Wond'ring Aloud: July 2025

Weather: Sunny and Very Warm
Distance Walked: 12.37 km
Distance By Tube: 7.68 km
Stations Visited: 11
Fantastic Place:Grosvenor Square


Stations on this walk

I wasn't particularly looking forward to this leg of the walk as I assumed that I would be trudging along the length of Oxford Street - the Central Line runs underneath it for some way. Also the crowds would make walking, and taking shots of the stations hard. Thirdly this was a part of London I know well, shops and galleries we often visit so there wouldn't be any surprises.

I was wrong.

The walk started in the wide open expanses of Hyde Park. I have lived and worked in London for almost forty years and for some reason have not frequented this huge open space much during that time. The start of the walk took me down to the round pond and the Watts statue of Physical Energy.

Physical Energy

The Round Pond

We recently visited the Watts Gallery in Surrey a few weeks ago and saw the model for this and other sculptures by Watts so this was an interesting coincidence. The pond was full of birds, swans, geese, ducks etc, most with young in tow (unlike our ponds at work where the swans kill the other young waterfowl).

From here the path took me to the Serpentine, another large lake. At the north end of the water is a fine Italianate garden with fountains. Very busy with tourists but still on a warm sunny day a relaxing place to stop.

Italianate Gardens


Italianate Gardens

There are some interesting sculptures in the park at quite varying scales. The statue of Physical energy, a Henry Moore arch and a smaller scale carving of insects.

Leaving the park at the busy Marble Arch, which is being refurbished at the moment due to water getting in and rusting the iron supports, I entered the frenzied chaos of Oxford Street. Whatever day of the week, which ever season of the year, no matter the time of day, it is busy. Also no matter which way I am walking there always seems to be more people coming towards me than walking in the same direction. How does that work? It has got worse since the wide use of mobile phones as everyone is glued to them (despite Oxford street being a phone snatcher's paradise) so you always have to be aware to make a last minute side-step to avoid walking into someone.

I was glad to turn off the main drag and drop south to Grosvenor Square, former home of the American Embassy. This has now moved down to Nine Elms and the former building is now being converted into posh apartments it seems.


Statue of Eisenhower Outside the Former Embassy

The gardens are due to be refurbished soon but it was still a nice place to pause and take a water break. There are other statues in the gardens as well as a memorial to the 67 victims of the 9/11 attacks.

My route took me briefly back to Oxford Street for the next few stations (Bond Street, Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road) and in between each following the winding narrower streets south of the main shopping streets.

Heading south towards Holborn I crossed the viaduct that carries the road over the now hidden Fleet River.

From the viaduct you get a good view of the former meat market at Smithfield which is now closed and is due to become the new site of the Museum of London.

The next part of my walk took me through part of London I didn't know, the Inns of Court. Fabulous buildings and open spaces between Holborn and Chancery Lane

Onwards towards St Paul's past the Old Bailey where I almost did jury service (summoned for duty but not called to serve) and onwards to Bank where the old and new architecture stand cheek-by-jowl.

By now it was time for those working in the Square Mile to knock off work for the day and have a drink, so all the little cafes, bars and pubs had a flock of city types hanging around outside, more obstacles for a tired and hot walker to avoid!

Saw a few interesting sculptures and things on the last leg to Liverpool street, including a statue of a cordwainer (made shoes, cobblers repaired shoes) and possibly the worlds smallest TARDIS.