Tigger is not working today and we wanted to make good use of the day. Despite the grey skies we went walkabout. We started with coffee at the deli.

Look who popped up
Photo by Tigger

We walked round Myddelton Square and of course looked in a certain window. Guess whose head popped up 🙂

Coffee with extras

At the deli we ordered our usual coffee and also some extras as a treat. (Guess who chose which.)

Watching the world go by

We sat outside the deli and spent some time enjoying the coffee and watching the world go by.

Wharton Street

We set off down Wharton Street for the next part of our outing.

Bumblebee
Photo by Tigger

On the way, Tigger photographed this bumblebee busy collecting pollen. I’m always glad to see these familiar and useful insects as they are under pressure for a variety of reasons and their numbers are falling. The more gardens there are for them, the better.

Aboard the bus

On the main road we caught a bus to London Bridge Station.

The Southwark Needle

We left the bus at its final stop, on London Bridge. We walked past this entity, a public sculpture known as the Southwark Needle. Whatever else it might do, it reminds us that in times past (and not so long ago, really), the heads of executed people were placed on spikes on London Bridge, perhaps “pour encourager les autres”.

London Bridge Station

We entered the station which, fortunately, was not as busy as it is apt to be at rush hours, in order to use the facilities, that is, the toilets. With many public toilets being closed down, places like stations provide a valuable service to the public, especially as station toilets are now free to use.

Hays Galleria

We next went to Hays Galleria (no apostrophe) for refreshments. The shopping and restaurant mall is the result of rebuilding the old Hay’s Wharf. The central open area was originally a dock for ships but has been filled in.

Costa Coffee

We stopped off at Costa for another round of coffees before continuing.

I might mention at this point the my right foot had been troubling me from the moment we set out this morning and became steadily more painful as time passed. I hobbled along bravely, adopting a picturesque limp.

Along Tooley Street

Tigger expressed a wish to visit the Church of St James Bermondsey which we have seen many times but usually from the rain as we headed south on outings. Accordingly, we set off along Tooley Street and, because of my foot, took a bus part of the way.

St James Bermondsey

We reached the church at last and entered the grounds.

The old burial ground

The old burial ground, like most of those attached to London churches, has been landscaped as a park. Some of the more elaborate tombs have been left in place but most have been removed.

Removed to the periphery
Photo by Tigger

The removed gravestones and memorials have been stacked around the periphery of the burial ground.

Inside the church

The church was open today and we went inside to take a look. Built as one of those created under the Church Building Act of 1818, St James was consecrated in 1829. It is a galleried church of somewhat plain design. There was little in it to retain us for very long.

The flying dragon
Photo by Tigger

A major (in my opinion) and unusual feature of the church is the figure of a flying dragon atop the steeple. This choice of such a subject for a church weather vane has proved puzzling to many as the dragon is often associated with the devil in Christian mythology. One possibility is that, rather than a dragon, it reflects the griffins on the coat of arms of the City of London just the other side of the river.

Drinking Fountain

In the church grounds stands this drinking fountain. It is dated 1886 and it is dedicated to the memory of Nathaniel Montefiore by his wife. The press-button taps no longer produce water so it’s difficult to know whether or not this is the fountain’s original position at installation.

A last look at the church

The church steeple is quite tall so you need to distance yourself to photograph the building as a whole. We took a last look and turned back towards London Bridge Station.

Railway bridge

We started our walk back by passing under this bridge, interesting mainly for the fact that it would have been when crossing this bridge that we would have seen the church and its dragon or griffin from the train.

Supporting columns

The bridge is fairly old – Victorian at a guess – and has a row of supporting columns down each side of the roadway. The long closed Tooley Street Station also used to be here before its functions were absorbed by the later major station at London Bridge.

Shops in the embankment

To return to London Bridge, we could simply follow the railway line which, in this neighbourhood, runs on an embankment in the arches of which various businesses have found useful premises.

Invaded by giant ants

Here too we find an old train carriage being used as office accommodation that is apparently being attacked by gigantic red ants.

London Bridge Bus Station

As for me (and my painful foot), I was glad to catch sight at last of London Bridge Bus Station where we went and stood next to a 43 bus whose driver was taking his rest period. Our patience was finally rewarded when the doors opened and we went aboard.

Aboard the 43

We settled in our seats for the not very long ride back to the Angel and home, where we had a late lunch and reviewed our crop of photos.

Tigger returns to work tomorrow and Friday so we now have our sights set of the weekend.

After lunch we went out for a gentle walk whose main goal was to call in at Myddelton’s deli for coffee. In the interests of healthy exercise, we did at least go the long way round!

Looking down Arlington Way

We went via St John Street to Chadwell Street and thence into Arlington Way where I took the above photo. It shows, inter alia, the undertaker’s whose clock, I was glad to observe, was still showing the correct time. (Clocks, you will have observed, are one of my obsessions.)

Call in for an opinion
Photo by Tigger

This notice in a shop window amused me. It has been corrected, unfortunately, but originally advertised the shop’s “opining hours”, suggesting that customers lacking opinions of their own could pop and ask the owner to opine for them.

Shakespeare’s vine

We entered Myddelton Passage where we of course monitored the progress of the vine in the garden of the Shakespeare’s Head pub. It’s doing well and preparing a bumper crop of grapes.

Here we are walking through Myddelton Passage which was once a property of the New River Company, as plaques on the building façade testify.

Myddelton’s deli – closed

We had of course made a fatal error in our plans. Myddelton’s closes at 3 pm on Sundays and we were too late to buy coffee there.

Walking through Exmouth Market

Instead, I suggested we go to Caffè Nero in Exmouth Market where we could sit inside on comfortable chairs.

Preparing our coffee

We did just that and found Caffè Nero open.

Coffee in proper cups
Photo by Tigger

At least when you drink “in”, your coffee is served in proper cups, not paper ones.

Inside Caffè Nero

We sat for a while in the comfortable chairs and I started composing this post there. Then we decided it was time to head for home.

Antique shop front in Easton Street

Quite a few small shops in the neighbourhood were originally dwelling houses which were at some point, usually in the 19th century, converted by rearranging the ground floor as a shop front. In the fulness of time, many have been converted back into dwellings. In some cases, the shop front is still discernible simply because it was cheaper to leave it but in a few cases it has been deliberately preserved for its historic interest. I think this one belongs to the first category.

The Easton

This pub, currently called the Easton, is on the corner of Easton Street. I don’t have any information on the derivation of the name “Easton” or the history of the pub. I would guess that in its present form it dates from the late Victorian period but that is only a guess.

We met a cat
Photo by Tigger

A little further along, we met a three-legged cat. He seemed healthy and happy despite his disability and was happy to come and make our acquaintance.

Walking up Lloyd Street

That was our final encounter of the walk and we now made for home, albeit taking a slightly roundabout path so as to add convincingly to Tigger’s daily minimum mileage.

Tigger is working all weekdays except Wednesday in the coming week. After a week together, I shall feel bereft but will bear up bravely 🙂 If I, or we, have any adventures, I shall be sure to let you know.

The weather forecast for today is cloudy in the morning with rain in the afternoon, not ideal weekend conditions, especially as it’s the last day of Tigger’s holiday. Either way, the shopping must needs be done, so off we go!

Grey skies over Baron Street

Despite the greyness, it’s fairly warm (17°C) though with a gusty cool breeze.

The Farmers’ Market

The Farmers‘ Market was taking but there were fewer customers than usual both here and in the main market. Perhaps the dull weather was having an inhibiting effect.

Business is slow

In the main market, business was slow and the cafe had no takers for its outside tables. Perhaps trade will pick up later.

Sainsbury’s – fairly busy

In contrast, Sainsbury’s was fairly busy. Does that mean that people had come here instead of the market? I doubt it as I suspect that those who shop at the supermarket and those who prefer the market form two distinct groups. I could of course be wrong about that.

The mobile snack bar

The mobile snack bar is usually here on Sundays. It intrigues me as there are usually plenty of customers, even on a slow day like today. Yet one thing that Chapel Market has in abundance is cafes and take-away food shops. What determines that some people prefer the snack bar? Easy access, perhaps, or maybe it charges less than the sedentary businesses?

More people but not much trade

By the time I sped through Chapel Market in search of coffee, there were more people but there was a desultory atmosphere. People seemed to be walking through the market rather than stopping to make purchases.

Mercer’s for coffee

Mercer’s is now serving people sitting inside and at tables outside, making them less dependant on sporadic customers like us. This is good in the sense that it helps them survive so that they are there when we need them. As far as my preferences go, however, my favourite coffee place is still Myddelton’s deli in Amwell Street where they are unfailingly cheerful and courteous and treat us as valued customers.

That, of course, is where the small shops score over the impersonal attitude of the supermarkets. Some of us remember when such small shops where the norm and “supermarkets” were yet to be invented. The relationship between the local shop and its customers could, of course, be fragile. I remember my mother making me wait outside our local bakery with the shopping bag. This was because she had bought a loaf in another shop and wanted to avoid the repercussions that would result from the baker seeing that she had shopped for “his” products elsewhere!

Shops like Myddelton’s deli are rare these days and exist only where they manage to create a niche for themselves. In the deli’s case, they can supply meals to local offices and conference centres. This enables them to stock a range of fine foods for which there is a demand in the surrounding affluent neighbourhood. Their success is the result of hard work, long hours, knowing the needs of their customers and providing efficient service. The courtesy that they display is an added attraction in a world where this too is becoming rare.

Today, Saturday, I had a clinic appointment at 4 pm which, though not ideal, is better than no appointment at all. Moreover, we could make a walk out of it so that it would serve two purposes.

A fine morning in Myddelton Square

As we had put in a good few miles yesterday, we wanted to take things relatively easy today and so this morning we just went for coffee at the deli, passing round Myddelton Square on the way.

Myddelton’s deli in Amwell Street

We decided to sit at one of the tables at the deli and found one free in Amwell Street (hidden by the van in the photo).

Coffee!
Photo by Tigger

This is Tigger’s coffee as it has milk in it. I drink mine black. There was a new design of coffee cup in use today, meant, I think, to make it easier to handle when hot.

No number 19

After lunch, we set out for Highbury Corner, which is where the clinic is, intending to go for a walk before my appointment. The sign board showef every bus running except the 19, the exact one we needed. Is that garage on strike?

Bus stop at the clock tower

So we went to the clock tower, where we could catch a 43 which would do just as well.

Aboard the 43

The bus took us to Highbury Corner and then round the corner into Holloway Road, where we disembarked to start our walk.

The Central Library

We had a look at the Central Library which was built in 1906. It also now has quite large modern extensions which, though not as pretty as the original, no doubt provide valuable services.

Church of St Mary Magdalen

Across the road is a large church originally dedicated to St Mary Magdalen, though now apparently calling itself Hope Church. It is set in extensive grounds called St Mary Magdalen Church and Gardens. The church is hard to photograph at this time of year as it is screened by mature trees.

There are paths and benches

There is a lot of grass and trees with paths to follow and benches to sit on, altogether a very pleasant place. A few gravestones remain but most were removed long ago.

The London Undeground

The gardens lead out onto Liverpool Road along which we now walked. This street crosses the Victoria Line of the London Underground. The wall is high and I had to hold the camera above my head to get this shot.

Laycock Green

We reached Laycock Street where the clinic resides. There is also a small park here called Laycock Green which we entered.

A bench with a view

We found a bench from which the clinic was visible (the blue building in the photo). We waited here until it was nearly time for my appointment and then entered the clinic.

The fish and chips shop

Afterwards, Tigger said she was hungry and asked if I fancied chips. I always fancy chips! We looked around and found a chip shop.

Chips!

The chip shop is also a restaurant so we asked what they could provide for vegetarians. “Chips,” was the answer. So we had chips!

Compton Terrace Garden

On the other side of the main road is a residential street called Compton Terrace that includes a small but pleasant public garden. We walked through it.

Bumblebee at work

I there photographed a bumblebee at work on a flower.

The Union Chapel

We left the garden by the gate in front of the Union Chapel built in the 1870s and still functioning as a church.

The bus stop nearby

Quite nearby is a bus stop and we went there to catch a bus for home.

Aboard a bus to the Angel

Here we are, aboard a number 30 bus, heading back to the Angel. If we did not exert ourselves hugely today, we had done so yesterday and so a day of lighter activity was in order. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

I am of course speaking of the Edmonton in Greater London, not the city in Canada. We are supposed to be meeting a friend who will pick us up in a borrowed car.

Pret A Manger

We started with a visit to Pret in St John Street for coffee and cake.

Aboard the 341

Then we caught a 341 bus for a very long ride to what felt like the end of the world.

Is this the end of the world?

It also looked like the end of the world but is really a district known as Upper Edmonton. To be fair, it is an area of warehouse-sized “superstores” and such places do tend to look bleak.

Inside IKEA

We were well ahead of time (journey times in London can be unpredictable) and so entered IKEA to wait in that store’s cafe. IKEA is not my favourite store but, then, I suspect it’s a lot of people’s unfavourite store. Still, we were only using their cafe, not intending to buy anything.

The IKEA cafe

IKEA has a well organised one-way system. When we reached the cafe, there was of course a one-way system there too but that’s not all. You are met by an employee who first makes sure that you use the track-and-trace app to record your presence and then indicates that you use a QR code to access a booking system to obtain a table. At last, when all this is done, he leads you to your table.

On the map

Just for fun, here is a screen grab from Apple Maps showing our location.

Nightmare landscapes

Curiously, the most difficult part was leaving the store. You would think that a huge premises like this would have clear indications for the exits, in case of fires and emergencies, but such an obvious policy has apparently not occurred to the management of IKEA. In the end we had to ask an employee to direct us.

Caption

At last we made it to the final stage, the moving footway, after which we could breathe the fresh air of freedom!

We located our friend in a nearby car park and took up position in his car. For some time – and miles – after this, there was nothing to do but watch various landscapes unroll across the windows.

After a rather long drive, we arrived at Tiptree in Essex. We had come to visit the Tiptree Jam Factory. I spotted the above roller though I don’t know whether it hss anything to do with the factory.

We were hoping to have tea in the tearoom but there was a queue and a long wait.

While waiting we paid a visit to the shop. Then it was back to the queue for a long, long wait.

We were eventually offered a table outside. As it was under cover, in case it rained, we were happy to accept rather than go on waiting.

We each had a cream tea with scones, clotted cream and, of course, Tiptree strawberry jam. There was a choice of teas and I chose Assam, though, being in tea bags, it tasted rather anonymous.

There was the inevitable one-way system in place and, to leave, we had to pass through the museum. I didn’t stop to look at the exhibits so cannot say whether it was interesting.

We now set off again, this time aiming for Harwich.

We reached Harwich and parked near Harwich Harbour.

Part of the Old Buoy Network, perhaps?

The old Low Lighthouse and…

…the old High Lighthouse, both dating from the early 1800s.

The Harwich Redoubt, 1810-1946, now a museum.

The Redoubt’s moat, now dry.

The Harwich Guild Hall.

The pier is s curious little L-shaped affair with the evocative name of Ha’penny Pier.

After this dip into the treasures of Harwich, we set off again. The phrase “whirlwind tour” springs to mind.

This is one of the seafront gardens at Clacton-on-Sea where we arrived next.

This is a panorama shot (and therefore slightly distorted) of Clacton Pier.

One of big wheels (there are two).

The War Memorial to the fallen in both World Wars.

This pretty bridge crosses Pier Avenue (I think).

Clacton beach (well, some of it).

We came here for supper which turned out to be quite good. Quick hint: to eat well, order whatever Tigger orders. Do that and you can’t go wrong 🙂

Our friend proposed to drive us back to the bus station at Edmonton, an offer we were happy to accept. After all the rushing about, I quite looked forward to a sedate ride home on s bus.

During the car ride, the rain came down with a vengeance. Visibility decreased alarmingly as did our speed for safety’s sake. Many drivers had turned on their hazard lights. It was a fraught time. Gradually, the rain eased though there remained pools and streams of water on the road so that at times our vehicle resembled a speedboat more than a car.

We reached Upper Edmonton at last. Having parted from our chauffeur, we made our way to the bus stop. The bus in the picture will shortly make its way to our stop and we will go aboard for that journey of an hour or so to home.

And here we are aboard our bus en route for the Angel.

Composed “on the hoof” while travelling.