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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Tuesday 23 June 2020

Evening Walk - The City of London without the people: Sculpture in the City

Length: 2.7 km
Net Walking Time: 1 hour
Meet: Liverpool Street Mainline Station, Liverpool Street Exit, Street Level, Kindertransport Memorial at 19.45 hours.
Finish is at Leadenhall Market. Liverpool Street, Bank/Monument, Aldgate/Aldgate East, Tower Hill and London Bridge tube stations are just a short walk away, as are Fenchurch Street, Liverpool Street and London Bridge mainline stations. All are in Zone 1.

The critically acclaimed Sculpture in the City is an annual exhibition showcasing contemporary works by internationally renowned artists in the confines of the City of London, on streets, in squares or on buildings. The exhibition usually opens around end June, and most sculptures are displayed until the following May. But in the current Covid pandemic, the exhibition has been extended to the autumn.

2019 sees the ninth incarnation of this popular attraction, displaying 21 artworks (1 of them only from autumn 2019) by 19 artists ranging considerably in scale – from large glass- or fabric-works to small neon- or text-works, thoughtfully placed between iconic architectural landmarks such as the Gherkin (30 St. Mary Axe), the Walkie-Talkie (20 Fenchurch Street), the Lloyd’s-Building (aka the Inside-Out Building, at 12 Leadenhall Street), the Scalpel (Lime Street) and the Cheesegrater (the Leadenhall Building). Wander the City's public spaces and stumble upon world-class public art, on an urban canvas recognised across the globe. 
For more information on the exhibition, individual artworks and a map click here.
A printed booklet with a map, photos of – and information on – the art works can be picked up at the City Information Centre, located between St Paul's Cathedral and Millennium Bridge.

Eat/Drink: Leadenhall Market features more than 20 pubs, delis, bars, brasseries and restaurants. Some of whom may sell takeout drinks and snacks. For more details click here.
For walk directions, map, photos, and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.24

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like an awesome club, I would love to join!

Any phone number that I can call in case I can't recognize you there ?

Thomas G said...

The SWC works like this: you join by turning up, there are no leaders, no contact details are given out, you are expected to have the written directions printed out or downloaded so you can self-lead if need be

Thomas G said...

12 initially, and after the Covid briefing and email address taking, just as we were about to set off in 2 groups, joined by 2 laties. So off we went in 3 groups. En route we were joined by 1 other walker, so n=15 in w=pleasantly-warm weather. Only 1 of those was a MeetUp-ie (but even he had previous with the SWC, having walked download walks by himself or with friends. The other 4 'confirmed' MeetUp attendees did not show).
We took 1 1/4 hours for the route, a touch longer than usual due to socially distanced info panel-reading.
None of the eateries or drinkeries in Leadenhall Market at the end of the walk were open of course, so 8 of us went to that famous pub chain 'Tesco Metro' to each get a drink and decamped to the Thames by Grant's Quay Wharf, right by London Bridge, for a 'pub garden'-type experience. The bridges were illuminated, the sun set away to the West, a light breeze was blowing... A fine end to the walk. Who needs pubs after all?

Thomas G said...

a record attendance for this walk, actually!

branchline said...

This was a great evening walk, made all the better by the balmy weather, and the ultra quiet streets which made social distancing easier. As all the pubs and cafes were closed, and the city workers having gone home, really the only people around were those doing London walks, and the odd security guard.
Because we split up into 3 groups, and everyone actively socially distancing, it was very comfortable and relaxed walking and we were still able to chat.
The sculptures were fine, but what, for me, were the real eye openers were the former Victorian Bath House, the Lloyds building, the ship-shaped prow of Holland House, and of course Leadenhall Market.
Tahnyet