For a few walks during the winter period I am doing a few of those from Andrew Duncan's Favourite London Walks. The main purpose of today though was to attend the Big Dave Crossword blog gathering in Little Venice and I needed a short walk to fill the time in the morning before moving on there after lunch. I chose one of the shortest walks in the book, of around 1.5 miles, around the St James area.
The walk starts at Piccadilly Circus then along Piccadilly to St James's Church, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The walk goes through the church itself, though there was doubt this would be possible as work is being done at the moment but all was OK. It is a magnificent building.
The church, stained glass window and organ.
Into Jermyn Street. The guide book tells me to look out for the Alfred Dunhill store which had a museum on the upper floor. This is all that remains of Alfred Dunhill with various footpaths closed for the works. A little further on Bennet Street looked like a cul-de-sac but there was a narrow, very steep, staircase down to Park Place.
The Royal Over-Seas League occupies the fine buildings here. Then Blue Bell Yard with former mews cottages which now forms an annexe to the Stafford Hotel.
Spencer House, former town house of Diana Princess of Wales family but now owned by Lord Rothchild. A narrow pathway leads to Green Park.
The rear gardens of Spencer House then steps leading past the adjacent Bridgewater House.
St James's Palace with a large group of tourists by the gatehouse with the Chapel Royal adjacent.
A courtyard behind the Berry Bros wine merchants. Then a plaque commemorating the St James's Theatre demolished in 1957. A short walk took me back to Piccadilly Circus and the end of the walk.
Now to Paddington for the crossword blog bash. Little Venice is a short walk along the Grand Union canal but there is first a long walk through the station itself. Quite busy along the towpath until reaching Little Venice itself where it joins the Regent's Canal.
The meeting was at the Bridge right by Little Venice. Inside already a large collection of crossword solvers and a few of the Daily Telegraph crossword compilers.
The next couple of hours was spent with pleasant conversation with the gathered crossword enthusiasts over lunch until I said my farewells and headed home after a great day out.