Although it was a degree or two warmer and the sun was shining, it still felt finger-tinglingly cold though this was not enough to detract from our ramble, happily.

Sunny Pentonville Road

Walking along Prideaux Place, I was struck by the sight of the trees, illuminated by the almost horizontal rays of the sun.

Trees in Prideaux Place

They seemed to shine as though with their own inner glow. One of the gifts this winter had brought me is to remind me of the beauty of old trees and of my love of them.

Each beautiful in its own way

Each is beautiful in its own way and according to its kind.

Trees die too…

Sadly, trees die too, like every living species, or have to be cut down and removed to avoid infecting their neighbours with some pest or disease.

A face in the fanlight

As we passed this house, sharp-eyed Tigger spotted the tiny face in the middle of the fanlight. It is so small that you won’t be able to make it out even in the expanded photo. Is it unique to this house or are there others? I must see whether I can find other examples.

Playground train

We arrived in Granville Square and I spotted this train. I thought at first it was a mobile one but realised that it was fixed in place and part of the children’s playground in the square’s central garden.

Granville Square was part of the Lloyd Baker estate whose owner, Thomas Lloyd Baker, married the daughter of Granville Sharpe, the campaigner for the abolition of slavery.

Granville Square cat
Photo by Tigger

Meanwhile, Tigger was trying to attract my attention to the cat sitting on steps in front of a house. Unfortunately, the cat took fright and ran away to hide under a car and stayed there until we left the square.

Mosaic with house number

Some of the houses in the square had pretty mosaics on the front steps incorporating the house number. Are these original to the building of the houses? I don’t know for certain but I think it’s likely. Fortunately, these houses have not been renumbered as has happened in some other streets!

Two views of Riceyman Steps

Beside Granville Square is Gwynne Place. The Place is on a much lower level than the Square and the only way from one to the other is by these steps. Originally called Plum Pudding Steps, the Grade II listed steps were renamed Riceyman Steps after the novel of that name by Arnold Bennett.

Winter sunshine in Granville Square

Leaving the Square, we walked along Granville Street towards Lloyd Baker Street (do you see a pattern forming here? 🙂 ), where we stepped over…

Deflated balloons

…the sad remnants – deflated balloons – of a party, whether a Christmas or a birthday party, we didn’t stop to enquire.

Cheerful winter sunshine on Lloyd Baker Street

We climbed the slope of Lloyd Baker Street, enjoying the sunshine and its cheering effects in our mood, towards our coffee oasis, Myddelton’s.

Our elongated shadows

The sun was now behind us and so low in the sky that our shadows were elongated so that it looks as though I am on stilts! (I’m not, in case you’re wondering 🙂 )

The sun, about to disappear

I took this last look back at the sun (when shall we see it again?) before arriving at Myddelton’s. We there received the usual friendly reception and bought our coffees before making for home.