Little Venice is a charming district of West London where the Grand Union and Regent’s canals meet. With its variety of restaurants and pubs, boat rides and leisurely strolls along the waterside, the area promises an enjoyable day out — unless, of course, you’re Robin. After receiving a text from an angry Matthew, Robin makes her way down to the canal where she meets more than she had bargained for.
“A twenty-minute Tube ride later, Robin emerged at Warwick Avenue underground station in a part of London she barely knew. She had always felt a vague curiosity about Little Venice, as her extravagant middle name, “Venetia,” had been given to her because she had been conceived in the real Venice. Doubtless she would henceforth associate this area with Matthew and the bitter, tense meeting she was sure awaited her, down by the canal.” (Lethal White, Chapter 69)
“She walked down a street named Clifton Villas, where plane trees spread leaves of translucent jade against square cream-coloured houses, the walls of which glowed gold in the evening sun.” (Lethal White, Chapter 69)
“She turned left, crossed the street and walked on, now in the chilly shadow of the brick that bordered the right-hand side of Blomfield Road, parallel to the canal.…” (Lethal White, Chapter 69)
“A pair of high black wooden gates was set into the wall, gates that Matthew’s text had told her led to the canal-side bar, but when Robin pushed at them, they were locked.” (Lethal White, Chapter 69)
Below is an overhead view of the canal, and the red star indicates roughly where the black wooden gates are.
It would have taken Robin about four minutes to walk from the Warwick Avenue Tube station to her uncertain fate at those black gates.
If you’d like to visit Little Venice while not in mortal danger, find it at the map below: