London Photo Gallery - Aerials

The flight path into Heathrow from the east offer spectacular views from the City, past Westminster, and through the West End. These views were taken on a flight from the north during the early summer evening hour. We entered London from the north and looped east for final approach. While it was hard to spot the Shard and the skyscrapers nearby, I could see the London Eye and Westminster clearly as well as the West End and used that as a benchmark to figure out my location. I guess for Canary Wharf, I need to sit on the left side next time or fly out of the City airport instead! Looks like King's Cross station down there. We crossed the Thames right above the City with the London Eye being the reference. Welcome to Central London. I could barely see The Shard as we made the final turn. Chelsea is one of the West End's most posh and upscale districts with fancy lowrise homes and unique shops geared towards the bigger wallet. Across on the other side of the Thames, the Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station area is a huge redevelopment with a new Northern Line extension. These tracks lead to Victoria station, with the Royal Hospital Chelsea off to the left with nice gardens and greenery wrapping around it. The vast Hyde Park is in the distance. The West End is a vast area of lowrises and a desirable residential area. The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew was founded in the late 1750s by Princess Augusta. The Palm House on the left was completed in 1848.