Trip Over to London
Long Walk Through London’s History
The South West East End Area!
As London is a fantastic city for walking, and the weather in early October was quite pleasant, I seemed to quite unintentionally find myself walking and exploring all day. Exploring one area then coming across something else, which led to something else, until I found myself in in 500 year old pub down by The Thames eating fish and chips.
It developed into a day of history and art, as there were many sculptures along the way mixed in with all the historic buildings. The map of my walk is here.
I started off catching the tube to St Paul’s Station, as I came out of the station looking up Newgate St, on the corner of King Edward St I caught a glimpse of a bombed out ruined church. Greyfriars Church was originally built in 1225, destroyed in 1666 in the Great Fire of London, rebuilt by 1704 and was left in its current state after a WWll bombing raid in 1940. Now a beautiful garden with flower beds laid out in the floorplan of the church. Surrounded by modern buildings and the extraordinary amount construction work going on all over London at the moment, I’m sure it is a well used sanctuary for the workers in the area.
Now, to get back on track for my loose plans for the day, I walked back down Newgate St and turned left up St Martin’s Le Grand and I discovered Postman’s Park on the left. This little park, on the grounds of the original London General Post Office HQ, houses the ‘Memorial to Heroic Self Sacrifice Wall’, after reading some of the tiles, they were from much simpler times before political correctness ruled the world!!
After walking through the park I turned right on to King Edward St, continued up here on to Little Britain – yes, that is the name of the street, and there I was thinking it was just a TV show of ‘Computer says no….’ fame! Apparently named as the Duke of Brittany lived here in the 1500s. I continued along Little Britain as it veered to the left and led up to St Bartholomew the Great, and its historic Gate House.
St Bartholomew’s Gatehouse was built in the 1500s above the archway that dates back to the 1300s. A fairly small Tudor style place at the entrance to the church, it was saved from the Great Fire of London by the Priory walls. Then for some unknown reason, in the 1700s is was covered over with a Georgian façade and everyone forgot about the little Tudor building – until a bombing raid in 1917 crumbled the Georgian façade away leaving the Tudor building intact as it stands today.
Just past Bartholomew’s Gate I turned right on to Cloth Fair, London’s oldest House is at #42, opposite St Bartholomew’s Church. It too survived the Great Fire which was blocked by the Priory walls and it also survived both World Wars. Built in the late 1500s, it has been a house, a warehouse, a factory, an abandoned health hazard that was saved from being demolished in the early 1900s when it was bought and extensively restored. The restoration continued turning it into the 4 bedroom house with roof top terrace, worth millions, that stands there today.
I am sure London’s oldest house is not older than the place next door, which has the same brickwork, but who am I to decide these things? The Blue Plaque on the place next door says it was the home of writer and broadcaster, Sir John Betjeman.
Back up Cloth Fair to West Smithfield I turned right and crossed over Long Lane, walked through Smithfield Market, which seemed to be closed, I then crossed Charterhouse St and walked up St John’s Lane to St John’s Gate. Built in 1504 as the entrance to Clerkenwell Priory, the HQ of the Knights of the Order of St John.
Then turning right on to Clerkenwell Rd I walked down here until I reached Goswell Rd and turned right, I walked all the way down Goswell Rd, past the Barbican, where Goswell Rd becomes Aldersgate St. I came across a beautiful old building called Ironmongers Hall, which I believe is a private club with history dating back to when Ironmongers traded in this area. I did go up to the door to find out about the building, but the doorman treated me like I wasn’t worth speaking to – maybe he was right!! But I doubt it!!! I continued on to the London Museum, only to find out it was closed, (note to self:- stuff might be closed on Tuesdays!) I just noticed as I was creating a map of my walk, it says on Google Maps that London Museum is Temporarily Closed!?!
Turning left on to London Wall and crossing the road, there is an amazing area of Roman Ruins, a few 2000 year old structures that were the original settlement of Londinium. Today really was becoming a lesson in London’s history – love it.
I continued down London Wall, crossing back to the north side of the street I came across the old entrance to Elsyng Spital, a hospital built in 1330. Now just the entrance remains after fires, a couple of world wars and the ravages of time. Continuing down London Wall, I turned left in to Circus Pl, right on Finsbury Circus and through Liverpool St Station to Bishopsgate. I crossed over into Brushfield St to Spitalfields Markets – mostly closed, must be that Tuesday thing again!
I loved all the sculptures at Spitalfields, I found another Rabbitwoman and Dogman Gillie and Marc Sculpture, along with a herd of elephants, The Herd of Hope. A series of 20 orphaned elephants and one mother, all created in bronze by Gillie and Marc, to help raise awareness of poaching and the habitat destruction they are falling victim to. Each one has a plaque telling you about their rescue.
On Commercial St I was hoping to see the Van Gogh Exhibition – but, you guessed it – not open on Tuesdays.
I walked through to Brick Lane as I had heard it is interesting – it isn’t……
I went back to Commercial St, recalibrated, and decided to head south to see what I could find. As I crossed Aldgate and continued down Leman St, I decided St Katherine Docks area would be my next destination.
On the left just past Alie St I came across The Goodman’s Field Horse sculptures made to commemorate the historic link to the Goodman family’s horse grazing land that was once here.
Lenan St eventually became Dock St, then further down it became Vaughan Way and suddenly I was at Hermitage Bay and the Ornamental Canal at St Katherine Docks, I walked along Spirit Quay next to the Canal with a couple of swans for company, then wound my way through a few lanes and right on to Reardon St, then left on to Tench St, the right on to Wapping Lane and followed that down to Wapping High St, turned left and walked along here until I came to Wapping Wall, I was deep in old London now, on narrow cobbled streets, then the Prospect of Whitby came into view, arguably the oldest pub on the Thames, built in 1520 – that’s 500 years ago!!! I had a late lunch/early dinner here, delicious fish and chips and a glass or 2 of Rosé. I deserved that after the miles I had walked to get here!
When I arrived at the top of Pelican Stairs next to the pub, the tide was so high it was lapping at the top step, by the time I had finished eating the tide was so low, I could walk down on to the ‘beach’. The stairs are named after the original name of the pub, The Prospect of Whitby as it was later named, was after a ship that was moored on The Thames out the front.
The pub is an amazing building filled with signs listing all the reigning monarchs, from Henry Vlll to Charles lll, who have reigned during the pubs long history, and signs telling stories of the pub. This all adds to the historic atmosphere. Not sure about the noose hanging out over the river……..
From outside the pub, fortunately, I was able to catch the #100 bus back to St Pauls Cathedral and make my way back to my hotel to get ready for my next big day out in London Town.
While in London you might like to visit the beautiful Kew Gardens, take a walk from Camden Town along Regent’s Canal, or be part of London’s amazing history at the Tower of London or for a leisurely day out, catch a boat up the Thames to Hampton Court
If you’re in London in Spring, visiting the Chelsea Flower Show is a must.
Read the PostCards I wrote on my recent Trip Over to London, shorter stories and pictures of places I visited.
Itinerary for my Trip Over to London
Flew from Sydney to London Heathrow via Singapore, with Qantas on QF1, then QF2 to come home.
Stayed at the Royal Overseas League in St James’s.
Caught the Underground Piccadilly Line from Heathrow to Green Park.
Travelled around London using a Visitor Oyster Card.
Explored the stunning Belvedere Palace in Vienna, a former imperial residence that`s truly breathtaking. The gardens were gorgeous, especially with the ponds and fountains coming to life now that winter`s loosening its grip, slightly....!!
#belvedere #schlossbelvedere #vienna #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme
St Matthias Church in the Castle District near Fisherman`s Bastion. Climb the steep stone spiral staircase for a stunning view into the main church and explore the artifacts on display. This historic church dates back to the 11th century.
#solotrip #stmatthiaschurch #budapestcastledistrict
On a chilly Budapest morning, but the blue sky was a nice touch ✨️. I was planning to visit the Hungarian Parliament Building today... but Saturday crowds got the best of me! The exterior of this building is stunning, can`t wait to explore the inside.
#solotravel #hungarianparliamentbuilding #budapest #budapestarchitecture
Budapest Central Market Hall built in the late 1800s, extensively damaged in WWll, left in ruins until the late 1900s when it was returned to it`s former glory.....only to now be mainly selling tourist trash.
#budapestcentralmarket #budapest #traveltheworldwithme #solotravel
Vienna is magnificent to just wander around aimlessly, the buildings, the parks, everything, just perfect.
#vienna #solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme
The streets of Valletta, Malta. Endless hours of exploring this amazing place. A wonderful place for solo travellers, easy to get around and very safe. Something for everyone, especially for history buffs!!
#solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotravelinmalta
Exploring Trapani Salt Pans on the west coast of Sicily with a day trip tour from Palermo - what a quirky spot! Windmills, old boats, and epic views. The last shot shows the hilltop medieval city of Erice, which I featured in my previous posts. The solo adventure continues.....
#trapani #trapanisaltpans #sicily #solotravelinsicily
Quattro Canti, or Piazza Vigliena, is a stunning Baroque square at the heart of Palermo`s historic centre. Located where Via Maqueda meets Corso Vittorio Emanuele, each corner symbolises one of the city`s ancient districts, built in 1620. Via Maqueda is now a pedestrian zone, bustling with restaurants, ranging from great spots to tourist traps, and it`s the perfect place to stroll around in the evenings.
#palermo #quattrocantipalermo #viamaquedapalermo #solotravelinsicily
After catching the tram across the river, I strolled through Letna Park, there are stunning views of Prague`s Vltava river, the bridges and the castle, not to mention all the flowers in the park.
#flowerseverywhere #viewsfordays #praguelife #solotrip #walkinthepark
As usual, when it cones to museums, I usually find the building more interesting than the exhibits!! Vienna Natural History Museum was no exception!!
#viennanaturalhistorymuseum #vienna #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
More sculptures in the streets, and I found another one of the minitures that are dotted all over the city. It`s hard to tell what it is, but perched on the wall near the castle, the little guy in the last photo is looking through his telecope at the city below!!
#streetsculptures #budapest #artinthe streets #solotravel
Dinner at the Parisi Passage, a historic gem from the 1800s inspired by Parisian arcades, it withstood bombing raids but faced neglect post-war, now revived as a stunning hotel with an incredible restaurant and bar.
#solotravel #parisipassage #parisipassagebudapest #párisipassagecaféandbrasserie
Popped into Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly yesterday evening ✨️ mainly to have a look at the new double helix staircase built up the middle of the store. Disappointed that they had no feature decorations hanging down the centre of it!!
The lower floors were absolutely packed with people, if one person moved, they all had to. I took a few pics and made a run for it!!
#fortnums #shoppinginlondon #doublehelixstaicase #londonlife #solotravel
The fairytale world of Castle District, perched high above the Danube on the Buda side. Hours of leisurely strolling are a must!!
My solo adventures in Budapest continue...
#budapestcastledistrict #budapest #solotrip
Beautiful day to have another amble around the gardens at Schonbrunn Palace after exploring the Imperial Apartments, in another month these gardens will be in full bloom☀️☀️☀️
#schönbrunnpalace #schönbrunnschloss #palacegardens #solotrip
On a day trip to Agrigento from Palermo, I had about 2 hours or more to wander around the ancient Greek ruins in the Valley of Temples ✨️Is it just me, or do you love walking around places knowing that others have been walking there for more than 2000 years too?
#agrigento #valleyofthetemples #solotravelinsicily #daytripfrompalermo #sicily
The views from Erice stretch endlessly in every direction ✨️ No wonder they built their medieval stronghold here - a strategic spot to survey the land. The view here spans the salt pans and Trapani on Sicily`s west coast, with Isola Lavanzo and Isola di Favignana dotting the Mediterranean, and Isola di Marittimo on the horizon.
#ericesicily #solotravelinsicily #mysoloadventure
It was a lovely sunny London day to walk through Kensington Gardens from South Kensington to Baystwater Rd. Kensington Palace was all locked up for the Christmas break.
#kensingtonpalace #kensingtongardenslondon #london #solotravelinlondon #traveltheworldwithme
On my solo adventure in Palermo, Quattro Canti became a familiar spot I visited almost daily ✨️ This iconic intersection of Via Maqueda and Corso Vittorio Emanuele is the center of the city`s historic quarters - Kalsa, Seralcadi, Albergaria, and Castellammare all meet here.
In the evenings, it`s the perfect spot to soak up the atmosphere and plan a night out at one of the many restaurants on Via Maqueda.
#solotravelinsicily #palermo #traveltheworldwithme #solotrip #quattrocantipalermo
Getting out for a walk after sitting on a plane for 24 hours✨️ I did a lap of Piccadilly and St James`s to see the Christmas lights. All rugged up in a coat, scarf, hat and gloves, I was loving the bracing 3 degree temperature❄️❄️❄️ Then back to @royaloverseaslondon for mulled wine and mince pies💖🎄☃️
#londonatchristmastime #christmaslights #piccadillyarcade #burlingtonarcade #jermynstreet
After visiting Monreale Cathedral and marveling at all the gold✨️ I enjoyed a serene walk around town. With most people still attending the service, I had the place almost to myself.
#monreale #monrealecathedral #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring
At the top of Wencelas Square stands the National Museum in Prague, an impressive building with breathtaking views from the Cupola.
#praguenationalmuseum #solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
Just blew the days food budget on Sacher Torte and Coffee at the Sacher Hotel because......why not??? Priorities, priorities!!
#sachertorte #sacherhotel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme
Sicily`s Palermo, where historic buildings meet sunshine and flowers in the Politeama area and down Via Maqueda, which was always good for an evening stroll.
#palermosicily #palermo #teatropoliteama #teatromassimopalermo #viamaqueda #sicily #soloadventureinsicily #solotravel #traveladdict #traveltheworldwithme
After visiting the Easter Markets at Schonbrunn Palace , I went for a walk up through the gardens, all the way up to the `Gloriette` at the top of the hill way off in the distance.
The Gloriette was built in 1775 for no other reason than the view - when the Habsburgs were sitting on the balcony of their summer Schloss, they wanted something nice to look at, so they had the Gloriette built along with a few ponds and fountains. The world became a better place!!
#schönbrunnpalace #schönbrunnschloss #solotravel #habsburgfamilyresidence #vienna
It`s a museum kind of day in Vienna, 2 to 5 degrees, we`ve had a bit of snow, a bit of sleet, a bit of rain and a lot of cold ❄️❄️❄️
The Furniture Museum is a collection of furnture and other items from the Imperial Palaces, including a display of the toilets from the day.
The museum holds huge stores of furniture that they lend out for movies, plays and other events needing furnishings from that era.
#viennafurnituremuseum #coldday❄️ #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme
Panoramic views from the medieval city of Erice, gazing out towards Palermo, far away and over the hills, across the north coast of Sicily. ✨️ My thoughts are with those in Sicily, Malta, and southern Italy who have lost so much due to Cyclone Harry.
#ericesicily #solotravelinsicily #viewfromthetop #medievalsicily
Wandering the streets of Cefalu, I stumbled upon the museum with incredible art, right near the Duomo.
#cefalù #cefalusicily #cefalumuseum #artworks #historicalsicily #traveltheworldwithme #solotravel #soloadventure #seeeverythingdoeverything
Finally a sunny day in Budapest, strolling on Margrit Island, great weather, no complaints, perfect!
#margritisland #budapest #soloadventure #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
From its lofty position in the hills behind Palermo, Sicily, Monreale boasts stunning views of the Mediterranean. I loved having the town to myself as everyone was at the cathedral service ✨️💖
#monreale #viewfromthetop #blueskyandsunshine #solotravelinsicily #palermo
After visiting the Design Museum I strolled up Kensington High St doing a bit of window shopping, and came across St Mary Abbots Church and Kensington War Memorial on the corner of Kensington Church St. There has been a church on this site since 1262, but this one is quite modern - dating back to 1872.
#stmaryabbotschurch #kensingtonwarmemorial #kensingtonhighstreetlondon #london #solotravelinlondon
Vienna`s Easter markets are in full swing now, with beautifully decorated eggs and plenty of food and drink. Great to amble around in the sun, even though it was a bit chilly!!
#solotravel #vienna #eastermarkets #traveltheworldwithme
Back to Schonbrunn Palace to see the Imperial Apartments. Gold was definitely the order of the day ✨️ but I reckon I could live there quite comfortably with a few more mod cons!!
#schönbrunnpalace #imperialapartments #traveltheworldwithme #solotrip
A day trip from Palermo to Sicily`s south coast took me to Agrigento, to visit the Valley of the Temples, an ancient Greek archeological park ✨️The Temple of Concordia is the most complete of these ancient ruins, with it`s very own Fallen Angel!!
#agrigento #valleyofthetemples #templeofconcordia #solotravelinsicily #daytripfrompalermo
Another short bus trip from Palermo in Sicily, up the coast to Mondello Beach✨️ lovely to walk along the promenade, but I have never had so many Indian market stall holders trying to sell me a sarong, and this was a quiet day in early spring, peak summer must be horrendous!!! I was hoping to have lunch at Alle Terrazze, a beautiful castle like restaurant just off the beach, but sadly they were closed for a private event, but further along I found a lovely seafood restaurant🥂
#solotravelinsicily #journeywoman #traveltheworldwithme #mondellobeach #sicily
The crowds were out in force in London on a gloomy Boxing Day so just a quick visit to Trafalgar Square, then back to Piccadilly area, through Princes Arcade, which drew me in with the tailoring/sewing/fashion decorations and up past Fortnums.
#trafalgarsquare #princesarcadepiccadilly #fortnums #londonatchristmastime #londoncalling
Just took a free tour of Government House in Sydney`s Royal Botanic Gardens... now I`m considering a career change... Governor General, here I come! ✨️
#govermenthouse #governmenthousesydney #royalbotanicgardens #sydneyrbg #explorethecityyoulivein #walkinthepark #historicsydney #sydneyweekend #sydney #sydneyharbourwalks
A morning walk through St James`s Park on Christmas Day✨️all rugged up and ready for anything 3 degrees throws at me. A beautiful blue sky day in London. Then we eat, drink and be merry....then, maybe, go for another walk.....
#stjamesspark #londonatchristmastime #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #blueskiesandsunshine
Porto Nuovo, or `new gate`, was built in the 15th century, but after a fire, the current gate was built in 1669. Guess `new` is relative! This spot became a hub for me - markets nearby, lovely parks and the bus stop to other towns like Monreale, was just through here. Located on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Palermo.
To read about the places I stayed on my solo adventure to Malta and Sicily, click the link to my website in the bio.
#palermo #palermosicily #Sicily #portonuovo #soloadventure #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme #solotrip #seeeverythingdoeverything #sicilianhistory #neverstoptravelling
In the London Bridge area on the south side of the Thames, after visiting the Versace exhibition at The Arches, I walked down past The Shipwrights Arms across to Hay`s Galleria....used to be Hay`s Wharf....now shops, restaurants, Christmas stalls, and a giant Christmas Tree.
As promised, a beautiful sunny Easter Sunday in Vienna ☀️☀️☀️ After being in Palermo last Easter, where it was underwhelming, Vienna really knows how to take Easter to the extreme!!!
#easterinvienna #eastermarkets #soloadventure #vienna
On the south coast of Sicily, near Agrigento, lies Scala dei Turchi, a stunning limestone formation named after Turkish and Arab pirates who took shelter there in the 16th century. We stopped by after exploring the Valley of the Temples on our day trip from Palermo.
#scaladeiturchi #daytripfrompalermo #solotravelinsicily #sicilytravel
Palermo here I come... and what better welcome than Teatro Politeama on my doorstep✨️
#solotravel #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #palermo #palermo
Inside the Monreale Cathedral, I was surrounded by gold everywhere. This stunning building was constructed between 1174 and 1267 and later adorned with millions of gold-covered glass tiles by skilled local and Venetian craftsmen. Unfortunately, my visit coincided with a packed Easter Sunday service, limiting my exploration of the intricate mosaic work, but what I did see close up at the back of the cathedral was amazing, I even loved the enormous doors to the Cathedral.
#monrealecathedral #glassmosaics #goldmosaics #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme
Aimlessly wandering around the streets of Prague - beautiful💖
#prague #praguelife #solotrip #praguearchitecture
London at Christmas time goes over the top with decorations ✨️ if it can be decorated it is ☃️
🎄 Leadenhall Market
🎄 Covent Garden
🎄 Liberty of London
🎄 Burlington Arcade
🎄 The Ritz
In search of somewhere to have lunch, I walked down from Piazza del Duomo in the heart of Cefalu, there were many restaurants to choose from. I settled into a lovely place with a deck surrounded by the waves crashing over the rocks and a delicious meal, before continuing to explore the lovely town of Cefalu.
#cefalu #cefalucathedral #cefalusicily #piazzadelduomo #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme #tableforone #visitcefalu #crashingwaves #exploretheworld #solotravelinsicily #SoloTravelMagic
Caught the train from Vienna to Bratislava for a day trip. Walking up the hill to visit the castle is not for the faint hearted!! And the walk back down 🥴 brutal on the dodgy knee!!! But I made it 😃!!!
#bratislava #daytripfromvienna #daytripfromviennatobratislava #traveltheworldwithme #solotravel
After visiting the Duomo di Cefalu, I followed the path behind the Duomo, which leads to the path to walk up Rocca di Cefalu. The giant rocky headland that promises amazing views and remains of old castles. By the time I was at the half way point, my knees were saying `nope, we`re good, here is enough`!! No need to go further up, I went back down to sea level and continued to explore the beautiful town of Cefalu.
#cefalù #cefalucathedral #roccadicefalù #amazingviews #oceanviews #historicsicily #solotravelinsicily #solotrip #traveltheworldworldwithme #seeeverythingdoeverything #exploretheworld #traveladdict
