After several days of grey skies, rain and chilly breezes, the British weather performed one of its mutations yesterday and brought us summer sunshine and heat. I fully expected today to be dull and wet – you know: typical bank holiday weather. But no, it is sunny and warm, even a little too warm for those of us who have difficulty facing extremes of temperature.

Morning in Amwell Street

We decided to avoid the middle of the day – when temperatures are expected to reach 24°C or higher and went out for coffee at the deli this morning. The photo shows the sunlit scene. You can just see the red canopy of the deli in the background.

Sitting on the terrace

We were lucky to find a vacant table outside the deli (people left as we arrived) and took our coffee there. Amwell Street runs roughly north-south so at this time of day, one side is shaded and the other sunlit. Though we were on the sunlit side, the shop’s canopy provided shade.

St Mark’s Church, limned in sunlight

Afterwards, we walked along Inglebert Street which presented a picture of St Mark’s Church limned in sunshine.

Street corner with trees

This is the corner of Inglebert Street with Myddelton Square. What’s special about it? Not much, perhaps, to the unbiased eye, but the sunlit view of Georgian houses and trees struck me as beautiful. My eye is not unbiased but I am happy with that.

Myddelton Square Gardens

We decided we could tolerate a turn around the square and went round it anti-clockwise, or what we called “Electra-wise”, after the direction habitually taken by Electra, aka the Circling Cyclist.

In the gardens

There are gates on the eastern and northern sides of the gardens and we used these to cut across and enjoy the shade and the greenery.

We met a squirrel
Photo by Tigger

On the way, we met a squirrel. I half expected that he would approach, in hope of food, but after a cursory glance at us, he went on with his own activities.

A glimpse of Claremont Close

We paused on the corner of Claremont Close to take a short “shade rest” before continuing. This little enclave intrigues me and I wonder whether it is as pleasant a place to live in as it appears.

Pavement garden flowers
Photo by Tigger

I have previously mentioned the little “pavement garden” on the corner by the reservoir. It is the first of its kind that I saw and also the smallest. These miniature public gardens, created by local communities, seem to be a growing trend. It will be interesting to see how the idea spreads and develops.

Wild Kong

And here, as I haven’t photographed him for a while, is Wild Kong. In his majestic awfulness he has become a landmark in the neighbourhood and something you find yourself looking for as you pass. We might even miss him if he were to be removed…

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As yesterday, we waited until 5 pm and then went out again. According to the forecast, the temperature had risen to 23°C but there was a cooling breeze which made things more comfortable.

Looks promising

Tigger proposed visiting Highbury Fields and I was happy to agree as it sounded like a good place to go. We caught a number 19 bus there. My initial impression was promising: a pleasant green park.

Pleasant paths to explore

There were trees and grass and paths to follow. It seemed good.

Antique street lamp

We started walking and found this old street lamp, unusually tall by today’s standards.

What makes you thinks it’s a bank holiday?

Very soon, however, I was feeling less happy with our surroundings. Why, what was wrong? See above. In a word, people. Crowds of people, too many people. Let’s be clear: all these people have just as much right to be here as I do. After all, I am one of “these people”, adding to the numbers. But there were just too many, mostly in crowds, not making any attempt to keep their distance. I felt distinctly uncomfortable and was looking forward to catching a bus for home.

Highbury Baptist Church

We left the park and took to the streets. Perhaps this would turn out to be an interesting area to explore and photograph? Maybe because I had already been put in a bad mood by the crowds, I found the area dull and lacking in interest, though I did photograph one or two items. Above is the Baptist Church, an unusual modern design, more like a business premises than a church.

War memorial with cannon guns

This war memorial with its conventional laurel-wreath-waving statue of victory has an unusual feature: it is attended by a pair of cannon guns. It commemorates the local men fallen in the South African War.

Hen and Chickens theatre pub

We passed through Highbury Corner which is a crossroads with many streets leading off it. It is a famous bottleneck for traffic. There is a new road layout which doesn’t seem to have improved things very much. I don’t know anything about the Hen and Chickens theatre pub. It quite a pleasant building to look at but I have no idea of its age.

Unidentified building

My attention was caught by this interesting-looking building, partially hidden by vegetation and other buildings. We didn’t go close enough to identify it.

Victorian or Edwardian school

We photographed this school building through the railings as it was of course locked up at this hour. I don’t know when it was originally built but I managed to make out a plaque stating that it was enlarged in 1910. It must therefore have been built originally in either the Victorian or Edwardian period.

St Stephen’s Church

This is St Stephen’s Church Highbury. I note that it possesses a clock but, unfortunately, it is not in working order.

Back at the Angel

Walking a little further, we came to a bus stop where we could catch a bus for home. My final photo (above) records our arrival at the Angel crossroads.

Continued from my previous post.

As it was so warm, we delayed going out again until 5 pm when, we hoped, it would be a little cooler. We then went for a stroll around part of the neighbourhood that we had not visited recently. I enjoyed this because, as I have said, I love our district and enjoy wandering its streets, caressing it with my feet, as you might say.

There is no narrative and I will just show you a few of the photos taken along the way.

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No 1 High Street, Islington is one of our favourite Islington buildings, standing more or less on the site of the ancient Angel tavern.

Traffic, sun and shadow at evening in High Street, Islington.

This is Colebrooke Row Gardens where we came to sit for a while in the sun.

We sat on a bench and watched these insects gathered in a cloud, presumably for the purposes of mating.

I admired this unusually tall tree on a street corner.

This is the Polish RC Church of Our Lady of Czestochowa.

Sunlit houses in St Peter’s Street.

The shadows begin to lengthen in Devonia Road.

This old-fashioned telephone pole is one of several we were surprised to find still existing in the older streets of Islington.

The Bill Murray pub and the Angel Comedy Club with performances every night. No, I’ve never been.

Hergé’s Tintin on a discarded refrigerator.

A pavement garden – this is definitely a trend that is catching on.

St James’s Church catches the evening sunlight.

We walked down this street and left it by the steps at the end.

Sunshine and shadow among the trees of Britannia Row.

The Duke of Cambridge, Islington’s “organic” pub restaurant.

Returning along Colebrooke Row.

St John the Evangelist RC Church, sinking into shadow.

Lion-face door-knockers like this one abound in the neighbourhood. You find them in all states and conditions. This one was clean and polished and sparkled like gold in the evening sunshine.

As it was so warm, we delayed going out again until 5 pm when, we hoped, it would be a little cooler. We then went for a stroll around part of the neighbourhood that we had not visited recently. I enjoyed this because, as I have said, I love our district and enjoy wandering its streets, caressing it with my feet, as you might say.

Given the relatively late hour of our ramble, I will not be able to complete my post about it today. I will do so as time permits.

To be continued…

Today is a warm, sunny day with a forecast high of 20°C. As usual, we betook ourselves to Sainsbury’s for the weekly shopping expedition.

The Farmers’ Market

The Farmers’ Market was out in force and busy.

Tables in the sun

At least one cafe had tables in the open air, neatly arranged in two market “slots” for stalls. I wonder whether they have to pay for these. I assume so.

The plants stall

The stall selling plants was present, as usual. It is the one stall (apart from the fruit and veg stalls owned by shops) that has been present nearly every day during the pandemic. They deserve a prize for that alone.

In Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s was busy but not enough to seriously cramp our style and we had soon finished. This photo was taken as we waited in a queue at a checkout.

Chapel Market

In this photo, I am making my way through the market to Mercer’s to pick up our coffees.

Mercer’s

Perhaps because we were a little later than usual, there was a queue at Mercer’s and there was a longer wait than usual.

The busker

Every flower has its bee and every market has its busker. I can’t say that the performance ticked any boxes for me but I assume some people must like it.

As for us, we continued on our way home to drink our coffee, put away the shopping and think about lunch. This afternoon? We shall see…

Today being Saturday, we spent the morning in slothful ease. Then, after lunch, followed the well trodden path to the deli.

The Curvaceous Tree, greening up nicely

On the way, I took a photo of my favourite, the Curvaceous Tree. It has clothed itself nicely in green for the new season.

Myddelton Square, south side

I also photographed the south side of Myddelton Square. Why? Well, why not? This is a lovely place and I enjoy walking round it.

Percy Circus

All the tables were occupied at Myddelton’s deli so we took our coffee (and cakes!) to that other favourite place of ours, Percy Circus.

A sunny moment

All afternoon, the sun was playing hide and seek between the clouds. Every tine the sun shone, I tried to take a photo of the sunlit scene but, in the time it took me to raise the camera, the sun would disappear again. I did manage to snatch one quick photo.

Looking back at Percy Circus

Having dispatched our coffee and cakes, we set off down the hill to the main road to catch a bus. I took a photo looking back at Percy Circus garden. Lovely place.

Aboard the number 46 bus

On the main road, we boarded a 46 bus which would take us to Swiss Cottage, this afternoon’s destination. The 46 is a single-deck bus and though it wasn’t crowded when we boarded that would soon change.

Social distancing? What’s that?

The bus became uncomfortably crowded and the driver, whose responsibility it is to avoid overloading the bus, paid no attention to this.

We left the bus here

We left the bus at a stop in Swiss Cottage. Swiss Cottage is one of those districts whose name is prettier than the actual scenery.

The present Swiss Cottage

The district took its name from an inn that once stood here that was called Ye Olde Swiss Cottage. What it looked like and when it was demolished, I do not know. The present Swiss Cottage pub makes a passable attempt to imitate a Swiss mountain chalet, I suppose.

Mobile snack bar

There is a place set aside for the Swiss Cottage Market but this afternoon there were only three traders present. They included this dinky little mobile snack bar.

Once a paddling pool

Tigger tells me that this feature used to be a paddling pool. As you can see, it is one no longer and is being used by young men practising the skateboard manoeuvres. The attraction of this pastime is lost on me.

The Leisure Centre

This impressive (well, large) building is the Leisure Centre. What activities can one engage in here? I don’t know but thy kindly allowed me to use their toilets and for that I am grateful.

Finchley Road

We walked along the busy main thoroughfare which is called Finchley Road, reasonably enough as it leads to the district called Finchley. It was filled with traffic moving at an excruciatingly slow pace. I was glad not to be driving.

Caffè Nero

We stopped off at a branch of Caffè Nero for coffee. We sat outside to enjoy the polluted air.

Fairfax Road

We then walked down the long Fairfax Road. It is named, of course, after Thomas Fairfax who, as commander-in-chief of the Parliamentary forces during the English Civil War, won several important battles, including the important Battle of Naseby. Apart from that the street is pretty uninteresting.

Green roundabout

Its nicest feature is arguably the green roundabout or traffic island at its end though it shares his with other streets. (Yes, I am being ironic.)

Belsize Road

We decided to catch a bus to Camden Town and walked down this street, Belsize Road looking for a bus stop. When we found one, it was closed. Thanks a lot. We walked a long way further and eventually found a bus stop that was closed. The bus we caught there took us to Camden Town.

Aboard the number 214

At Camden Town we changed to the number 214 which carried us back home to the Angel.