06/01/14 - Jubilee Walkway - The City Loop

Distance - 1.8 Miles
Walk Inspiration

London... so well known to me, yet always throwing up surprises. My recent trips (for the last 5 years) have mainly been taken up with the Capital Ring and the London Loop. Both long distance paths, getting myself into the suburbs.

It's time to get re-acquainted with the tourist hot spots.  And there's just the path for me.  The Jubilee Way.  It's only 15 miles in length and seems to be in a series of 5 individual walks.

The one in the City is only 1.8 Miles.  Time that it can be easily be completed in a lunch hour. Especially when I am working in the heart of it.

And I am not going to let a little bit of rain get in the way.

According to the guides, navigation for the walk is meant to be through pavement mounted disks - silver in the main, gold when there is something of historical interest.  I have stumbled upon them in the past.  Today, I find only two.  Good job I know where I am going.

Follow the direction that the cross is pointing

I am in an office near St Pauls, so its from there that I will start.  A view that I never tire of seeing.

Defied the Luftwaffe for Mappiman's viewing pleasure

Down Goldman's Street to Victoria Street, with the occasional view of the Thames.  Distant views of the Bank of England, the Gherkin and the Cheese Grater in London's ever evolving vista.

Only Colour is the Traffic Lights

The official start for this leg is 1 Poultry and I spend a couple of moments looking for the notice board and the Gold Disc.  Find nothing.

King Street takes me up to the Guildhall.  I only stumbled on this at the end of last year whilst taking a lunch time bimble and now this is the 3rd time I have been back.  Impressive courtyard for lunch on a warmer day than today.  One day, I really must pop inside.

Guildhall - Behind St Lawrence Church

My Mosaic Escape from the Courtyard

Now if I was devising a walk of the City of London, I would have taken in far more of the hidden alleys that permeate the City.  This walk only takes us down one - Mason's Avenue.  Its not bad, as they go, as it contains a pub.  It never fails to amaze me how many city types escape to these places.  They are always full in office hours.

Pint and a Ciggie before I invest your Pension

The Barbican is the next stage of the walk and an area that is new to me.  I am walking in the air.  Literally.  The area was extensively bombed in the war and hideously rebuilt afterwards.  What I didn't realise until today is that many of the walkways are in the buildings themselves.  So after a look at the Roman London Wall, I am up in the sky, looking down on London as I make my way to the British Museum.

Roman London

Sy Giles Cripplegate Church from a Barbican Walkway

Delivered on terra firma at Wood Street, I make my way past the museum and down Martin's Le Grande to be delivered at the back of St Pauls and back to the office.

No time for a haircut - need to find Greggs

A fine investment of 40 minutes of my time.