Walking with Erin and Summer: Piccadilly Circus to Covent Garden... and beyond

Saturday December 28, 2024.

Erin and Summer, who had joined us on our last family walk, wanted to go to London to see Chinatown and have dinner out. So, after agreeing we set off as normal with a train to Baker Street and, to save time, a Bakerloo line train to Piccadilly Circus, from where our walk would begin.

Although they only wanted to visit Chinatown and eat out, I said that I would take them to some other places, as Summer explained that she didn't really get to see the sites. So, the first thing I pointed out was the World Time Linear Clock, at Piccadilly Circus station.

Chinatown was busy, as it always is, as meandered our way through the throng of people queuing to dine, tourists snapping photos of the gates and those just going about their daily business. The smell of the various foods, from restaurants and bakeries, was intoxicating, making me feel hungrier than I actually was. Unfortunately, Erin and Summer had already planned where we having lunch, so I would have to wait.

After walking through Chinatown we found ourselves on Leicester Court, where we saw the statue of Wonder Woman, before heading east, crossing Charing Cross Road onto Cranbourn Street and then Garrick Street. We walked up King Street and entered Covent Garden, where we watched a street performer juggling knives on a tightrope, before heading into the Apple Market building to peruse the stalls. 

At the northern end another entertainer was performing Shakespeare while balancing on a free-standing ladder. He followed this Shakespearean effort by juggling three clubs, while still atop the free-standing ladder. He was, quite possibly, one of the most entertaining performers that I had seen in a while. Erin and Summer enjoyed his performance, too, placing a £5 note in his hat at the end of his act.

Walking with family: Baker Street to Leicester Square... and beyond

Sunday December 22, 2024.

It was a cold late morning as Emma, Keilyn, Erin and her friend Summer and I made our way to the station, ready to take in the Christmas atmosphere of London.

I did give the girls' a mission for the walk. 'The first person to find a dinosaur would be given £1'.

Our first stop, after exiting Baker Street station, was to find somewhere to eat lunch. The girls unanimously voted for KFC, which we found across the road on Baker Street.

Suitably filled we headed south along Baker Street, crossing Oxford Street, until we reached Grosvenor Square. The square was remarkably quiet so we left, via its southeast corner, and headed onto Carlos Place, where we saw The Connaught Christmas tree, our first true Christmas tree of the day.

Continuing along Carlos Place we entered Berkeley Square and Keilyn, who had been slightly ahead of us, came running back to us, demanding £1, as she had found a dinosaur. Sure enough, as we reached the corner of Berkeley Square the cast of a dinosaur stood on a plinth, staring into the heart of the Square. I reached into my pocket and handed over the prize.

After admiring the display at Annabel's Members Only Club, we headed along Bruton Street to New Bond Street, passing the Coach and Horses pub on the way.

New Bond Street was considerably busier than anywhere else that we had so far visited, due to the ornate displays of the various big names along the street. Boodles, Bvlgari, Cartier, Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren, to name a few. 

The sky, though overcast, was still too light to get the full effect of the lights, but it still brought the feeling and atmosphere of Christmas to us.

Continuing on a light rain began to fall, so we headed into the Burlington Arcade, with its caped Beadles, exiting on Piccadilly, where the Fortnum & Mason building had its usual Advent Calendar display.

For a bit of a respite, Summer had never been on one of our walks, we headed into Waterstones bookshop, where we perused the books.

We then continued along Piccadilly to Piccadilly Circus and onto Coventry Street, where warm drinks were purchased. Before visiting the Winter Market, which had been erected in Leicester Square, Erin, Summer and I went off to see the various statues of Harry Potter, Bugs Bunny, Batman, etc.. After making a complete circuit, of the square, we met back up with Emma and Keilyn and entered the Winter Market. A few items were purchased, at inflated prices, before we headed off to grab some more snacks and warm food.

World Time Linear Clock

The World Time Today.

If you were to enter London's West End via Piccadilly Circus, then don't rush straight out of the station. Take a moment to marvel at the 1920s architecture and then go in search of a truly unique timepiece.

Built into the wall is the World Time Linear Clock which was the brainchild of Architect Charles Holden and John Mowlem & Company.

It was installed during the expansion of Piccadilly Circus station, during the the early 1920s.

The scrolling band rotates as the Earth spins.

The time is displayed by a west scrolling band, with Roman numerals, that moves at the same speed as the Earth rotates, around the equator.

It shows both GMT and BST and gives a rough indication as to the time around the world. It is not entirely accurate as world time zones only broadly follow longitude. But, it is still a fascinating piece of machinery.

How to use.

Lightbulbs highlight a small number of cities that include London, Cape Town, Sydney, New York, Victoria (Canada) and Buenos Aires.

I was surprised, on my visit, how no one noticed this piece of horology that once informed the traveller, that needed to know, the time around the world. 

Now, people are too inpatient and in a constant rush, which is a shame.

World Time Linear Clock, Piccadilly Circus station.

Piccadilly Lights

Advertising Space.

Saturday January 16, 2016.

Between the dates of January 14 - 17, 2016, the Lumiere Festival visited the Unfinished City for the first time. It was while walking around some of the various installations, on a not very cold Saturday night, that I stopped at Piccadilly Circus, close to the statue of Anteros, the Angel of Christian Charity.

Because of the crowds that were milling about, even more so than normal because of the festival, I wasn't sure if I would be able to get a decent shot of the World famous Piccadilly Lights, but, to my surprise, this one came out quite well.