Flora Tonking

Scroll through any Londoner's Instagram feed – and many tourists' – and you'll probably spot a few familiar pics. From the view of Big Ben shot through the archway on the South Bank to the rounded dome of St Paul's Cathedral, Instagram has created a city iconography all of its own. In this series, blogger Flora Tonking will be showcasing those classic London Instagram shots, and also sharing some of her favourite unique takes on them. This post, we're mooching along the Regents Canal. The classic shot   A photo posted by Matthew Powell (@powellyparkroad) on Jul 17, 2016 at 2:11pm PDT Running from Paddington in the west to Limehouse and the Thames in the east, the Regents Canal is a relic of London's industrial past. Until the faster and more efficient railway took over, the canal carried many tonnes of building materials to London's growing areas and coal to its factories. Today, it's a place for houseboats, waterfowl, cute canalside cafes and graffiti-tagged bridges. Come take an Instagram stroll with us along the canal and see for yourself...     Here are 15 alternative takes... 1. Through the keyhole   A photo posted by @jpcaseley on Jul 24, 2016 at 5:38am PDT    2. Under the bridge   A photo posted by Kirsty Mann (@kurdymann) on Jul 24, 2016 at 5:57am PDT   3. Great balls of fire   A photo posted by Aparna Iyengar (@aparnaiyengar) on Jul 24, 2016 at 2:01am PDT   4. Boat's eye view   A photo posted by Tânia Paes (@taniapaes) on Jul 18, 2016 at 12:36

  A photo posted by We Blog Design (@itsweblogdesign) on May 12, 2016 at 5:11am PDT   For a few days each summer, Clerkenwell's many iconic architects and designers give everyone an idea of what they're working on by filling the streets with art and displays, and hosting lots of events and shows. This year, the seventh Clerkenwell Design Week will be taking place from May 24-26 and alongside the bigger practices, the 'starchitects' and design brands, some awesome smaller creative spots in EC1 are also putting on free events and opening up their doors for people to have a nose around their studios at the Clerkenwell Design Week Fringe. With so much to see, here are six events to get you started.     A photo posted by London Metropolitan Archives (@ldnmetarchives) on May 25, 2016 at 8:31am PDT   1. See a history of London council estates in photographs at the London Metropolitan Archives Amid the current debate raging about the future of London's council estates, the fascinating London Metropolitan Archive is hosting an exclusive pop-up exhibition called 'Somewhere Decent To Live: London's Council Estates in Photographs, 1895-1975'. This special exhibition will contain photos of the very first council estate in London as well as some of the iconic tower blocks of the 1960s. Pop along and check out some of these hidden photographic treasures for yourself. 40 Northampton Road, EC1R 0HB. May 24-26, 9.30am-7.30pm.      A photo posted by Christo Papadopoulos (@hichristo) o

London is a city with a rich literary heritage, but, like most things here, the books don’t come cheap. Fortunately, you can find plenty of excellent secondhand bookshops, where you can pick up a novel to help ease the boredom of the morning commute, without breaking the bank. Many of these little indies rely on local support too, so check out some of these favourites and help keep them on our streets. 1. Skoob Books Skoob is probably one of the biggest (if not the biggest) secondhand bookshop in town. This underground treasure trove for book fans is located beneath the Brunswick Centre in Bloomsbury. There are extensive fiction, history and politics sections – as well as a music section that features an actual piano – and you can lose hours poking around the shelves. Vintage book fans will also be delighted by the large selection of old Penguin paperbacks which can be found scattered among the other books and in their own designated area. 66 The Brunswick, off Marchmont Street, WC1N 1AE. 2. Black Gull Books Located at the back of West Yard, Black Gull Books is small but perfectly stocked. Peruse the more popular titles on the bookstands outside then head inside to discover plenty more, from fiction to cooking, and psychology to poetry. Black Gull also has an outpost up in East Finchley, with a decent selection of antiquarian titles and books for younger readers. 70-71 Camden Lock Place, NW1 8AF. Word on the Water   3. Word on the Water What could be better than a floating

Scroll through any Londoner's Instagram feed – and many tourists' – and you'll probably spot a few familiar pics. From the view of Big Ben shot through the archway on the South Bank to the rounded dome of St Paul's Cathedral, Instagram has created a city iconography all of its own. In this series, blogger Flora Tonking will be showcasing those classic London Instagram shots, and also sharing some of her favourite unique takes on them. This post, we're going underground to check out how we're all 'gramming the tube. The classic shot   A photo posted by Maxim Kazantsev (@mkaz) on Jan 30, 2016 at 8:18am PST   Waiting for the next tube train can be a bit of a snooze – if you're not busy fighting your way to the front of the platform to get on an early morning Victoria line train, that is. And now, with most of us able to access the joy that is free wifi while we're hanging around at the station the London Underground has become a popular subject for Londoners' Instagram posts – from arty shots of curving tunnels to the capturing of a train as it whizzes by in a blur. The opportunities are endless! 15 alternative takes from the platform   1. Bullet train   A photo posted by Ryan Zerbe (@radredbeard) on Jan 30, 2016 at 11:12pm PST   2. Please stand behind the yellow line...   A photo posted by @maurococcoli on Jan 31, 2016 at 2:40pm PST   3. ...especially you, Teddy.   A photo posted by Wallace (@wallace.the.lost.bear) on Jan 28, 2016 at 2:28pm PST   4. A platform

Scroll through any Londoner's Instagram feed – and many tourists' – and you'll probably spot a few familiar pics. From the view of Big Ben shot through the archway on the South Bank to the rounded dome of St Paul's Cathedral, Instagram has created a city iconography all of its own. In this new series, blogger Flora Tonking will be showcasing those classic London Instagram shots, and also sharing some of her favourite unique takes on them. This post, we're looking at a festive photographic favourite – the winter skating rink at Somerset House. The Classic Shot   A photo posted by Rendra Sebastian Delano (@rendrasd) on Nov 26, 2015 at 9:13am PST Each winter, the magnificent courtyard of Somerset House is transformed into a spectacular skating rink. Surrounded by stunning architecture, throughout the day and evening Londoners and visitors twirl (and take the odd tumble) on the ice. If you don't fancy making a fool of yourself slithering around the rink, you can watch the action with a hot chocolate (or something a little stronger), and snag a few Instagram-worthy shots of this iconic festive scene. Here are ten alternative takes of the Somerset House skating rink:  1. Beneath the branches   A photo posted by Katya Jackson (@katya_jackson) on Nov 29, 2015 at 8:41am PST 2. Oh, starry night   A photo posted by Anna (@ulyaanna) on Nov 24, 2015 at 3:03pm PST 3. Torvill and Dean   A photo posted by - Mhay - (@16thofmhay) on Nov 23, 2015 at 10:43am PST 4. In need of

Scroll through any Londoner's Instagram feed – and many tourists' – and you'll probably spot a few familiar pics. From the view of Big Ben shot through the archway on the South Bank to the rounded dome of St Paul's Cathedral, Instagram has created a city iconography all of its own. In this new series, blogger Flora Tonking will be showcasing those classic London Instagram shots, and also sharing some of her favourite unique takes on them. First up, it's the Millennium Bridge. The Classic Shot   A photo posted by Jenny (@jentwistle17) on Nov 3, 2015 at 3:17pm PST   The view across the London Millennium Bridge between St Paul’s and the Tate Modern on the South Bank is as familiar to visitors to London as it is to locals. With a hugely popular tourist destination at each end, ‘the Wobbly Bridge’ as it was nicknamed when it opened in 2000 (thanks to a few teething troubles with its engineering) has become something of a photographer's destination in its own right. Here are 12 alternative takes of the bridge:  1. The moody night shot   A photo posted by Michael - 20, Greifswald (@mit_ch_712) on Oct 27, 2015 at 1:33pm PDT   2. DOG!   A photo posted by Emma (@emmaohey) on Oct 31, 2015 at 5:35am PDT   3. Lining up the perfect shot   A photo posted by Helena (@intehelena) on Nov 7, 2015 at 1:15pm PST   4. Ommmmmmm...   A photo posted by Laurent Roure (@yogalaurent) on Oct 30, 2015 at 12:40am PDT   5. Wait, wasn't there a cathedral there before?   A photo pos

Plenty of Londoners can look a little blank if you casually mention that you live in Holloway. Some may even ask if it's anywhere near the prison (erm, the clue is in the name?). Located between Angel's Upper Street, Finsbury Park and Kentish Town, Holloway (or Upper Holloway, depending on the side of the street you're on) is a slightly hidden, historic Islington neighbourhood with a high street you've probably driven along even if you've never walked down it. Here are a few facts about the area: <img id="d98fd0ef-5c8c-45a3-9780-2c2812dedb8a" data-caption="" data-credit="Flora Tonking" data-width-class="" type="image/jpeg" total="4884823" loaded="4884823" image_id="102933037" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102933037/image.jpg" class="photo lazy inline"> Flora Tonking Cows coming through Holloway was a relatively rural spot until well into the eighteenth century, and the route now known as the Holloway Road was used to herd cattle into town to be sold at Smithfield Market. Islington's pasture once provided space to graze over half a million sheep and cows at any time. Just try to imagine that the next time you walk along Upper Street. As London grew, the city sprawled out into the countryside, tearing up the fields to build houses and shops in the nineteenth century and turning Holloway into a bustling metropolitan suburb.      <img id="167ccdae-faf3-7eff-909c-edf838588748" data-caption="" data

Long before Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium had feline fans queuing around the block in Shoreditch, British boozers offered generations of Londoners the chance to drink and socialise with a resident pet or two. Pubs and bars have kept cats and dogs for practical reasons (well, mostly vermin control) as well as to entertain punters for hundreds of years, and plenty in the capital still do:   #sevenstarspub #cat #barcat A photo posted by Treasure (@jibberthegiraffe) on Jul 5, 2014 at 5:17am PDT   Seven Stars Ray Brown, the resident pub cat at Seven Stars, keeps a close eye on the lawyers drinking pints after a hard day in the Royal Courts of Justice next door. He has a habit of stealthily removing himself from the bar when things get a bit noisy however: "He can be a bit of a diva," reported one of the bar staff when I popped in to see him recently and he refused to come and say hello.   A photo posted by Amaro Marat (@marat) on Feb 1, 2012 at 11:14am PST   Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Apparently Charles Dickens' favourite watering hole, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese was also home to a very famous parrot. Polly, an African Gray, used to yell rude words at drinkers and was commemorated by hundreds of newspapers around the world when she died in 1926. Today, the pub is presided over by a slightly more polite parrot, but Polly's still there too – stuffed behind the bar.   A photo posted by @chrischapman81 on Apr 2, 2015 at 2:51pm PDT   The Charlotte Despard Legz, the three-legged ca

We’ve launched a new Blog Network that involves getting a bunch of cool bloggers to write for us, such as Flora from The Accidental Londoner. Here are Flora's favourite gardens in London.    1. Mount Street Gardens You could pass a happy half hour reading each inscription on the benches in Mount Street Gardens, wondering who all those celebrated in this quiet corner were. Inside tourists sit poring over maps, locals walk their children to school, and workers take a peaceful lunchbreak amid the perfectly planted flowerbeds.   2. Culpeper Community Garden Once upon a time, an Islington school teacher had a dream about a derelict tangle of wasteland, reimagining it as much needed community green space in one of the densest boroughs of the city. Since 1982 the Culpeper Community Garden has provided space to relax, picnic, or tend a small plot if you’re a local resident without a garden of your own.     <img id="5b82ecbc-39f4-dff9-62ef-1a504998368d" data-caption="" data-credit="© Gardenvisit.com" data-width-class="" type="image/jpeg" total="430072" loaded="430072" image_id="102839453" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102839453/image.jpg" class="photo lazy inline"> © Gardenvisit.com   3. The Phoenix Garden Plenty lies beneath the surface of the tiny Phoenix Garden, which rests on the grounds of a twelfth century leprosy hospital. From its benches, carved with hymns to the humble earthworm to its tadpole-filled pond, the Phoenix Garden is where I go to esc