It is another warm day and the last of Tigger’s holiday, so we must enjoy it while it lasts.
Sainsbury’s
We performed our usual shopping run to Sainsbury’s and returned home to put away our purchases and have a little rest.
Myddelton Passage
Later, we walked through Myddelton Passage, prettily decked in summer green.
The pub vine
We visited the pub vine and found it flourishing.
Bunches of grapes
It is already producing tiny bunches of grapes. Very soon they will develop and the pub’s neighbour can have them for her cooking.
Spa Green Garden
We crossed Rosebery Avenue and entered Spa Green Garden.
Finsbury War Memorial
We visited the Finsbury War Memorial whose statue of Victory was for once unaccompanied by pigeons – they were no doubt out looking for lunch or basking in the sunshine.
Exmouth Market
We went along Exmouth Market where the fine weather was attracting people to sit outside the cafes and restaurants.
Caffè Nero
We paused at Caffè Nero for a leisurely coffee break.
Aboard the 341
Afterwards, we caught a number 341 bus.
Waterloo Station
The bus brought us to Waterloo Station.
Picnic lunch Photo by Tigger
In the station was a small food shop called Whistle Stop where we bought the makings of a picnic lunch.
Waterloo Millennium Green
We carried it across to a small park called Waterloo Millennium Green and found a shaded bench where we could eat our lunch.
Lunch guests
The breeze caught my crisp packet, blew it out of my hand and scattered crisps on the ground. The above is the result – unintended lunch guests!
Aboard the 341
Having finished (and shared) our modest repast, we left the Green and took, first a number 176 bus, changing to this one, a 341.
Uncluttered st last
The bis brought us home to the Angel where our favourite local building is finally free of builders’ scaffolding and stands newly cleaned and cheerful in the sunshine.
To start our outing, we went for coffee in Amwell Street where I photographed the Grade II listed Windmill Base in the New River Head. This is one of the original buildings dating from the construction of Hugh Myddelton’s New River.
Doorway, old Finsbury Town Hall
We walked to the bus stop beside old Finsbury Town Hall in Rosebery Avenue.
Aboard the 19
We boarded a number 19 bus, finding seats at the back.
Sloane Square
The bus brought us to Sloane Square, heartland of the fabled Sloane Rangers.
Côte Brasserie Photo by Tigger
Nearby was a Côte Brasserie and we went here for lunch.
Fountain, Sloane Square
After lunch, we crossed Sloane Square with its fountain and…
Lower Sloane Street
…set of down Lower Sloane Street. (The word “Sloane” is repeated ad nauseam throughout the neighbourhood in the names of streets and businesses.)
Let Heaven Go Anna Gillespie
We stopped to admire (?) a sculpture by Anna Gillespie, entitled Let Heaven Go, part of The Gathering Project.
Chelsea Bridge
We crossed Chelsea Bridge to the south side of the Thames and proceeded along the walkway (which probably has a name but, if so, I don’t know what it is).
Coffee break
There was a path leading off to the right with cafes and restaurants. We paused at one of them for a coffee break,
Battersea Power Dtation
Continuing on, we passed in front of the famous old Battersea Power Station. It has apparently been transformed into a shopping centre, among other things.
Still walking
Like Felix, we kept on walking. Everywhere were crowds which always puts me in a bad mood.
Not an amphitheatre
We passed what looked like an amphitheatre but was really a lower level promenade.
A work of art?
Our path eventually joined the main road and at the junction was this object: presumably intended as a work of art. (I am being polite.)
Battersea Park Road
We walked along Battersea Park Road, making for our next destination.
Elephant and riders
On seeing this remarkable piece of art, I of course, stopped to take a photo of it.
First glimpse
Then we had our first glimpse of what we had come to see: a huge – and in my opinion, ugly – building, drawn to it by Tigger’s interest in architecture.
The US Embassy
It is, of course, the relatively new United States Embassy. Personally, I find it ugly but others will no doubt have different opinions.
Aboard the 344
We could now take the first of our buses to return home. The 344 would take us to Bishopsgate where we could catch a 205.
Bishopsgate
The 344 brought us to Bishopsgate. Rather than go to the stop at Liverpool Street Station where a lot of people would be scrambling for the bus, we walked up Camomile Street to what we hoped would be a less competitive stop.
Aboard the 205
A 135 cane first so we took it. It was not at all crowded. When we changed to a 205, we found it packed, though we eventually found seats. As usual, the bus nearly emptied at the clock tower, making the rest of our journey more comfortable. That’s when I took the photo above.
It’s another sunny day today though cool. The plan is to take the bus to Walthamstow Central but first…
Amwell Street
…we went to Amwell Street and paused for our usual coffee at Myddelton’s deli.
Old Finsbury Town Hall
We walked down to Clerkenwell to catch a bus, passing the old Finsbury Town Hall and…
St James Clerkenwell
…the Church of St James Clerkenwell.
Aboard the 55
We boarded a number 55 bus that goes to Walthamstow Central. Because it is a weekday, the streets were busy and progress was slow.
Bromley’s Cafe
We therefore broke our journey in Leyton and had lunch in Bromley’s Cafe.
Back seat on the 55
After lunch, we boarded another number 55 bus and sat in our favourite seats at the back.
Public library
On arrival at Walthamstow, we paid a visit to the public library. This façade shows its modern, refurbished face.
Public library interior
The fabric of the original library remains but the interior has been modernised and rendered rather dull.
The old façade
The library was funded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and opened in 1909. This old façade still survives and, for my tastes, is far nicer than the boring modern replacement.
Clock tower Central Parade
The Central Parade was built in 1957-8, in an era of optimism. The fact that the clock no longer works suggests that that optimism is long dead.
St Mary’s Walthamstow
On our way to our next destination, we passed by the parish church, St Mary’s Walthamstow.
Tudor-style house
We saw this Tudor-style house but was it genuine? I am always suspicious of “Tudor” buildings that look too neat and tidy as many imitations were built during the 1930s. A plaque tells us that this one is a genuine old house. It was saved from a ruinous condition in 1934 – hence its too-good-to-be-true appearance now.
Neon signs a-plenty
We arrived at a place called God’s Own Junkyard. I am not sure whether it is a museum, a shop, a cafe or all of these combined. (If you have more patience than I have, you can read the website and perhaps you’ll find the answer.) It was packed with neon signage (which the iPhone camera doesn’t handle well) and there was unpleasantly loud music. I was glad to leave.
Squire’s Almshouses
On the way back we saw this near row of almshouses built by Mary Squires in 1795 for the use of “six decayed tradesmens widows and no other” (apostrophe missing in the original).
Vestry House Museum
We visited the local museum called the Vestry House Museum. The house was originally the local workhouse but, after that closed in the 1830s, had many different uses before becoming the museum in the 1930s.
Locally made clock
On display is this neat timepiece, the work of a local clockmaker. Unfortunately, it seems not to be in working order – a fate that befalls many fine old clocks.
The Bremer Car
Also proudly displayed is this motor car, reputed to be the first British-built car with an internal combustion engine. It was built by Frederick William Bremer in 1892. Modern drivers would have difficulty identifying the controls. For example, there are no pedals.
Museum garden
The museum has a pleasant garden and we sat here for a while, collecting our energy for the walk back to town.
Aboard the 55
We made our way back back to the bus station in search of a number 55 bus. For the first bus, there was a scramble to board and we were at the back. We therefore preferred to wait for the next bus. When it arrived, there was the same scramble as before but we were ready for it and found good seats.
Aboard the 38
We later changed to a number 38 as that would take us nearer home than would the 55.
We left the bus when it stopped at Angel Station and from there had a short walk to home. Here we made tea and settled in for a restful evening.
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