e2e.bike

Cycling adventures across Yorkshire, Britain and beyond

Menu
  • End to Ends
    • Britain
    • Ireland
    • France
    • Spain
    • Portugal
    • Belgium
    • Netherlands
    • Luxembourg
    • Denmark
    • Germany
    • Austria
    • Switzerland
    • Czechia
    • Slovakia
    • Poland
    • Latvia
    • Cuba
    • Sri Lanka
    • Taiwan
    • Isle of Man
    • Faroes
    • Liechtenstein
  • Coast to Coasts
  • Yorkshire Ridings
  • Others
  • Writings
Menu
← PreviousNext →

Quirky London 2: Trompe l’œuil houses

Posted on 2 February 20102 April 2021 by Rob Ainsley

Where is it? A bit north of Hyde Park. Head west from Paddington Station about half a mile to the end of the road and it’s there in front of you.


What’s quirky about it? Nos 23 and 24 don’t exist, despite being decorated with proper window and door frames and balconies. The windows are only painted on (right), because there’s nothing behind: the ‘houses’ sit over an Underground railway. Like so much in London, they’re just a facade.

If you nip round the back, via the bike cut-through to Porchester Gardens, you can see the sham exposed, the supporting metal joists, and the rail line (below).


Why bike there?
All pleasant territory to nose around by bike. Hyde Park is just over Bayswater Road to the south, and there are lots of little mews and well-to-do streets to explore. Leinster Gardens also has a few shops.


View Larger Map

Previous
←   Quirky London 1: The Flat House
Next
Quirky London 3: The Giant Plug →

You are here

e2e.bike > Other > Quirky London > Quirky London 2: Trompe l’œuil houses

Recent Posts

  • Patient progress: Turning hospital visits into rides 22 May 2026
  • Points of view: Lookout towers in Czech Switzerland 26 April 2026
  • Vysoká: Key facts about Dvořák’s summerhouse 18 April 2026

Random Posts

  • Blackpool: A towering ride7 October 2021
    England’s longest continuous car-free promenade cycle path is in Blackpool. Rock on! …
  • WoR 4: Pocklington to Bridlington15 April 2010
    My nose, carelessly left out unprotected in the sun yesterday afternoon, felt …
  • Monopoly 9: Whitehall24 September 2009
    I like cycling up Whitehall. It’s the nearest I’ll ever get to …

Search e2e.bike

Find me

        
Facebook • Bluesky • Linked In • Email
© 2026 e2e.bike | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme