Rachael and Andrew's Big Adventure

Rachael, my company's global HR director, is currently staying with Garry and I. Today Rachael and I decided to walk the Regent's Canal from Primrose Hill to Little Venice, a total distance of three miles. We set out from home, making our way to the canal via Primrose Hill. The view from the hilltop was as stunning as ever. If you look carefully, to the right of the BT tower you can see London Eye, yesterday's tourist highlight.



From here we wandered along Regent's Canal passing through the grounds of London Zoo, past the gardens of aging mansions and moored house boats. Late blossoms were still on display. Tour barges were also on active duty scattering ducks as they went. We eventually reached Little Venice where we discovered a wonderful cafe perched over one of the canal's many transit tunnels. We stopped here for coffee and a light lunch just as rain began to fall.

Regent’s Canal was opened in 1820. It was originally conceived as a transport backbone across North London. After an early burst of profitability the canal fell into disuse as railway reached the area. John Nash, the landscape designer responsible for Regent’s Park, built the canal. He’d originally intended to have it pass through the middle of the park. However public outcry forced him to alter its route. Locals were concerned that the colourful language of barge handler would offend residents enjoying the park’s surrounds. No such noises were noted today.

Once the weather cleared, we left our lunch venue and made our way past Little Venice to Paddington. At this point we’d planned to catch the tube to Waterloo. The previous night we’d placed Rachael’s laptop in storage at the station before visiting London Eye. As made our way underground Rachael suddenly realised she'd left her baggage receipt at home.

After a quick detour we were soon back on the tube. On approach to Waterloo, we made a spur of the moment decision to continue on to London Bridge station. Upon arrival we made our way to the riverside Thames Walk, following the river towards Tower Bridge. We made a 1.5 mile circuit across Tower Bridge, past the Tower of London, on to Monument and finally back across the Thames to the tube.

Monument, designed by Christopher Wren, was erected between 1671 and 1677 to commemorate the 1666 Great Fire of London. The original fire started in a bakery near by, burned for three days, eventually wiping out 436 acres of central London. You can climb 311 spiraling stairs inside to an observation balcony 200 feet above the street. I've made a mental note to give this a go at some future date, but not today.

Perhaps the most memorable sight today was City Hall, seat of London's new local government, the Greater London Authority. This lop-sided oval building, completed in 2001, sits next to Tower Bridge. It was designed by famous English architect, Norman Foster, the same man that created Hong Kong's stunning airport terminal. Locals call it the egg - and you can even find a six-foot namesake sitting on the nearby Thames riverbank.

We've had a wonderful day, walking more than five miles passing many of London's famous sights.