Shoreditch to the City

London does not give everything away at once. You have to walk into it. This route… is one I come back to when I want to see what turns up.

Starting in Shoreditch

Start at Shoreditch High Street Station and head out on foot. Walk along Braithwaite Street towards Bethnal Green Road, then turn right onto Sclater Street. It does not look like much at first. That’s part of it. People come off trains. Others cut through. Most are somewhere else in their heads. It is a good place to settle in without putting pressure on the walk.

Brick Lane

Once you reach Brick Lane, things start to pick up. Turn left and you will see Beigel Bake Brick Lane Bakery, where there is usually a queue. The mix shifts with the time of day. The light can be rough here, but it works if you stay open to it.

Turn back and walk the length of Brick Lane. Take it as it comes. The murals are there, but I am usually watching the people moving past them. Traders setting up, someone pausing mid-conversation, moments that pass quickly. You miss plenty, then something lands.

Petticoat Lane Market

Keep heading towards Whitechapel High Street. You can cut down Fashion Street or stay on towards Wentworth Street. I usually go with whichever feels right at the time. Either way, you end up at Petticoat Lane Market.

If you can, get there around 10:30. Before it fills up, after things have started. Food is being prepared, steam is coming off it, and people are focused on what they are doing. It becomes easier to read.

Into the City

From there, the walk drifts into the City of London. Around 30 St Mary Axe, the Lloyd’s Building, and Leadenhall Market, the space opens out. The light changes. It is easy to get drawn into the buildings. I usually stay with what is happening on the ground. People crossing through, shadows shifting, reflections catching things you nearly missed.

That’s where the rhythm changes. Sometimes I stay. Sometimes I drift on towards Bank Station.