South Bank, London

South Bank by the Royal Festival Hall

Cycling along the South Bank's car-free riverside route is part of my regular commute, and it has become one of my favourite parts of town. It is remarkable how its character changes over a relatively short distance. The end-of-the-pier full-on tourist vibe around the London Eye is in stark contrast to the quiet pedestrian ambience of the Albert Embankment path south of Westminster Bridge just a minute away.

This drawing of the view towards Hungerford Bridge was done from the low vantage point of a cafe underneath the Royal Festival Hall. The people there seem to be waiting to go into a concert or film, or relaxing before heading home from Waterloo Station. On rainy mornings, the raucous South American-sounding buskers on the bridge have often cheered me up as I cycle by. On a sunny summer's evening, it's unbeatable here.

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South Bank, London