Ourika Valley, Atlas Mountains, Morocco

 

About an hour's drive from Marrakesh, the well-irrigated Ourika Valley is surprisingly green even at the end of a long hot summer.  In early October, temperatures tend to hover in the low twenties, making hiking along the redish-pink tracks pleasant, particularly in the morning. The scenery can be captivating, but the lower reaches of the valley are littered with unfinished buildings and the main road can be pretty busy. Most of the villages, which are mostly home to Berbers, have a football team and a rough and ready football pitch.

Rue Riad Zitoun el Jdid, Marrakesh, Morocco

 

One of the main thoroughfares on the south side of Marrakesh's medina, Rue Riad Zitoun el Jdid can get a bit manic, particularly in the narrow section that isn't open to cars. Mopeds in all shapes and sizes barge their way past bewildered tourists seeking riads and restaurants, while cyclists and instagrammers jostle for space with men and donkeys hauling building materials. Unfortunately, some of the historic buildings are crumbling away and you don't get much time and space to admire the exquisite doorways and intricate tiling that remains.

Kennington Green, South London

Overlooked by fine early 19th century terraces, Kennington Green is a triangular space planted up with some wild flowers. The five-storey houses boast mansard roofs, grand doorcases and some original cast-iron railings between the properties. The Green also now hosts a shaft for the Northern Line extension to Battersea.

Bermondsey Street, Central London

 

Awash with trendy eateries and drinking holes, Bermondsey Street tends to draw a steady flow of  hipsters. It is also a historic thoroughfare connecting the Thames to the area south east of the city. You can cycle down it, but it's worth stopping to soak up the chilled ambiance.

The House Mill, Three Mill Lane, Bromley-by-Bow, East London

 

Built in 1776,  but originally dating from the medieval period, the Grade I-listed House Mill claims to be the world’s largest surviving tidal mill. It sits on an island in the River Lea, opposite the Clock Mill, which was rebuilt in 1817. The House Mill stopped milling in 1941 after the area was bombed during the Second World War, but the Clock Mill continued to operate until 1952.

Queen's Gate, South Kensington, Central London

 

Lined with grand five-storey stucco terraces, Queen’s Gate was developed between 1855 and 1870.

Balham, South London

A major transport hub, the Victorian suburb of Balham has become a magnet for young professionals. Its origins can be traced back to the old coach route out of London to the south and west. But serious development only came with the opening of the railways in 1863, according to Wandsworth Council's official history. Balham's Art Deco tube station was designed by Charles Holden and opened with the extension of the Northern Underground Line in 1926.

Short Walk from Clyro, Radnorshire, Powys, Wales

 

There is a fine walk from the village of Clyro up through Pen-y-lan Wood towards Great Gwernfythen farm, where you can join a country lane back to the village. As you work your way through the trees north west of Clyro, you follow the soothing Clyro Brook for a short stretch. The round trip is only about three kilometres, but there is a fair bit of climbing. Your reward is sweeping views of Hay-on-Wye and the Hay Bluff, on the edge of the Black Mountains.