INTRODUCTION
This 4.0 Km section of the Across London Visual Marathon takes you from the St Paul's Cathedral through Smithfield and Holborn and then to Covent Garden Station via Fleet Street and the Aldwych. The route contains cityscapes, skyscrapers, and many London Landmarks.
Use this video to get an overview of the route and the information you need to get the most out of this Photorun without getting lost.
Part 8 starts at St Paul's Cathedral and then heads north towards Smithfield Market past the Old Bailey Criminal Court. It then heads west past Farringdon and into High Holborn before heading through the Inns of Court, the Aldwych, and finally Covent Garden.
Best Time
The best time to do this run is first thing in the morning - and at the weekend when it is quieter. This is one of the quieter sections of the Across London Visual Marathon.
LOCATION - St Paul's Cathedral to Covent Garden (4 km)
As the map shows, this is part 8 of the 14 parts of the Across London Visual Marathon, which starts at the Thames Barrier (part 1) and ends at Hyde Park Corner in the West End of London in part 14. This shows the last nine parts in three sections, starting at the Tower of London.
This is a flexible marathon designed to let you choose which parts you want to do and when, so you can do as little or as much as you want at any one time. These photorun blogs are more about the place than the pace, where creative fun is more important than a fast run.
ROUTE
St Paul's Cathedral to Covent Garden (4 km)
This is a more detailed map and summary of the route.
Start at St Paul's Cathedral and finish at Covent Garden.
GETTING TO KNOW THE AREA - HIGH-SPEED VIDEOS
The Google map and the summary video are useful to have open when doing these Photoruns. They will help you remember the route and prevent you from getting lost.
Route at a Glance Video.
This short video (2:31 minutes) gives a quick overview of the route and the sights and then shows you what the route would look like if you were running it at about 25 mph. It's a great way of getting familiar with the route before you do it for real.
GETTING TO KNOW THE AREA - GOOGLE MAP
This is a 'My Google Maps' depiction of the route with photographs of the sites. This is available on the desktop or mobile by clicking on the map. The mobile version does allow you to get directions to points on the map and will show you your location. However, its behaviour does depend on the browser and application you use. (Google Chrome seems to be the best).
The Plotaroute map is an alternative guide where you can download the route to a device once you navigate past the adverts. Use the link below.
VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE AREA
Click on the maps below and go on a virtual tour of the shopping area.
Take a virtual tour of the area and see it virtually in 360. Just click on the location icons on the map, and you will be transported to the location. You can then look around and get a sense of space and place before you experience it first-hand.
PHOTO GALLERY OF THE AREA
This gallery provides a descriptive and visual reference to many of the sights you will see along this Photorun route. Double-click to see the image in full screen, or go to the Plotaroute link above to see them on a map.
HISTORY OF THE AREA
This video gives you a short introduction to how the City of London grew during the Tudors (1560) and the Victorians (1860)
7:26 mins