Autumn mews cruise: A self-guided tour around London’s most beautiful urban landscapes

Take a cruise around the mews and enjoy the autumnal landscape

There’s something magical and calming about autumn. From now until the middle of November, the streetscape around London’s historic mews takes on a quiet mellowness: the light softens, coppery foliage begins to envelop stone entrance archways, and the painted mews façades glow in the afternoon sunshine. So what better time than autumn to take a self-guided wander, admire the mews and the season’s beauty and discover the local cafés and pubs where you can relax and refuel along the way?

Make a dramatic entrance at Kynance Mews

Begin your cruise on foot in South Kensington with Kynance Mews. As you enter, you’ll notice how the atmosphere evokes a sleepy rural village. This historic cobbled mews has a striking approach through a series of Grade II-listed Victorian archways, built in the 1860s by Thomas Cundy III. From October, these arches are draped in a thick blanket of scarlet Virginia creeper.

For the residents, this vivid foliage signals the seasonal shift from summer to autumn. Like so many London mews dwellers, those living in Kynance Mews take enormous pride in creating beautiful floral and plant displays all year round. In autumn, the mews becomes a horticultural showcase, with densely planted shrubs, neat topiary, small trees, window boxes and climbing ivy.

Stop off at Christ Church’s Growing Space for pumpkin carving

Located in the southern grounds of Christ Church, alongside Kynance Mews, is a wonderfully restored retaining wall and, beyond it, Growing Space. This secret garden boasts eight raised beds for growing edible plants and herbs, a woodland-inspired forest school garden, a sensory border and a charming greenhouse. From workshops to seasonal celebrations, Growing Space hosts family-friendly events that inspire and bring people together. Autumn is a busy time in the garden, with Halloween pumpkin carving, Family Gardening Days and, later this year, Christmas activities for everyone.

Autumn café culture in Kensington

A hop, skip and a jump from Kynance Mews is Café Society at 1 Kynance Place. This South Kensington staple serves excellent coffee, and for a small café it offers a surprisingly big menu, including all-day breakfasts, homemade salads, bagels, pasta and scrumptious bakes and cakes. Locals and visitors head here for the friendly staff and welcoming atmosphere. It’s also just a few doors down from our South Kensington office at 4-5 Kynance Place, where you’re always welcome to pop by for a chat with our team!

Stroll around Cornwall Gardens to admire traditional elegant architecture

Less than a five-minute walk from Kynance Place, and conveniently close to Gloucester Road tube station, is Cornwall Gardens. Although the central garden is a private communal space exclusively for residents of the surrounding terraced stucco houses, the handsome, tree-lined street around it is well worth a stroll. Mature plane trees glow with orange canopies, nutty brown leaves flutter freely on a breezy autumn day, and the soft afternoon light adds a golden shimmer as you walk past scurrying squirrels and birds watching eagerly from above.

At Lurot Brand, we currently have a beautifully refurbished one-bedroom apartment with access to a patio, available for short lets in this prestigious square. Click here for more information.

Just off the western end of Cornwall Gardens is Cornwall Gardens Walk. Originally built as stabling and coach houses for the grand homes of Cornwall Gardens, this mews captures the quintessential South Kensington autumn atmosphere.

Admire old mulberry trees in Queen’s Gate Gardens

Just 0.4 miles away from Cornwall Gardens Walk is Queen’s Gate Gardens, created in the 1860s when a residential square was built on the site of former market gardens. Today’s landscaping largely retains the original Victorian layout, and the old mulberry and catalpa trees are believed to be at least 150 years old. In autumn, both species shed their leaves. The mulberry’s large heart-shaped leaves turn a striking golden yellow, a colour that earned the tree the old French nickname ‘l’arbre d’or’, meaning ‘the golden tree’. The catalpa quickly drops its yellowish leaves to reveal long, bean-like seed pods. Circles in the lawn still mark where WWII underground bomb shelters were built.

Queen’s Gate Gardens brings joy and a sense of community to its members throughout the year. On Saturdays in autumn, there are family-friendly activities for all ages, including leaf gathering and stomping. The gardens have a sandpit, swings, a climbing house and slides, plus a larger play area in the north-west corner with more swings, a slide, Mud Mountain, two large forts, a rope bridge and a log climb. Adults can also enjoy a quiet area and picnics, weather permitting.

Spot English Heritage blue plaques for famous former residents

Within a three-minute walk of Queen’s Gate Gardens is Petersham Mews, a pretty, quiet street lined with pastel-toned houses. The WWII fighter pilot Sir Douglas Bader had a London bolthole at number 5 for 30 years, until his death in 1982, which is commemorated with an official English Heritage blue plaque.

From here, you might take a quick walk to Queen’s Gate Place to see the blue plaque commemorating the home of Tony Hancock, one of Britain’s first television comedians. At the peak of his fame, he lived with his wife in a flat at number 20 from 1952 to 1958.

Enjoy a well-earned drink and British fare in a secret mews

The Queen’s Arms Pub & Restaurant, located right inside Queen’s Gate Mews, is another well-hidden gem favoured by local residents, Royal Albert Hall concertgoers and students at the Royal College of Music. It has a reputation for serving homemade classic British dishes that you can enjoy in the pub’s comfortable dining room, or you can grab a drink at the bar and catch up on the local gossip.

The mews itself retains its original architectural charm, with iron balconies, Victorian lampposts, colourful window boxes and characterful period façades. It has also proven to be a popular location for filmmakers – you may have spotted the mews in Performance (1970), Layer Cake (2004) or The Bank Job (2008). Now you can even make this highly sought-after, photogenic mews your home: at the time of writing, we have a one-bedroom and a three-bedroom mews home for sale, as well as a four-bedroom mews house for rent.

Alternatively, head towards Kensington Gardens for a delicious coffee fix

Another great option for a quick refuelling stop is Kensington Terrace Café & Hall on Prince of Wales Terrace. This stylish space opened earlier this year and serves daily from 7am to 2pm. It focuses on artisanal breakfast and brunch dishes made with produce sourced from heritage estates, and takes its tea and coffee blends very seriously. It’s a place to sit cosily and reflect on the beauty of autumn before or after a brisk walk in nearby Kensington Gardens.

Holland Park & Holland Park Mews: a must-see in autumn

If you want to stretch your legs and appreciate more autumn scenes, head to Holland Park, less than half an hour’s walk from Queen’s Gate Mews, and even closer to Kensington Terrace Café & Hall.

The park is a 22-hectare expanse of beautiful open space where the woodland paths are strewn with orange and coppery leaves in autumn. Be sure to follow the signs to the Kyoto Garden. This Japanese garden is famous for its spectacular acer trees, which glow in autumn with deep shades of scarlet, crimson and soft orange, creating marvellous reflections in the central koi pond, beside the waterfall.

From there, walk to Holland Park Mews, a cobbled street celebrated for its prime residential location and traditional mews properties with wrought-iron balconies. From October, you will see the leaves begin to turn muted russet and striking golden-yellow, trails of climbing ivy spill over railings, and more leaves flutter down onto the mews’ Victorian cobblestones.

Refreshment awaits at local pubs near the park

After this walk, you may have worked up a hearty appetite, and there is plenty of choice, especially if you’re looking to grab a bite at a local pub. Seven minutes’ walk from Holland Park Mews is The Mitre – one of Holland Park’s beloved gastropubs, serving exceptional food in a warm and hospitable atmosphere. With a carefully crafted menu showcasing seasonal British ingredients, an extensive selection of wines and ales and a cosy setting, this pub is perfect for chillier autumn days.

Head to Notting Hill for a change of autumnal scenery

From there, it’s an easy cruise on foot to vibrant Notting Hill in W11. The ultimate Instagram-favourite mews here is St. Lukes Mews, famously home to the pink house featured in Love Actually (2003), which remains a popular photo stop for visitors.

In autumn, what strikes you first as you amble along is the crunch and rustle of fallen leaves underfoot and the golden contrast against the dark worn cobblestones. Iconic St. Lukes Mews makes a statement whatever the season. In autumn its rows of multicoloured properties swap swathes of late-spring wisteria and blowsy summer hydrangeas for architectural seed heads; vertical wall gardens are cossetted in climbers of rusty hues, with splashes of orange and amber leaves.

Hanging baskets and planters are refreshed with reliable seasonal plants, such as varieties of heuchera and evergreen hebe shrubs, and even holly trees make an appearance, underplanted with spring bulbs sleeping during the colder months. There is a homely feel that makes you imagine curling up on a sofa with a good book and a cup of tea as the evenings draw in. And now you can – contact us to view a two-bedroom mews home available for short lets if this sounds like your cup of tea.

Bon appétit: Paris bistro vibes come to Notting Hill

No more than a two-minute walk from St. Lukes Mews and its famous pink house is The Tin Shed at 33 All Saints Road, W11. It’s a favourite neighbourhood restaurant and the ideal place to hunker down on a crisp autumn day, whether you want breakfast, brunch, lunch or supper.

With the feel of a cosy Parisian bistro, it has a rustic interior filled with reclaimed wood and a sheltered garden. The menu offers classic dishes made with seasonal ingredients, and the atmosphere is laid-back to encourage great conversation as you savour the delicious food. It’s also a nice place to stop by for a quick drink and a snack – just remember, no laptops in the evenings or at weekends!

Autumn inspiration for your home and garden

If you’re looking for autumn inspiration for indoor or outdoor decorations – whether that’s plants, garden accessories or even gifts – it’s worth visiting Clifton Nurseries in Little Venice, which is around half-hour walk from The Tin Shed, or a quick nine-minute drive. Established in 1851, the nursery offers a wealth of horticultural and landscape design expertise. Better still, once you’ve finished browsing and choosing plants, you can pop into The Glasshouse, a delightful café in a Victorian greenhouse, where you can sip seasonal hot drinks while enjoying the autumn light and lush green surroundings.

End your cruise at Sid Vicious’ former mews

Superbly maintained and part of a prestigious conservation area, Pindock Mews is a charming London mews street that was once home to iconic 70s punk rocker Sid Vicious. Other famous former residents include Boy George, Janet Street-Porter and numerous other stars. You may even spot our stunning three-bedroom mews house for sale.

This chic and trendy mews is the perfect place to end your mews cruise. From here, you can continue on to enjoy the area’s leafy, tree-lined streets and charming architecture, and the picturesque waterways of Little Venice, or you can head home via the Warwick Avenue tube station.

Seasonal strolling around the mews

Somehow, the tucked-away, peaceful landscape of London’s traditional mews lends itself to the ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’, as the poet John Keats described autumn in his ode ‘To Autumn’. The secret, unassuming lanes, with their prettily painted façades and lovingly curated pots and greenery, provide a wholesome escape from the rush of the city, the cobblestones serving as a perfect resting place for fallen leaves, and the surroundings offering a chance for some quiet contemplation.

Conveniently, you’re never far from an enticing, welcoming place to shelter from the autumn chill, refuel and reflect after you’ve completed your adventure. It would be impossible to include all our recommendations for a cruise around the mews this autumn, but it’s fair to say there really is a mews for every season.

Looking for your own mews home, or thinking of letting or selling yours? Get in touch at enquiries@lurotbrand.co.uk or call 020 7590 9955.