Snowy London

The grimy city streets of London transform under the yearly dusting of snow that has been known to pull the city to a halt. Things went pretty well this time around, unless you were at the airport, but we won’t talk about that tired topic. It’s warming up a tad here in London this week (at least temporarily), but I wanted to share a few photos with you that I took over our snowy weekend and a few that were contributed to the Flickr pool as well.

Friday night (not last Friday but the one before), Jorge and I wandered down to Sloane Square to see the gigantic Boris Bear that’s nearly twice as tall as me:

The light was beautiful against the snow coating the sleek black benches.

Fountains in the center of Sloane Square dripped with growing icicles, water spraying over the top of them.

We wandered through the back streets to get there, noticing the way people interact with the snow, having a bit of fun. Here’s a car someone turned into a cat, for example:

And of course a classic snow on a red English post box shot:

I moved house during the weekend of snow so unfortunately I didn’t have a lot of time to go out and enjoy it. I spent most of the weekend dragging suitcases through it! I did however, pay a little visit to The Chelsea Gardener the next day to snap a few shots of snow on plants.

The snow was still falling that day, so you can see the little flakes in the background. It was soft, pure and untouched.

I love it when the seasons mix, when the leaves get covered in snow in the first breaths of Winter, or the snow settles on early blooming flowers.

It reminds me of when the winter starts to thaw in New York, when the snow melts away and the sprigs of new hyacinths poke their leaves up from the ground. No hyacinths this day, but some pretty plants nonetheless.

There was some rosemary…

Some pussywillows…

Some pretty orange hamamelis…

And a garden pot with a perfect ring of white.

After that, I made my way to King’s Road to pick up a few important storage organizers for my move and went back to work unpacking, but I spotted a fun snow-covered bicycle:

And a fun little street scene involving a bus stop and a corner shop:

Luckily there’s been plenty of additions to the Flickr pool to make up for my lack of exploring the city in the snow, so I’ll share a few of those with you below like these shots of the Tube, surprisingly working on most lines.

Photo: Central Line by markdbaynham

Photo: Departing Central Line by markdbaynham

Steve Reed found a snow covered palm.

Photo: Palm Snow by Steve Reed

And a cafe with a crooked roof “where friends meet”.

Photo: La Bodega by Steve Reed

Alastair Humphreys walks over Westminster Bridge:

Photo: Wintry Big Ben in the Snow by Alastair Humphreys

Lastly, Andy Worthington is going to take us on a little tour! I love all of these ordinary London streets that show off the “real” London. Here we go, driving through Lewisham…

Photo: Lewisham Way in the Snow by Andy Worthington

Algiers Road is a quiet side road off Vicar’s Hill, the steep hill in the borough of Lewisham that runs down to Ladywell from Brockley:

Photo: Algiers Road, Ladywell by Andy Worthington

Then he takes us down to Millmark Grove, a suburban road of 1930s houses off Shardeloes Road, in New Cross near Brockley.

Photo: Millmark Grove by Andy Worthington

Then we swing by the junction of Malpas Road and Geoffrey Road in Brockley…

Photo: Snowy junction by Andy Worthington

Then we head around Coulgate Street nearby:

Photo: Coulgate Street by Andy Worthington

And, by explanation from Andy, “This is the junction of Coulgate Street and Foxberry Road in Brockley near the station. The famous murals of Brockley are visible, on the walls of the MOT Centre that is scheduled for demolition, to be replaced by yet another faceless mixed-use development of overpriced housing and retail units that excites the developers (who stand to trouser a small fortune in the process) and the snobbish and out-of-touch enthusiasts for gentrification, but that appals everyone else.

Photo: Crossroads in the Snow by Andy Worthington

On Brockley’s St. Margaret’s Road, a traditional red phone box still stands:

Photo: London Phone Box by Andy Worthington

Still in Brockley, Andy takes us up to the top of Hilly Fields:

Photo: Hilly Fields by Andy Worthington

Don’t the trees look pretty lined in white?

Photo: Snow-clad trees by Andy Worthington

Andy’s lived in this area of London for 13 years so he knows it well. He took his son to have a bit of fun on the hill.

Photo: Hilly Fields in the Snow by Andy Worthington

Anyone for a game of basketball?

Photo: The Basketball Pitch by Andy Worthington

This next one was shot from the footbridge over Elverson Road DLR:

Photo: Elverson Road in the Snow by Andy Worthington

And finally, a snowscape, beside the railway in Ladywell as viewed from the road bridge on Ladywell Road, by Ladywell station:

Photo: Abstract Snowscape by Andy Worthington

So, what do you think of the snow in London? Love it or hate it?