Kings Cross

Coal Drops Yard: Thomas Heatherwick's attic buildings

We have been hearing a lot about the redevelopment of King's Cross and we decided it was time to see how things have developed since we last explored the area (in 2014). We started this walk at Kings Cross station - so much better for the removal of the awful 1960s accretions in front of the train shed.

Walking along the east side of St Pancras we admired the lines of the renovated Great Northern Hotel as it curved around a corner. The hotel was designed by Lewis Cubitt and was one of the earliest purpose-built railway hotels in the country.

The first building of the main Kings Cross redevelopment was the German Gymnasium. Surprisingly, it was actually built (in 1864-65) for the German Gymnastics Society. Designed by Edward Gruning, the German Gymnasium was the first purpose-built gymnasium in England. Who knew? It is now a restaurant.

Looking back, we had  great view of the east side of St Pancras.

We continued along Kings Boulevard, where a number of high rise buildings are going up.

We turned left at the end and crossed the canal. Beyond the popular seating area, were the canalside Fish and Coal buildings (now known as the Coal Office) which were built in 1851 as part of Lewis Cubitt’s design for the Goods Yard. They originally housed clerks who were employed to monitor the flow of coal through the yards.

From here we entered Coal Drops Yard. A pair of brick warehouses which were built in the 1850s and 60s to transfer coal arriving on rail wagons to road carts for distribution through London. The modernised structure, linked by Thomas Heatherwick's beautiful curving attic is intended to be the shopping hub of the redevelopment.

There are some nice touches, like these plant pots arranged as a swathe through a pedestrian area.

We continued northwards passing this fountain-cum-splash-pool which was being enjoyed by one brave young man.

At the end we found the Aga Khan Centre,  "a place for education, knowledge, cultural exchange and insight into Muslim civilisations" according to its website. It was certainly an impressive building and we were delighted to find we could just wander and look around part of it.

We doubled back and headed west to see The Gasholders: luxury apartments imaginatively constructed inside three defunct Victorian gas holders. Or, more accurately, the appartments were built first and the restored framework was reassembled around them. They make a great sight.

Nearby is Gas Holder number which was also dis-assembled, renovated and rebuilt, in this case to hold an area of green space. We first saw it on a walk around St Pancras and Camden Town in 2014. It is remarkable how different the area now is.

Here is the nearby canal lock, with more new buildings in the background.

Over to the left of the lock is this rather wonderful brick structure. I am not sure of its function  a water tank for trains perhaps?

We returned past the massive Granary Building, now home to the Central St Martins school of art.

Conditions: cloudy, but quite warm.

Distance: 2-3 miles.

Rating: 5 stars. We really loved it.