Sunday 17 September 2023
A great day out in London and a great many steps (+20k), but thoroughly enjoyable.
We met on the 8:35 train from Worthing to London and after a short tube ride to Tower Hill, we regrouped for Coffee at Tower Hill.
From there we headed down, past the Tower of London, to the embankment and then headed East to just beyond Tower Bridge. A journey of about 5 mins, unless you’re a group of photographers (20-30 mins I think it took us 🙂 ). Then from Tower Bridge most of us headed West along the Embankment towards London Bridge and then up to the Monument. One of our number headed up to Fenchurch Street, but we got Rob back by the Monument, so that doesn’t go down against my personal tally of club members lost on Club outings (currently at 2).
From the Monument we headed west along Eastcheap to St Dunstan in the East. A church destroyed during bombing in the second World War. A very tranquil place, albeit popular with tourists wanting to take a break.
By this time (1pm) we headed off for some lunch, after which we went to the Sky Garden at 120 Fenchurch Street (highly recommended, and it’s free entry). By this time the rain had started to fall, but that just added some atmosphere to our images. Great 360° views of the City.
Then it was off to the Gherkin and St Marys Axe (Cheesegrater, etc.). By this time the rain really made an effort, but we still managed to get some interesting images. Then came a perpetual theme, in that an Instagram crowd(?) gathered around the Lloyds building, so we beat a hasty retreat to Leadenhall Market, where we were able to capture a few more images before the crowd started gathering at the eastern end and a Wedding Party started entering from the western end.
We left there and Pat directed to us to quiet alley, leading to St Michael church’s graveyard. The inspiration for the visitation of one of the ghosts in a Christmas Carol. From there back out onto Gracechurch Street and into Cornhill, to be shown and told the history of the Cornhill Devils. Further along Cornhill we went into St Michael’s Alley to visit Jamaica Inn and The George and Vulture (where Charles Dickens wrote much of “A Christmas Carol”).
Back out on Cornhill we headed west towards the Bank of England and we were able to get a few more photos before the aforementioned photo crowd turned up. We resumed our journey west (along the Poultry), when Pat encouraged to go to the Guildhall. A beautiful building and relatively quiet and with great fortune it was one of the few weekends when we were able to go inside and explore. The “Class photo” was taken in the Great Hall (Howard had wandered off this time). We then explored the Crypts, where the stained windows record all of the Guilds of London.
Finally we regrouped and headed to St Pauls. The photo crowd had beat us there. By this time we were flagging a little, so we paused in Paternoster Square (another “Class photo”), before deciding to go straight round St Pauls and head south across the Millennium Bridge, for the final photo opportunities.
Thanks to Pat for suggesting the idea and creating the itinerary and apologies too, for not recalling all of the great and interesting information Pat shared with us at multiple stops enroute.