The View

I found out today that London has 13 protected views. These are views that cannot be tampered with for any reason. Turns out I walk by one of these most Sundays. The view of St. Paul's Cathedral from Richmond Park can be seen from the path between Richmond Gate and Pembroke Lodge. It looks like this:

Most Sunday mornings before most of the UK arises, Roxy and I walk down to the river and along the tow path to Richmond where we climb up the Terraced Gardens past The Wick into Richmond Park through Richmond Gate and walk down to Ham gate and then back home along the avenues. It's one of my favorite walks in the world. Along the path in Richmond Park there is, of course, a sign with an arrow "St. Paul's Cathedral, 10 Miles" and you can look through the trees and on a clear morning see the dome of the Cathedral in central London.

It turns out that being protected no one or nothing can do anything to mess with this view (and the 12 other classic views). The view was created in 1710 and apparently has stopped development of high rises around Liverpool Street Station as tall buildings would mess with the line of sight. In the words of Bill Bryson, who's new book "The Road To Little Dribbling" I am reading and where I found this tidbit: "It's all quite splendid".