More Urban Wandering in and around Holland Park, London

Having been inspired by my previous urban wander around the Holland Park area, I headed straight back there on the next available, sunny lunchtime, but this time with the intention of actually entering the park itself.

Archways in Holland Park, London W14

This next photo was taken looking down along the walkway where there are several murals painted by the artist Mao Wen Biao, depicting imaginary scenes from the garden parties held by the Earl of Ilchester here in the late 19th century.

Murals in Holland Park, London W14

The murals are in a semi-enclosed walkway. This is the view looking in from the outside.

Archways in Holland Park, London W14

The Orangery, Holland Park, London W14

I haven't stayed in many Youth Hostels in my life, but if I ever got the opportunity then this one would be high up on the list.

Youth Hostel, Holland Park, London W14

 Youth Hostel, Holland Park, London W14

Leaving Holland Park I wandered through Oakwood Court again, but this time through another side alley. Whereas before I had only seen staircases which went down from the top by 3 or 4 flights, these ones came right down to ground level.

Staircases in Oakwood Court, London W14

These next two photos taken on the walk back to the office are actually in Kensington Olympia as opposed to the Holland Park area, but they are of something I've been trying to get a half-decent view of for a while now, the former Kensington Olympia Motorail Depot, which is now a car park and can just be seen in the distance beyond the allotments. As a kid I remember going into Paddington station early in the morning and seeing the motorail there being loaded up and readied for the trip down to Cornwall. Such form of travel is now, perhaps sadly, a thing of the past, having finished some time in the 1980's. There's a short, British Pathe, promotional clip of the motorail from Kensington Olympia here.

Former Kensington Olympia Motorail Depot, London W14

Also, as I reseacrhed the motorail depot, I found that Kensington Olympia boasted considerably more platforms than I had previously assumed and that the flats near these allotments have been built on the former site of the eastern most platforms.

Former Kensington Olympia Motorail Depot, London W14