A 5 mile circular walk from High Street Kensington tube station (or Holland Park Station). It includes areas to the north & south of the High Street and Holland Park itself.

From Kensington Station go right along the High Street then right at Young Street
Young Street was laid out in 1685 and has a plaque to Thackeray on the right

Go anti-clockwise around Kensington Square
There are some attractive houses in this square which also gives a view of the Kensington Roof Garden

Exit at Thackeray Street and go right along Ansdell Street
This would have been an area of services for the square

Go left at St Albans Grove then first right along Stanford Road and left at Eldon Road. At the end go down the steps to the right into Kynance Mews. Go left along the mews and left at Launceston Place. At the end go left at Victoria Grove and continue along St Albans Grove ahead. Go right at Kensington Court Place and continue along Kensington Court ahead back into the High Street. Go left and cross over to the church.
St Mary Abbots was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1872 to replace an older church. It has one of London's highest steeples (264')

Go through the cloister
The school building has some wooden figures of charity children and there are some peaceful gardens.

Exit to the right along Kensington Church Walk and go left at Holland Street
On the left is the unusual Gordon Place

Continue along Holland Street and go right at Hornton Street then left at Observatory Gardens
One of these award-winning buildings has a plaque recording the construction of an observatory by I K Brunel.

Go right up Campden Hill Road and left along Aubrey Walk
At the end is a fine house

Go right at Aubrey Road, left at Holland Park Avenue (station is just ahead) then first left into Holland Park
The houses here were built in the 1860s

Enter the park on the left
This area is the Sun Terrace

Continue ahead then take the middle path to the pond & statue of Lord Holland. Continue along the Azalea Walk ahead then bear left across the North Lawn
Here are the remains of Holland House with the east wing converted to use as a youth hostel

Follow the path around to the front of the house
This provides the backdrop for an open air theatre in the summer

Continue along the path
To the left is a sports field and a view of the Commonwealth Institute. On the right is the cafe with indoor & outdoor seating. Ahead is the stable block with toilets & information

Continue through the covered walkway lined with murals
On the right is the Iris Garden and the circular Ice House, used for exhibitions. The Orangery ahead is also used for exhibitions. Adjoining is the Belvedere Restaurant, a former granary.

Walk through the formal gardens exiting at the far corner then go left along the path
The Yucca Lawn is on the right

Take the path to the right to the Kyoto Garden and walk through this. On exiting go to the right then across the junction to the Wildlife Pond. Go left along the Chestnut Walk then left at the end. Take the middle path then cut across the West Lawn to the other side of the Orangery. Bear right towards the tennis courts and exit into Abbotsbury Road. Go left then first left around Ilchester Place. Go right along Melbury Road.
This is an area of artist's houses including those of Luke Fildes and William Burges

Go left into Addison Road and first left along Holland Park Road
More artists lived here including Lord Leighton whose former home is open to the public

Go right at Melbury Road and right along Kensington High Street. Cross and go left then second left around Edwards Square. Go right then first left at Pembroke Sqaure. Go right at Earls Court Road then left along Stratford Road. At the end go left into Marloes Road
On the right is the former workhouse which became a hospital before being converted into flats.

Go left at Scarsdale Villas and first right along Allen Street. Just past the church go right then second left through Adam & Eve Mews. Go right along the High Street back to the station.

© london-footprints.co.uk 2004

Resources
Walking London and Village London by Andrew Duncan
Walking London's Parks and Gardens by Geoffrey Young
Guides to the park are available from the Information Centre
There is a 'Friends of Holland Park' group
An illustrated Pitkin Guide is available for St Mary Abbots church
Linley Sambourne House is just off the route in Stafford Terrace
The Kensington Roof Garden is open to the public when not in use

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