Maida Vale to Paddington

3 miles

Turn right out of the station and cross over Finchley Road into Grove End Road. Keep on walking passing St John’s Wood Synagogue on your right and the hospital of St John and St Elizabeth on your left. I would recommend visiting the Synagogue because it has an incredible piece of stained glass that you will ever see. Made by David Hillman, it consists of over 100 separate pieces and is considered his masterpiece.

You can download the route here – https://www.bar-trek.com/crawl/720

Just past the synagogue are two blue plaques, one for Thomas Beecham and the other for Sir Lawrance Alma-Tadema. Then we arrive at a memorial for Edward Onslow Ford, a sculptor famous for portrait heads or busts.

Turn right at the junction with Abbey Road and cross over at the famous zebra crossing taking the time to look at the famous recording studios and wall. Walk along Abbey Road and turn left into Abercorn Place. Keep heading down this road pass Saint Mark’s Church to Maida Vale. If the church is open it is worth popping in to see the mosaics by Salviati.

Head across Maida Vale into Elgin Avenue and Maida Vale Tube Station. It is Grade II listed and was the first station designed to specifically use escalators than lifts. The station has been used as filming locations over the years from Hitchcock’s Downhill to the 2014 Paddington film.

Turn left at the station head down Randolph Avenue and look at the amazing architecture on display along the terrace of houses on your left. At the end of the road we come to our first pub and beer of the day.

1. The Warrington Hotel

93 Warrington Cres, London W9 1EH

This is a Grade II listed pub and is in CAMRA’s National Inventory of Historic Interiors. Upon entering the pub you can see why. It was used in series 1 of The Sweeney episode Night Out and Minder series 2, episode 7 The Beer Hunter.

Turn left once you manage to drag yourself away from this fantastic place and walk down Warrington Crescent. Turn left down Formosa Street to our next pub.

2. The Prince Alfred

5A Formosa St, London W9 1EE

The Prince Alfred is another Grade II listed pub and still has the remnants of a bygone age with partitions and even a beer serving hatch. It was also featured in David Bowie’s Grammy Award-winning short film “Jazzin’ for Blue Jean” (1984), which served as the music video for his single “Blue Jean”.

Exit and head back down Formosa Street to our next stop.

3. Real Drinks

4 Formosa St, London W9 1EE

The ‘Real Drinks’ taproom has over 350 craft beers plus bio-dynamic and natural wines and gins, whiskies and rums from small producers.

Head back to Warrington Crescent turning right past St. Saviours Church crossing Warwick Avenue. On your right you will see a small green cabin which is now listed. If you are lucky there could be a chance to grab a bite to eat here but no guarantee. Carrying on down Warwick Avenue crossing Regents Canal and then cross the road to enter ‘Rembrandt Gardens’. Follow the Grand Union Canal under the A404 and across the Harrow Road Footbridge. You are now at Sheldon Square where there are numerous eateries but carry on to our next pub which serves excellent pizzas.

Keep following the tow path passing the Paddington Bear statue and cross back over the canal at the North Wharf Road footbridge. Bear slightly right along North Wharf Road to our next pub.

4. Heist Bank

5 N Wharf Rd, London W2 1LA

They are a specialist craft beer pub with 11 regularly rotating taps. Their pizzas use their own 48-hour fermented sourdough with interesting toppings and certainly worth the stop.

Leaving Heist Bank, turn left continuing down North Wharf Road bearing slightly right into Merchant Square. Cross over the Fan Bridge turning left following the dock turning right at the end through the shops to Praed Street. Head straight across into Sale Place and our next pub.

5. Royal Exchange

26 Sale Pl, Tyburnia, London W2 1PU

This is a Grade II listed building, and it is noted for its interesting range of beer. One regular and one guest cask ale plus about 12 keg beers are on offer here but the opening hours are iffy so you need to check beforehand. If it is shut then continue down Sale Street crossing over Sussex Gardens into Norfolk Crescent where we find our next pub.

6. The Heron

Norfolk Cres, Tyburnia, London W2 2DN

Built in 1972 as part of the Hyde Park Estate, the one room bar interior whilst spacious has the cosy feel of a Swiss chalet. The internationally-famous Handlebar Club meets here on the first Friday of the month. The club was founded in 1947 in the dressing room of comedian Jimmy Edwards at The Windmill Theatre in London. There were 10 founder members, including Jimmy Edwards and script-writer and raconteur Frank Muir. The Heron has pictures from the Handlebar Club’s history adorning its walls, plus a good range of interior fittings from the nearby now-closed Windsor Castle, the Club’s previous home.

Exit the pub and turn left down Norfolk Crescent and then turn right into Cambridge Square. Follow this to the end and turning slightly left around Hyde Park Crescent we see St John’s Hyde Park Church on our left.

St John’s was designed around 1829 by Charles Fowler who designed the Neo-classical New Covent Garden Market. Charles Fowler was also a founder-member of the Institute of British Architects. In 1832 it was consecrated and since then it has had a host of famous people through the doors. George Martin (of Beatles fame) sorted out the poor acoustics, Cicely Saunders was planned the first hospice, Richard Branson launched his empire from the crypt of the church and great artists and musicians competed to exhibit and perform there.

At the top of the crescent head down Gloucester Square to reach our next pub.

7. The Victoria

10A Strathearn Pl, Tyburnia, London W2 2NH

Another pub interior of outstanding national historic importance. Dating from 1864, this pub has possibly the earliest back fittings of any London pub, as well as numerous other spectacular Victorian features. The counter dates from 1864 with paneled bays divided by fluted pilasters. It still retains a brass water-dispenser for diluting spirits – still fully functioning. There are several outside doors and these would have led originally to a series of internal drinking areas, separated by screenwork. Upstairs the Theatre Bar has ornate fittings imported from the Gaiety Theatre about 1958.

Now head up Sussex Place towards Paddington Station. Cross back over Sussex Gardens into London Street. Turn left at the Sawyers Arms (we bypass this pub) into Conduit Place continuing to the end and our final pub.

8. The Bear

29 Spring St, Tyburnia, London W2 1JA

This former bank and later a wine bar has been refurbished in an elegant manner that fuses old and new with a beautiful wooden bar, antique lighting, with banquettes, booths and tables, albeit decorated with old brewery signs. Serving 6 cask ales, 29 craft beers on keg and an extensive range of Belgian bottled beers, alcohol-free beers, and whiskies. The cask ales are rotating small-batch beers. The pub was reviewed soon after opening with the words “This is simply the best outlet for real ale in Bayswater and one of the best in the borough of Westminster”.

From here it is a short walk to Paddington Station and transport home.