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| Gasholder Park. |
Sunday March 2, 2025.
Keilyn decided that since she had missed out on Friday's walk, we should head to London for the day, so off we set.
Taxi to Watford Metropolitan station and a train to Finchley Road. Then two stops on the Jubilee line to St John's Wood, was how the walk began.
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| Keilyn at the former Marlborough Road station. |
Exiting the station we walked up Finchley Road, to the former underground station that is Marlborough Road, before heading east along Queen's Grove, on to Elsworthy Road, then Elsworthy Terrace which brought us to Primrose Hill.
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| The view from Primrose Hill. |
We then followed the path to the viewing point and took in the amazing views of London. The hazy clouds had dispersed allowing us to see everything that the city had to offer: The Clock Tower, in Caledonian Park, Camden Lock, Canary Wharf, St Pancras station, the Gherkin, St Paul's Cathedral, The Shard, Centre Point, BT Tower, the Snowdon Aviary at London Zoo, London Eye, Palace of Westminster, Crystal Palace Tower, Westminster Cathedral and so much more.
Once we had seen everything, and taken lots of photos and videos, we continued east, exiting Primrose Hill via the Primrose Hill Road exit and, after crossing Regent's Park Road, headed along Rothwell Street to Chalcot Crescent.
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| Keilyn at the home of Paddington Bear. |
Chalcot Crescent is full of houses, many painted in pastel colours, but we were here to see one particular house... number 30. This is the house that Paddington Bear lives in with the Brown family, in the Paddington Bear movies. After the obligatory photo of Keilyn, outside the house, we made our way back to Regent's Park Road, which we followed until we reached 'The Little One' coffee shop, where we purchased drinks: Hot chocolate and a latte.
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| The former Primrose Hill station and the Camden Roundhouse. |
We then continued along Regent's Park Road until it brought us to Haverstock Hill and Chalk Farm Road, passing the Camden Roundhouse and Camden Stables Market. On reaching Camden High Street we dropped down onto the Regent's Canal towpath, following the meandering canal to Gasholder Park, at St Pancras Basin.
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| Camley Street Natural Park Pond. |
Since we had made good time we decided to cross Somers Town Bridge so that we could explore Camley Street Natural Park. The park, set across 2 acres, is a wildlife habit that includes wetlands and meadows and is home to a wide variety of fauna and flora.
After a good look around we made our way back across Somers Town Bridge and headed for Canopy Market, to get some lunch. Keilyn had her heart set on 'Duck fat chips' (freshly cut potatoes double fried with a drizzle of duck fat), while I was looking forward to a 'Petit Prince Burger (brioche bun, butter infused grill duck, cheese, gherkins, fried onion and burger sauce), so we headed straight for 'The Frenchie'.
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| Petit Prince Burger. |
Luckily there was no queue so we ordered and watched as the food was prepared and cooked. I took this time to talk with 'Frenchie', discussing what we had been doing and how far we had walked. On hearing this he looked at Keilyn and told her that we would give an extra large portion, to keep her energy up, which made her face light up. Her chips were ready before my burger, so Keilyn took her food to a nearby bench while I watched my burger come together.
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| The Frenchie. |
When it was ready 'Frenchie' posed for a photo and I joined Keilyn at the table. The food didn't last long, with Keilyn only leaving a few chips from the extra large portion.
After perusing the stalls, and purchasing some drinks and desserts, we headed out of the market, thanking 'Frenchie' as we passed his stall and found ourselves back in the dazzling sunshine.
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| Keilyn aboard 'Word on the Water'. |
Dropping back down onto the towpath we visited 'Word on the Water', a small bookshop on a barge, and perused the books, before rejoining the towpath, heading east.
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| Battlebridge Basin. |
The still water offered the chance to get some photographs of buildings, with their reflections, in the calm water.
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| The grave of Joseph Grimaldi. |
We left the Regent's Canal and headed south, along Caledonian Road, until we turned down Northdown Street and then eastward along Collier Street. This brought us to Grimaldi Park where I took the chance to sit, while Keilyn took to the various swings and apparatus. Soon we were off exploring the garden areas in search of the grave of Joseph Grimaldi, which we soon found. Joseph Grimaldi, after whom the park is named, was a performer, from the age of 3, at Sadler's Wells Theatre. He would go on to perform at Covent Garden and at the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane. He was the most popular entertainer of the Regency era.
Close to his grave are two metal coffin-shaped musical boards, set into the ground. One is in the name of Joseph Grimaldi, the other for Charles Dibdin the Younger. The latter employed Joseph Grimaldi at Sadler's Wells, writing many of the pantomimes that Grimaldi appeared in. Watching Keilyn dance on these 'graves' was quite amusing, although they had obviously been well-used as the chimes weren't working properly.
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| Keilyn at Spa Fields Playground. |
Suitably relaxed we continued our walk, exiting the park onto Pentonville Road. Heading ever eastward we walked, before heading south along Claremont Square, then Amwell Street and turned onto Exmouth Market to purchase drinks and snacks, before arriving at Spa Fields Playground, where I sat in the shade while Keilyn went to explore and make friends.
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| Smithfield Market. |
From here Skinner Street took us to St John Street and then turned west through Passing Alley, just to see what was at the other end. The answer was the Museum of the Order of St John, which was unfortunately closed. So, we walked down St John's Lane until we rejoined St John Street, which we followed until we reached Charterhouse Street and Smithfield Market.
With time getting on we headed west, along Charterhouse Street, before turning north up Farringdon Road and Farringdon station. Two minutes later an Amersham-bound Metropolitan line train was whisking us off to Baker Street, where hot drinks were purchased before we boarded a train towards home.
Yet another great walk with Keilyn and her unbound enthusiasm for exploring.
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 - 0.8 miles
- Train - 0.0 miles
- Underground - 34 miles
- Walking - 7 miles
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