Walking alone: Aldgate to Barbican... and beyond

Monday November 25, 2024.

Having an occasional day off work I set off for London, unsure of where I would end up.

I took the train to Finchley Road, where I waited for an Aldgate train to complete my journey.

On exiting the station I turned west and headed through Aldgate Square, checking out the latest 'Sculpture in the City' piece, which is a Kissing Gate, by Maya Rose Edwards. I then continued along Houndsditch before turning down Cutler Street, as I had spotted a coffee van.

As I continues along Devonshire Square I noticed a statue of Knight on horseback, so stopped to take a photo, or two. This piece was designed by Denys Mitchell and is called 'The Knight of Cnihtengild'. Lights set into the base cause the lenses in the carapace to glow.

From here I continued my walk towards Bishopsgate and London Wall, stopping to look at the Victorian Bath House, which looks completely out of place against the office buildings that surround it.

Along London Wall I walked, passing Finsbury Circus, crossing Moorgate, until I myself by the Elsyng Spital Church Tower. This building was once a nunnery, church, college, destroyed by fire, rebuilt, destroyed and left as a ruin.

Continuing on I turned up Aldersgate Street, passing the now closed Museum of London, and on to Goswell Road, before turning west onto Clerkenwell Road, where I stopped in the garden of St John's Priory Church.

Suitably rested I made my way up Woodbridge Street, Skinner Street and Tysoe Street until I turned onto Rosebery Avenue until I reached Arlington Way. From here I headed down Myddelton Passage, where I kept an eye out for the etchings in the wall. It didn't take long to find some and then I couldn't stop seeing them. These etchings of initials and numbers are a unique record of 19th and 20th century Police Officers who walked this beat. Why they chose to etch their initials and numbers is still a mystery.

I left Myddelton Passage and made my way north until I reached Pentonville Road. which I followed east until I reached City Road Basin and the Regent's Canal.

With time getting on I headed along the Regent's Canal, before leaving the canal and joining Colebrooke Row, which I followed back to Pentonville Road and the short distance to Angel station. A train to King's Cross, was followed by a train to Baker Street, from where I caught a train back to Watford.

It was another great walk with lots of interesting things seen and learnt.

Distance travelled:

• Bus - 0.0 miles
• Cable Car - 0.0 miles
• Car - 0.0 miles
• DLR - 0.0 miles
• Ferry - 0.0 miles
• Overground - 0.0 miles
• River Boat - 0.0 miles
• Taxi - 0.0 miles
• Train - 0.0 miles
• Underground - 27 miles
• Walking - 7.3 miles