Easter is now behind us (at least for this year) and so this weekend is a normal weekend like most of the others.

Cafe tables outside

On our way to do our usual Sunday shopping at Sainsbury’s, we noticed that this cafe had put tables outside in the street. Surely a sign that spring has finally arrived!

Sainsbury’s was busy

Sainsbury’s was quite busy, more so than usual on a Sunday morning. The above photo, taken near the checkouts, will give some idea of it.

Chapel Market

Chapel Market also presented a lively scene, more so than on previous Sundays. Is this due to the sunny weather or is it a sign that we are finally recovering from the effects of the pandemic?

Through the window at Mercer’s

I called in at Mercer’s for coffee as I usually do. There were customers ahead of me and I had to wait patiently for my turn so I had time to take a photo through the window.

The “Cutting Bar”

After lunch we had an errand to run – Tigger needed to have her hair cut. Usually, Tigger and I have our hair cut both at the same time but as I had mine cut a few weeks back, she alone came under the scissors today. I hope we can resynchronise our haircuts again as it’s convenient – as well as fun – to go together. We went to the “Cutting Bar” in White Lion Street and I sat in while Tigger was shorn.

Chapel Market, top end

After the hair cut, we walked into Chapel Market in search of coffee. We visited the top end of the street, where the Farmers’ Market had taken place in the morning. All signs of it had disappeared except for a couple of stalls still being dismantled.

The Copper House

For our coffee we went to a coffee shop called the Copper House that we had visited on a previous occasion.

Inside the Copper House
Photo by Tigger

We sat inside and I tried to take a photo of the interior but couldn’t get a good angle with my camera. Tigger’s camera has a wide-angle lens which she used for the above.

Coffee for two
Photo by Tigger

We had our usual coffees, a latte for Tigger and a black americano for me. (No croissants, in case you are wondering, as we had had lunch a little while before!)

After coffee we returned home where we shall stay now for the rest of the day. A new week starts tomorrow but I’ll face that when it comes.

Pause-café

This morning we had business in Goswell Road. While there, we stopped off at Jimmy and the Bee for a “pause-café” and croissants.

King Square Gardens

Then we went for a ramble, starting by walking through King Square Gardens.

Modified building

We we were intrigued by this building whose ground floor and doorway contrasted with the upper floors. (For example, the ground-floor windows are arched unlike those on upper floors.) We speculate that an old building has later had floors added to it in a more modern style.

Telephone exchange

This old telephone exchange caught our attention, especially as it seems still to be in use as such.

Old pub

Another “catch”, in Dingley Road, was this Victorian era pub, now residential. It used to be known as the Princess Alice but those glory days are now gone for ever.

Drinking fountain

We spotted this old drinking fountain installed in a wall. It had been erected long, long ago by the Metropolitan Cattle Trough and Drinking Fountain Association. The inscription was now virtually illegible.

Ironmonger Row Baths

We passed the Ironmonger Row Baths, built in 1931 and still operating, though differently, meeting modern needs.

Original door

The baths now boast a modern glass-door entrance but the originals are still in place and are more elegant (in my view!).

St Luke’s Church and Gardens

We walked through St Luke’s Gardens. The outline of the church (designed by Hawksmore and James and built in 1733) can still seen through the screen of new foliage.

Signs of subsidence-

This view gives an idea of the subsidence affecting this building. The damage became so bad that the church was abandoned in 1959. The roof was removed (presumably for safety reasons) and it became a ruin. In the 1990s, the old church was repaired and acquired a new destiny as the headquarters of the London Symphony Orchestra, a role the it still performs.

The Coffee Tree

Reaching Old Street, we stopped off for coffee at a small outlet called the Coffee Tree.

Aboard the bus

We now caught a bus. The plan was to go to Walthamstow but…

Hackney City Farm

…when we reached Hackney, on impulse we left the bus to visit the Hackney City Farm. We explored it moi and enjoyed seeing the animals, some of whom appear below.

Hackney City Farm

Woodland

We strolled through a wood (though this might have been part of Haggerston Park which is adjacent to the farm) and…

A pond

…found a small pond.

The Bright Store

Returning to the main road we entered the Bright Store that has a tiny cafe with about two seats. We at least had a good view of the street over out teacups!

Church of St Chad Haggeston

We noticed this church, dedicated to St Chad, because of its unusually large size. I wonder whether they manage to fill it on Sundays.

Ye Old Axe-

On Hackney Road, I noticed what appeared to be an old pub, unusual in possessing a clock tower (not in working order, sadly). It also had a swinging sign though this was illegible. It used to be called Ye Old Axe but its present status seems uncertain. It has been a strip club for some time though whether it still is I do not know.

Aboard the 55

We caught a number 55 bus back to the Angel.

Myddelton’s deli

We walked down Amwell Street to Myddelton’s deli where we bought a lunch of coffee and…

Toasted sandwuches
Photo by Tigger

…delicious toasted sandwiches! (The designation “delicatessen” is well earned.)

Myddelton Square Garden

We walked home via Myddelton Square Garden and sat for a while, watching the pigeons and enjoying the calm of this peaceful place, a pleasant end to our outing.

No market today

Having ducked out of our usual Sunday shopping run yesterday, we did it today but because it was Monday and not Sunday, things were a little different from the usual. For one thing, Chapel Market was closed as it always is on Mondays.

In Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s was not very busy and we had soon collected our purchases and checked out.

Waiting for the bus in Upper Street

After lunch, we went to the bus stop in Upper Street.

Aboard the 43 bus

We boarded a number 43 bus whose destination is London Bridge Station.

Entering London Bridge Station

We entered the station and…

Down the escalator

…went down the escalator to the lower level which gave us access to the streets behind the station.

Guinness Trust

We wandered about, photographing whatever caught our fancy, such as the Guinness Trust housing estate dated 1897 and 1898. There’s no story so I’ll just show you some of the photos.

Arthur’s Mission Snowfields 1863-1895

Pub with curiously big chimney

1930s-style housing eatate

Old docks warehouses converted as dwelllings

Under the railway bridge

A distant glimpse of Tower Bridge

Museum ship HMS Belfast
Photo by Tigger

Hay’s Galleria

Queueing at Costa Coffee

After a coffee break in a rather crowded branch of Costa, we returned to London Bridge Station and…

Crossing London Bridge aboard the 43
Photo by Tigger

…there caught a number 43 bus that carried us back across London Bridge and thence to the Angel.

Sadly, the extra long bank holiday weekend now draws to a close and Tigger returns to work tomorrow. We shall make the most of this evening.

Sunshine in Pentonville Road

It was another warm, sunny day so we put off our weekly shopping run and went to the bus stop in Pentonville Road.

Aboard the 205

We boarded a 205 bus and off we went down City Road.

Bishopsgate

We left the bus in Bishopsgate where the tall buildimgs turn the street into a valley of shadow.

Arcade

We walked along the arcaded pavement until we came to a branch of Black Sheep Coffee.

On the terrace
Photo by Tigger

We sat out on the terrace and had… yes, we had our usual coffee and croissants.

Orphans
Bram Ellens

We now set out on foot through the quiet City streets (so busy in the week, like a ghost town at weekends). On the way we passed the above creation, allegedly art, which reminded us that we have not done our usual tour of the year’s Sculpture in the City.

Sainsbury’s Local

We popped into a Sainsbury’s Local store to pick up some sustenance for the trip ahead.

Fenchurch Street Station

We then continued on to Fenchurch Street Station. (The coloured plastic is an installation by Jun T. Lai, entitled Bloom Paradise.)

The train to Grays

We boarded a virtually empty train going to Grays.

Off we go!

There was a while to wait and then off we went!

Costa, Upminster

We changed at Upminster. Trains are not running to our destination today and rail replacement buses are one an hour so we came to Costa in the meantime.

Back to station

We went to the bus stop in plenty of time. We waited for the bus. And waited. We allowed for the bus to be late and waited a while linger. In the end, we decided the bus was not coming and gave up on it. We returned to the station and descended to Platform 1 to catch a train back to London,

On the train

The train was pretty crowded but we managed to find seats.

Fenchurch Street

We arrived back in London and walked along Fenchurch Street towards the church you can see in the background, St Botolph without Aldgate.

St Botolph’s church garden

We found a shaded bench in the garden of St Botolph’s and ate the lunch we had bought earlier in the day.

Black Sheep takeaway

Nearby was a Black Sheep Coffee stall. We bought takeaway coffees and took them back to our bench.

Aboard the 205

Then we walked to a nearby bus stop where we could catch a 205 for the Angel. We had to sit at the back, next to the engine. Nice in winter but not so good now that the weather is warmer!

It was disappointing, and somewhat frustrating, not to reach our intended destination but we at least had a pleasant day out and we will try again to reach our goal another day!

Sunshine in Amwell Street

We started today, as yesterday, by walking down Amwell Street to the deli. It was closed and, this time, we read the notice on the window saying they would be closed intil Tuesday.

Lloyd Square Garden

We walked through Lloyd Square where I enviously took a photo over the railings of their lovely but private garden. Most garden squares have reverted to Council care but just a fee remain private to residents of the square.

A friendly cat

Continuing down Lloyd Baker Street, we met a friendly cat who was sunbathing in a doorway. He looked a little disappointed when we took our leave and walked on.

Tree in blossom

We admired a tree in blossom in Granville Square.

Riceyman Steps

We walked down the famous Riceyman Steps.

St Andrews Gardens

We walked through St Andrews Gardens.

Stacked gravestones

This was once a church burial ground as can be seen from the gravestones stacked around the perimeter and…

Tombs left in place

…a few of the larger tombs left in place, some of which are leaning sideways like old boats that have become waterlogged.

Costa Coffee

We went along Clerkenwell Road and stopped off at a branch of Costa Coffee.

The usual
Photo by Tigger

We ordered the usual!

Aboard the 46

Next, we boarded a number 46 bus.

Hampstead High Street

After a longish ride, the bus brought us up the hill to Hampstead.

Waterstone’s

Here, we entered Waterstone’s bookshop and went upstairs to their cafe for a cup of tea.

The crêpe stall

As it seemed to be about lunchtime, we had recourse to one of the two crêpe stalls nearby.

Lunch!

We bought a crêpe each and sat on a bench in the High Street to eat them.

The Horse Pond

Afterwards, we went up to the top of the hill, the highest point hereabouts, and sat for a while by what is officially called the Whitestone Pond but has long been known as the Horse Pond.

Whitestone Garden

We started back down by first walking through a small park called Whitestone Garden.

Tall chimney

Then we followed a zigzag path through backstreets, passing this tall chimney on the way. It is the boilerhouse chimney of the former New End Hospital and is a Grade II listed building.

Flask Walk

The last lap was through the well known Flask Walk, a pedestrian passage lined with shops and the famous pub called – of course – The Flask.

The bus stop in the High Street

This took us out to the High Street again where we waited for a bus to begin our journey home.

Aboard the 46

We started by catching a 46 which would take us part of the way back to the Angel.

The railway bridge

Under the railway bridge in Kentish Town we changed buses.

Aboard the 214

We changed to a 214 that took us the rest of the way home where…

Tea!

…we could rest and relax with a nice cup of tea!