Shepherdess Walk, Central London

In the trendy neighbourhood of Hoxton, Shepherdess Walk runs down towards City Road. It is home to the Eagle Tavern, which dates from 1820 and features in a verse of the nursery rhyme Pop Goes the Weasel:

Up and down the City Road,

In and out the Eagle,

That's the way the money goes,

Pop! Goes the weasel.

The Strand Meets the Aldwych, Central London

 

A grandiose statute of Gladstone marks the spot where the eastern end of the Strand meets the arc of the Aldwych.

39, 41 and 43 Old Town, Clapham, South London

 

This group of mid-eighteenth century town houses are Grade II listed.  One of them bears a GLC blue plaque noting that the architect John Francis Bentley (1839-1902) lived here.

Trinity Church Square, South London

 

Timeless Trinity Church Square is brought up to date by the presence of a solitary electric bike.

Gypsy Hill, South London

 

Looking down Gypsy Hill from Crystal Palace, in the aftermath of a hail storm. 

Cycling through a Damp Dulwich, South London

 

Sun follows rain leaving Dulwich College glistening in the glare.

Cafe Society, Herne Hill, South London

 

On a sunny Sunday, the outdoor tables of the cafes surrounding Herne Hill's market get pretty busy.

Number 54 Farringdon Street, Central London

 

Handsome Number 54 Farringdon Street, which now houses GiGi's restaurant and bar, is Grade-II listed. Built in the 1860s from Portland Stone, this fine building abuts the Holborn Viaduct, which was built around the same time.

Unilever House, Blackfriars, Central London

Built in 1930 in a neo-classical style, Grade-II listed Unilever House has nine floors, a basement and a sub-basement that can house up to 4,000 staff. It is still the headquarters of Unilever, a consumer goods conglomerate.

Mayall Road, Brixton, South London

 

Running parallel to Railton Road, Mayall Road, line with late Victorian terraces, connects Brixton and Herne Hill.

Dusk at Almshouses and Christ's Chapel, Dulwich, South London

At sunset, fairy lights in the trees bring a kind of magic to the Dulwich Almshouses.

Gower Street, Central London

 

Despite the steady stream of traffic, Gower Street feels like a throwback to London's heyday.  The west side of the street is lined by a lengthy row of grade II-listed terraced houses, between Bedford Square and UCL Medical School, built between 1780 to 1820.  Many of the houses retain window detailing, the frontage railings, stucco banding and parapets, chimney stacks and pots. 

The Bloomsbury Conservation Area report notes that whereas the street was originally entirely residential, it now houses University College London halls of residence, hotels and offices. While a few townhouses have been converted to flats,  some have been returned to single family dwellings. 

Montague Street, Central London

 

Montague Street is lined with elegant early nineteenth century terrace houses, which are grade II listed. These four-storey properties are still adorned with cast iron railings and balconies on the first-floor windows.  Although some have been converted into hotels or offices of the British Museum,  a few properties remain in residential use.  On the east side, a gap between the two terraces is filled by some decorative iron gates dating from 1899, that give access to a private communal garden behind. 

Lancaster Place, Central London

 

After crossing Waterloo Bridge from the south you wait at traffic lights where Lancaster Place meets the Strand, from where you will get plenty of time to admire the striking period buildings that act as a gateway to Wellington Street.

Museum Street, Bloomsbury, Central London

One of the narrow pedestrianised thoroughfares running up to the British Museum, Museum Street is lined with touristy restaurants, cafes, pubs and the odd souvenir tat shop. Despite the obvious commercialisation, it retains an elegant period vibe.

The Rooftops of Huntley Street, Central London

 

From the waiting area of the Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals, you get a great birds' eye view of the surviving period properties on Huntley Street.

Bedford Square, Central London

Dating from 1775, Bedford Square is one of the most significant and complete examples of a Georgian square in London, according to the Bloomsbury Conservation Area report, which notes that all the townhouses fronting the square are grade I listed. 

Peckham Road, South London

 

The Cycle Lanes, Southwark Bridge, Central London

 

Restored in 2009, green and gold Southwark Bridge is an arch bridge linking Southwark and the City across the River Thames. It was originally designed by Ernest George and Basil Mott and opened in 1921. Segregated from the traffic, Cycle Superhighway 7 runs across the bridge.

Cycling Past the Tourists on Westminster Bridge, Central London

 

The east side of Westminster Bridge is often rammed with tourists admiring the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye. Although there is a protected cycle lane, it is often better to use the road, to avoid interrupting the selfies.