An Autumn Urban Wander around Warwick Avenue, London

October has been a very busy month and I don't really seem to have managed to get out and about to enjoy Autumn as in previous years. Even my mountain bike riding has hit a low period, although I did manage a 17 mile ride today, my first in almost a month. Our weekends have been packed with other great stuff, so nothing to complain about there, but work pressures have meant that getting out at lunchtime has become near impossible of late, and instead I have been sat over a hot keyboard with a sandwich in hand, pondering the completion of yet another mega-urgent spreadsheet or powerpoint request. Faced with this rather dismal reality, I forced myself out one day last week and managed to get some autumn in at last.

A bit overcast today, so not as many people sat outside having lunch as normal. This little canal boat café is on my to do list but will have to wait for another day.

Canal boat café, Little Venice, London W9

I've always loved this little parade of shops in Formosa Street, which have a village-like feel.

Formosa Street, London W9

A shame about all the cars, but a stunning tree with its autumn foliage nevertheless. In the background on either side you can juts make out the iconic entrances to Warwick Avenue tube station.

Warwick Avenue, London W9

I took this picture purely for the lamp. I would have liked to get a bit closer but did not want to intrude on the privacy of the chap sat at the table outside the pub, enjoying a lunchtime pint. 

The Warwick Castle pub, Warwick Place, London W9

This is a view looking the other way along Warwick Place, with the Warwick Castle pub on the left. I've not been there for a while, but when I have the food and drink was excellent.

Warwick Place, London W9

Urban Wandering: the Mews of Kensington

After having almost written-off being able to do much urban wandering last week because of the rain and short evenings, I found myself with a lunch break and some autumn sunshine, and the pressing need to get out of the office into the fresh air. This wander took me through some reasonably familiar territory, but not one I think I have photographed or blogged much about.

Apologies for these first two pictures but I have to confess I was only half paying attention and did not make a note of the name of the mews. Maybe, and not fr the first time, an intrepid reader can help me out?

Unknown mews, Kensington, London

Unknown mews, Kensington, London

From a distance this pub looked like it was still a going concern, but as I drew nearer and saw the flat numbers on the blue doors, I realised it had been converted into residential accommodation. A quick search on the internet showed some reviews from 2010, so it had been a pub until relatively recently.

Former pub, the Kensington Arms, Abingdon Road, London W8

 And so on to what is one (or two actually) of my favourite London mews: Radley Mews and Lexham Mews. If I'm honest I was a little disappointed with this first picture as I had managed to partially hide the Radley Mews sign behind the street lamp. I must return and see if I can get an angle where I can get the lamp to sit neatly between the signs.

Radley Mews and Lexham Mews, Kensington, London W8

Turning right along Lexham Mews, the street curves around eventually taking a sharp left hand turn before emerging through an archway on to the main road.

Lexham Mews, Kensington, London W8

The autumn colours of the leaves looked much better in the flesh but hopefully these next two pictures give a bit of an impression of their splendour.

Autumn leaves, Lexham Mews, Kensington, London W8

Autumn leaves, Lexham Mews, Kensington, London W8

 Lexham Mews, Kensington, London W8

Just before the mews ends it turns sharply left, revealing an arch as it emerges on to the main road.

Looking out from Lexham Mews, Kensington, London W8

Looking into Lexham Mews, Kensington, London W8

I did think this wander and post were going to be ghost sign free, but as I re-entered the mews to head left into Radley Mews I spotted this. Unfortunately I can only make out the letters "AUTO" so am assuming that, given its proximity to a car garage (more of which later), it says either "AUTOMOBILE" or perhaps "AUTOMOTIVE".

Ghost sign in Radley Mews, Kensington, London W8

 I've walked past the Graeme Hunt garage on Radley Mews many time before, often lusting after one of the E-type Jaguars in the forecourt window, but had never seen cars out in the street itself. This was a real treat seeing these two near identical vintage cars ... I can't work out however whether they are Rolls Royces or Bentleys ... sorry, I am not a car aficionado.

Old cars on Radley Mews, Kensington, London W8

Walking on past the old cars, the mews arrives at the intersection with Lexham Mews, so I had gone full circle and time to head back to the office.

Radley Mews, Kensington, London W8

So, that's it for another week. I spent the weekend after this wander in Essex where I took loads of pictures so hopefully will find time this week to weed out the half-decent ones and draft another blog post.

    

Autumn leaves

After delivering one of my kids to a football match last weekend on the outskirts of Reading, between Sulham and Tilehurst, I managed a short walk before kick-off. The ground was wet underfoot, and impassable in places, so I had to be careful where I trod. I'd never been to this area before so it was quite a pleasant surprise. The only downside was that the M4 motorway could be heard despite being a mile away.

 Autumn, near Reading

Autumn, near Reading

Autumn, near Reading

Autumn

A strange few days and weeks since my last post. I've been to India with work, managed a few, on-road bike rides, completed a couple of autumn walks, and been out both nights on two consecutive weekends ... so the latter may not sound like much, but it's reminding me of how old I am feeling. But let's stick with the positive things, and celebrate Autumn.On Saturday we visited a National Trust property and grounds called The Vyne hust to the north of Basingstoke, Hampshire. Despite being ,e,bers of the National Trust and despite the property being about 30 minutes from where we live, this was the first time we'd ever visited. As we approached the entrance we were "greeted" by 3 deer running across thr road in front of us. After parking up, we chose the brown walk which took us about 2.5 miles through the woods.

Autumn walk through The Vyne, near Basingstoke, Hampshire

 Knarled tree, the Vyne

On Sunday we headed out towards Calne, which is in Wiltshire between Marlborough and Chippenham. It's a place we have driven through on several occasions but we'd never managed to stop there. A strange town, although perhaps no more strange than many towns, in that it had a striking contrast between the old village green, the old castle, the disused canal and railway, and the modern supermarkets with their enormous car parks. We wandered around the old streets and bridleways, looking (in vein) for signs of the old railway station, but we did find traces of where the old railway went on it's way from Calne to Chippenham.

Autumn walk, just outside Calne, Wiltshire

    

In other news, I wnet CD shopping after work last week and picked up a veritable bevvy of new (well old) and exciting music. A 49 track double CD compilation by The Seeds is high on the playlist at the moment. I also picked up the first two Human League albums, Reproduction and Travelogue before Martyn Ware and Ian Craig left to form Heaven 17. Some great tracks on these two, and in my opinion far better than anything they did when they became famous.