19/02/22 - London Spiral Walk - Stage 4

Distance - 8 Miles

Start - Archway

Finish - Anglesea Arms, Selwood Terrace, South Kensington 

Areas Walked - Archway, Hampstead Heath, Belsize, Kilburn, Maida Vale, Bayswater, Knightsbridge

Geocaches - 5 and an Adventure Lab Cache

Pubs - 3

Previous Walks - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3

A wonderful stretch of the London Spiral walk, showing off London in all it's diversity. 24 hours either side, I wouldn't have made it - a chance to peruse the damage from yesterdays Storm Eunice and before Storm Franklin bored us with more of the same.

The trail resumes at Archway and a stiff climb up Highgate Hill, across Waterlow Park and through a remarkable gated estate.  The views from Swains Lane, as spectacular as those from Primrose Hill. I was tempted to spark up purple bricks, which probably updates property value in real time.

London, sprawling out below Swains Lane

The target is Hampstead Heath - Londoners are so lucky.  As well as the theatre, the history and the pubs they have pockets of proper walking country on their doorstep.

Amongst the Storm Eunice Survivors

Hampstead Village is as pretty as ever and it's to the walks benefit that I arrive before the pubs open.  There would have been breaks aplenty at Wells Tavern, The Flask and one of my favourites, the Holly Bush.  I'll save that for a pub crawl and today, just admire the architecture around Frognal Way.

After all this glory, its unspectacular urban walking through Finchley, Kilburn and Paddington.  Working out how to get under the Westway is tricky with an AZ Map but when the path is found, it reveals it's surprises.

Every Inch of London is used

Its full waterproofs on when I reach Kensington Gardens and probably not the weather to be completing an Adventure Lab Cache.  A non direct route across, taking in the Peter Pan statue, Italian Gardens and edifices to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

Italian Gardens

Albert Memorial - the end of today's route

The walkings not over, but its the end of this stage of the London Spiral.   Pubs to be found in this corner of Knightsbridge, Brompton and Chelsea.  But which one will win the Mappiman "How Much?" award for liquid piracy?

Queens Arms, Queens Gates Mews, Landlord, Good Beer Guide Tick #650

A hidden treasure in one of those enviable mews streets.  It's a beauty in pastel blue.

Queens Arms, SW7

8 handpulls on and I have plenty of time to see whats on offer.  The only free tables have reserved signs on.  Apart from a strip along the window, this is not a pub for drinkers.

Never get past the Landlord, regardless of the alternatives

The only place for me is to lean at the bar, getting in the way of grumpy looking bar staff, setting tables and delivering pies to the genteel pub goers of South London.

One toddler starts crying and sets off the others.  

Good beer guide always full of surprises.  Today, I got to drink in a posh creche.

Bunch of Grapes, Brompton Road, Beavertown Neck Oil

Bunch of Grapes

As well as hunting our Good Beer Guide Pubs, I've also been working my through the 12 pubs that Len Deighton recommended in his 1960s guide book, London Dossier.  This is the penultimate one - in a little over two years.  Not bad, when you consider the many lockdowns.  And storms.

In the main, I have agreed with Len's choice but this is the one that breaks the rule.  Len liked it because it served Holstein Lager.  Its now a Green King pub that sadly, doesn't stock anything other than their standard cask.

Avoid, Avoid

The ornate mirrors and central bar are still present but this is an identikit pub that won't last long in the memory.

Anglesea Arms, Selwood Terrace, Landlord, Good Beer Guide Tick #651

I've failed to get a table at the last too - and things aren't too promising for lunch in this hidden away boozer in the backstreets of Chelsea. If indeed Chelsea has backstreets. Another stand at the bar but I do ask if I can order a sandwich whilst vertical.

Really, I should have been sitting down when I swiped my plastic. The Starling Bank instant notification telling me a cheese toastie and a pint is £18 in these parts.  

I now know why they have a daytime bouncer.

To stop people leaving without paying.

Nice enough pub - but surprisingly for a GBG pub, just the one cask available.  But they do know how to keep the Timothy Taylor Landlord.

Anglesea Arms, SW7