (buy the Arsenal walk PDF on Etsy)Made for your own pace
Inside your guide
Every stop comes with a few little cards:
- Mission Something to notice, find or do: a reason to look a little closer.
- Trivia The story or detail most visitors walk straight past.
- Witty Wanderer Tip A little local know-how: shortcuts, smart timing and things worth knowing before you wander on.
- Foxtrack A song picked for this stretch of the walk. Tap, play, wander on.
- Walk Bingo A printable card to tick off as you go. A bonus, not homework.
- One-tap directions Distance and time already worked out. Tap to open Google Maps (the A4 edition has QR codes).
- Your editions The guide in four PDF editions (Mobile, Large Phone, Tablet and A4 Print), so you can pick the one that suits your device or print it at home
Save your PDF before you go. Maps, Spotify and other external links need a connection. Attraction tickets are separate.
Curious corners along the way
A taste of your afternoon.
A glimpse of the place
Arsenal Tube Station
Before leaving, find the old ‘Gillespie Road’ tiling that survived the 1932 rename. One station, two names.
Highbury Square
From the public street, find Highbury's preserved East Stand façade. Which detail still makes it look like a stadium?
A surprise stop
Walk the Fields and count the Arsenal clues: shirts, scarves, stickers, pub signs or simply the flow of supporters.
Emirates Stadium Statues
Find all five statues: Chapman, Adams, Henry, Bergkamp and Friar. Bonus: match a statue to the story behind its pose.
A surprise stop
Walk one side of the stadium slowly. Find one detail linking the Emirates back to Highbury: a name, image, clock or artwork.
A surprise stop
Before ordering, scan the room: shirts, screens, chants, regulars. What makes this feel like an Arsenal pub, not just a nearby pub?
The rest stays a surprise. The guide gives you every stop, address, story, photo idea and direction, one tap at a time.
Before you set off
Plan your wander.
Route details, timing & access
- The walk is flat and easy, on pavements throughout, and runs one way from Arsenal station to Holloway Road station. Two or three hours before kick-off is the sweet spot: you get the old Highbury streets before the biggest crowd surge.
- Highbury Square's central garden is private residents' space. You do not need to enter the development to appreciate the old ground: the preserved façades are the point of that stop. Arsenal station is small and gets extremely busy on matchdays, so if you are only walking the route, start before the main crowd arrives.
- The outdoor route costs nothing. Save the spend for a pint or food at the finish; museum and stadium-tour prices are optional extras. The Arsenal Museum normally opens seven days a week except Christmas Day, but stadium events can affect access and tours, so check Arsenal's current opening times. Avoid going immediately after full time, when the surrounding streets are at their busiest.
Official websites & opening times
Places change their hours and prices, so check before you go:
Questions
How long does the Arsenal walking tour take?
About 2 hours 45 minutes at a relaxed pace, covering roughly 4.1 km and 6 stops. On a quiet day you will spend longer at each stop than the timings suggest, which is the point of doing it yourself.
Do I need match tickets to do this walk?
No. The whole route is public streets, parkland and the stadium exterior. The Emirates Museum and stadium tour cost extra and are optional; the statues, the Highbury façades and the pre-match pub cost nothing.
Where does the Arsenal walk start and finish?
It starts at Arsenal station and finishes at Holloway Road station, so it is a clean one-way route. Both are on the Piccadilly line, and Holloway Road is on the Overground as well if you want an easy way back.
What will I get when I buy it?
You receive the PDF guide in four editions (Mobile, Large Phone, Tablet and A4 Print) plus a printable Walk Bingo card as an instant download from Etsy. Nothing is shipped.
“A very nice tour with some great local suggestions. Very nice to be able to wander at your own pace instead of following a guide or group.”
Good shoes. Curious mind. Off you go.
Every stop, story and small mission for Arsenal, in one download. The surprises are still yours to find.
Get the Arsenal walk · €5,99 →Checkout on Etsy
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