Andrew Whitehead

 
 
I have taken to the Parkland Walk, along the line of north London's lost railway, with the enthusiast of a convert. On a Sunday morning, I get up early and cycle. And on the northern stretch - on a bridge over St James's Lane in Muswell Hill - there is one of those views which hits you in the stomach. Looking east - with the Gherkin the most southerly spot in views, stretching to the bounds of London and beyond. You can get a sense of it here. Worth a glance!

If you head west into Alexandra Park, there's a another hidden gem - a cafe, the Grove, on a cycle path. On summer weekends, it opens at nine. I popped in this morning for a sausage sandwich breakfast to sustain me on the resy of my cycle ride, after which I cook a breakfast for the family. Sausages, of course.