Walking with family: Green Park to Horse Guards Parade... and beyond

The Annual Commemoration of the Execution of King Charles I.

Sunday January 25, 2026: 

Cloudy with light rain, with winds at 4 mph. 

7°C (44.6°F)

It was a chilly morning as Keilyn and I climbed into my uncle Martin's car for the short drive to Croxley station. My mum was already in the car, having been picked up first.

After the car was packed we made our way to the southbound platform and waited for our train. It was a Harrow-on-the-Hill-bound train, meaning that we would have to change to a Baker Street-bound train there. We took this train to Finchley Road, where we boarded a Jubilee line train the few stops to Green Park.

On leaving the station we entered Green Park and made our way down towards The Mall and St James's Park. We stopped to grab a hot drink from the Marlborough Gate kiosk, at which point a fine rain began to fall. With mum and Martin taking shelter beside the kiosk, Keilyn and I decided to go for a wander.

The old guard on leaving Buckingham Palace.

We crossed the Blue Bridge, passed the St James's Park drinking fountain and made our way onto Birdcage Walk. We then headed west, passing the barracks, before turning onto Spur Road and making our way to the corner of The Mall. It was from here that we watched the Guards marching by, having just completed the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. After they had passed us we continued along The Mall and found mum and Martin, with the slight rain finally stopping.

The King's Army of the English Civil War Society getting ready to march.

Along the north side of The Mall the King's Army of the English Civil War Society were mustering in preparation for their march. Small cannons, horses and all manner of weapons were being cleaned, groomed and inspected. 

'Bridge of Aspiration', Covent Garden

This odd looking bridge twisting above Floral Street, Covent Garden, isn't just a random piece of art, connecting two different buildings. It is highly functional and has a name: 'The Bridge of Aspiration'.

'Turner's Old Star', Wapping

A proper East End pub.

On the corner of Watts Street and Meeting House Alley, opposite the southwest corner of Wapping Green, is a wonderful pub with a lot of history.

'Turner's Old Star' is one of those backstreet pubs that are often overlooked, except by those who live locally. Just a five minute walk from the more prominent touristy pubs, such as the 'Town of Ramsgate' and the 'Captain Kidd', this is a wonderful place to visit and relax.

The pub offers big screen TVs, for those who like to watch their sports, a dartboard and pool table, for those who prefer to participate, and a large pub garden, partly covered, where another screen can be found.

Besides various pieces of memorabilia, there is also a Yeoman Warders 'Blue Undress' uniform, within the pub, protected by glass. This was a gift to the pub from a pub regular who was either a Yeoman Warder or had recently retired from that service. 

It is definitely one of those old fashioned East End boozers that are sadly disappearing, which is a great shame.

The interior of the pub.

Brief history.

In 1685, Lydia Rogers, the wife of carpenter John Rogers, was a member of a radical religious sect called the 'Anabaptists'. She was accused of making a 'blood pact' with the devil, who was said to have cut a vein in her right hand to obtain the blood to use as ink for the contract. 

The local minister spent time praying with her as she confessed her sin.

Astronomical Clock, Bracken House

It is always important to look everywhere, when walking around London. This includes looking up as well as down, as you navigate the labyrinth of London's streets, as you never know what you will see. 

This is how I saw what could be London's strangest clock.

It is quite easy to walk by the building at 10 Cannon Street, without paying it much heed. It is much like any other office block, built in the 1950s, rising nine-storeys into the sky, with larger windows than most buildings of the time. Its only real difference is the pink sandstone cladding. But, even this doesn't really make it stand out, standing as it does on its own.

But, above the door is something that should grab your attention. At first glance it looks like an enamelled tile, or an elaborate design to draw the eye. It is, in fact, a clock. But, not a boring old clock that just tells the time. This is an astronomical clock and it really is a wonderful object.

West India Docks

The next time you’re visiting Canary Wharf, take a moment to look beyond the towering glass and steel. You are standing in a place with a history that is as rich, complex, and sometimes brutal, as any in London: Welcome to the West India Docks.

Once the beating heart of a global trading empire, these docks tell a fascinating story of ambition, immense wealth, human cost, and ultimate transformation.

Before the West India Docks, the River Thames was a chaotic mess of ships, theft, and congestion. Enter the powerful West India merchants, who successfully lobbied for dedicated, secure docks. The result was the West India Dock Act of 1799, paving the way for a revolutionary development on the Isle of Dogs.