Paddington to Portobello

Come join our next Map Ramble on Sunday 16 September - we are planning to explore the neighbourhoods around and between Paddington and Portobello and want to enlist your help in mapping discoveries.

New to Map Rambling? Time Out, London has already awarded our Map Rambles a "highly recommended" and what we offer is a great way to meet people, make friends, to create and share discoveries in London neighbourhoods*. Still uncertain - read Why Map Rambling is unique by clicking on our previous post.

We’ve mapped an itinerary for the Paddington and Portobello Map Ramble to entice you to join us:

11.00am Map ramble start – join fellow Map Ramblers at the Sloe Bar Café, at Paddington rail station (not the tube station), - choose a themed Map guide, collect a sketch book, and set out in small groups, on a Map Ramble around the local streets, to collect your ideas.

Paddington has been undergoing a regeneration with new office and residential accommodation that opens up the canalsides. Within ten minutes to the south of Paddington is Hyde park and the intriguing Arab neighbourhoods centred on Edgeware Road. To the north and west, discover Little Venice - does it really live up to its name? Catch the rythms of the music and the colours of Portobello Road. All within an easy Map Rambling reach.

We are teaming up with Transport for London's Walking Weekend and London Open House's "Architiecture in the Flesh" - why not include a couple of Open House visits as part of your Map Ramble? Try St Mary Magdalene-in-Paddington Parish Church in Rowington Close or the New West End Synagogue in St Petersburgh Place - both just a stone's throw from our lunchtime rendez vous. Check out the links we've provided at the bottom of this post.

1.30pm reconvene for lunch at The Cow, 89 Westbourne Park Road, London W2 5QH, for a chance to share and map your discoveries with fellow Map Ramblers.

Afterwards, contribute your findings to the Map Ramble web at the Map Ramble web log - these might be sketches, photographs or recordings - please note we don’t provide equipment.

Email: Map Rambles to register.

We recommend you use Journey Planner to find your best route to Paddington rail station.

Just click through here to find out more about the London Walking Weekend or London Open House.

* We went on a reconnaisance Map Ramble in Belgium last weekend with mixed results, and we are planning other Map Rambles further afield, so keep checking back at the blog!