Gasholder Park

The guide frame for gasholder No. 8.

Some of the most striking buildings that have been part of the King's Cross skyline, for over 150 years, are the gasholders. These giant cast-iron buildings were in use until the late 20th century, but soon became redundant and, along with the rest of the area, fell into disrepair. 

I have seen these gasholders from trains, but never up close, so was looking forward to paying them a visit. 

Walking along the Regent's Canal, from Camden, these iconic buildings now stand just east of the main rail line, at St Pancras Basin.

One of them stands completely empty with just its wrought iron columns and girders surrounding the small park at its centre. 

Erin & Keilyn checking out their reflections in Gasholder No. 8.

It is a wonderful place to sit and relax, with mirrored surfaces reflecting the ambient light, which is supplemented in the evening with extra lighting.

Three other gasholders have been converted into apartments with roof gardens, offering amazing views across the city for those lucky enough to live here.

Fortunately for King's Cross, but not for Waterloo, the decision to move the Channel Tunnel Rail Link from Waterloo to St Pancras was what caused the regeneration of the area.

With grassy areas and the canal, this is a great place to stroll on a warm day, whether as a stop-off on your way to Coal Drops Yard and further east, or heading west to Camden and onto Little Venice.

Station Area ID Codes (SIDs)

When travelling to London I use the London Underground, or, depending on my destination, the Overground. Because of this I have visited many stations, with their countless escalators, lifts, staircases, corridors and ticket halls, which make each station unique in its own way.

Another thing that they all share are small blue number plates, affixed to walls and doors throughout the station complex. Some corridors can have multiple SIDs, depending on their length.

Each plate as a single digit number above a three digit number. The top number is easy to work out as this denotes the level beneath ground, but the longer number is a lot trickier to understand.

'Ye Olde Mitre'

Ye Olde Mitre.

London is full of narrow, winding alleyways that link various streets and roads together. Some are short passages, while others meander and twist. The majority, however, hide nothing of real interest. 

But, I had heard of one alley, near Hatton Garden, that has a historic public house nestled midway down its length. So I set about locating it. 

As this public house is located within the City of London it is only open on weekdays, so I made a point of heading to the area on a Monday morning.

Walking along Holborn I crossed Hatton Garden, which I could have taken as this has an alley leading to the pub, and turned on to Charterhouse Street. After a few more steps I turned on to Ely Place and began looking for the alley.

It didn't take long before I peered along a narrow alley which was bisected vertically with an iron bar, obviously put in place to stop cyclists taking a shortcut, and soon found myself in the small courtyard of Ye Olde Mitre. 

A small, but cosy, courtyard.

This courtyard, although narrow, had old upturned barrels on which patrons could rest their drinks, while flower baskets hung from walls. A brass and glass lamp hung from the exterior, of the pub, which looked as though it offered plenty of illumination in the evenings.

Battersea Park Children's Zoo

An Emu.

I find that the Children's zoos and City Farms offer a great alternative to the much larger London Zoo, and are often a lot cheaper to visit, especially with the cost of living crisis.

So it was that while walking from Westminster to Battersea, with Keilyn, we found ourselves at Battersea Park Children's Zoo. Having never visited this particular zoo, we decided to head inside and have a good look around.

Asian Short-Clawed Otters.

We saw parrots, Asian Short-Clawed Otters, Goats, Lizards, Spiders, Capuchin, Snakes, Donkeys, Cranes, Iguana, Frogs, Rats, Emu and so much more.

Thao Whipping Frog.

We failed to spot the Chameleon, but we did look for it for about twenty minutes.

Keilyn ready to board the helicopter.

Then there were the adventure playgrounds, which Keilyn loved, as it had a real helicopter, fire engine and tractor to clamber over and play in.

Keilyn driving a fire engine.

Considering its relatively small size, the zoo certainly contains a myriad of species in well built enclosures.

A Harvest Mouse.

Slabs, Markers & Covers

Although there is much to see when it comes to London's architecture, with her old buildings juxtaposed with new, it is always worth looking at what is below your feet.

Just as plaques of various styles adorn the walls around this great city, there are more to be found on the pavements, curbs and alleyways.

Coal hole cover.

Not only are there numerous styles of Coal Hole Covers, to be found, but there are still places where you can find Wooden Paving on London's streets.

Wooden paving.

Sometimes the slabs are not concrete, wood or marble, but metal, often used as steps or utility covers.

Metal steps plaque.

Utility hole cover, Greenwich. 

Then there are the newer slabs, added to keep the history of an area alive.

The Merchant Line, London Bridge City.

Red Lion Court.

St Dunstans Court.