Yesterday’s rain showers (which provided me with an excuse to stay at home) today gave way to dry weather and sunny intervals. I set out to see how the world was faring now that some restrictions have been lifted.

Traffic crawls in Pentonville Road

Reaching Pentonville Road, I found it busy, with traffic reduced to a crawl. I walked through to Chapel Market and found – unusually for a weekday – that the top end had been closed completely to vehicles.

Crowded tables at the pub

The reason was to make room for tables outside the pub, necessary because they can still serve customers only outside.

Busy market

The market was more or less back to its pre-Covid state and crowded.

Having become used to the quiet and peaceful lockdown world, I will admit that the new busy and crowded world came as an unpleasant contrast.

This looks better

I found a quieter environment by crossing through Sainsbury’s car park into Cloudesley Road. This is a residential area with at most one corner shop and no pubs.

Cloudesley Road

Though it is a fairly wide street, Cloudesley Road is quiet and lined with trees. It is composed mainly of Georgian style houses, most with their basement “area” still intact.

Georgian style houses

These mid-19th-century houses are typical of the street and, more generally, of the district that I have come to think of as home.

H. Wyld’s French Milinery

I have photographed this old millinery shop before but it’s good to see that it is still here, a placeholder for the neighbourhood’s history.

Holy Trinity Church

From here too, we have a view of Holy Trinity Church in Cloudesley Square. It is still undergoing restoration work and I shall be interested to take a look when it is finally finished.

Open space and bench

There are at least two benches in this street and both are situated, as here, in an open space made by expanding the pavement. I wonder whether any of the neighbours ever do sit here and pass the time of time with one another.

Thornhill Road Garden

Cloudesley Road led me to Thornhill Road Garden. Like many such, it was originally reserved for the use of local residents but in 1946, I think it was, it passed into the care of the Council. All the signs are that it is being actively maintained by the local community.

Thornhill Street Gardens

I sat on a bench for a while and admired the beautiful old trees.

Beautiful old trees

Then I walked slowly round the garden, noticing all the details and points of interest.

A pond in the making

In a sheltered corner, a pond is being constructed. It looks a bit rough now but I am sure it will come into its own eventually.

Wild flower garden – eventually

A notice tells us that this corner, which also contains the pond-to-be, is to be a space for wild flowers. I look forward to its completion.

Memorial to the First World War

The garden possesses its own memorial to the First World War.

Decorative false balconies

On the way back, I stopped to photograph these houses, all of which have decorative iron-work false balconies. Although Georgian style houses looked deceptively similar at a quick glance, there is in fact a lot of variety in the details. It’s almost as though the architects had added them to see whether we would notice them! Along the whole street there are variations in the design of ironwork in railings and window decorations.

Old Royal Agricultural Hall

Looking along Batchelor Street, we have a tantalising glimpse of the old Royal Agricultural Hall in Liverpool Road.

I was nearly home now but there was one last photo to take: today’s photo of pigeons! (You knew there would be one!)

Culpeper Park pigeons