Where is London's most central sheep?
A whimsical blog post on “London’s most central sheep” spins into a broader look at how people define the center and livability of cities. Commenters contrast official reference points like Charing Cross with residents’ intuitive sense of “central,” then introduce playful metrics such as “time to sheep,” “time to cow,” or even “time to moose” to gauge access to countryside or nature from urban cores. Examples from London, Bristol, Berlin, North America and elsewhere highlight city farms, green belts, and wildlife, while also underlining how subjective these measures are and how much they depend on what individuals value in urban life.
Defining the “centre” of London
- Several comments argue the traditional reference point is Charing Cross; some hotel distance data appears to converge on Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square.
- Debate over whether “centre” should mean the historical Roman walled City, modern Greater London, or a midpoint between the City of London and Westminster.
- Cultural “vibes” also matter: many Londoners resist calling anything south of the Thames “central,” even if it’s geographically close.
- Clarification that the City of London has unusual governance but is not legally outside normal English law, contrary to common myths.
“Time to sheep” and related metrics
- OP’s “time to sheep” (TTS) is defined as travel time from city centre to sheep-filled countryside; used to explain why Bristol felt more livable than London.
- Many variants proposed: time to cows, moose, lions, wild bears, potatoes, theatre, pizza, pub, office, chaos, chicken shop, sidewalk puke.
- Some see TTS as a good proxy for balancing urban life with access to nature; critics note it measures how quickly you can leave the city and question why live in a city at all if TTS=0 is ideal.
- Counterargument: the metric captures being able to enjoy both dense urban life and quick countryside escapes.
Urban farms, parks, and animals
- Numerous examples of central or near-central farms/commons with livestock: London (city farms including one near Waterloo; Mudchute; Richmond Park deer), Newcastle’s Town Moor and Ouseburn Farm, Edinburgh’s historic sheep on Arthur’s Seat, cows on Cambridge commons, Berlin children’s farms, Toronto’s Riverdale Farm, San Jose civic farms, a Chicago goat farm, NYC sheep on Governors Island.
- Noted abundance of urban wildlife (e.g., foxes in London, bears near Ottawa) prompts suggestions for “time to wild predator” as an alternative metric.
Bristol, Bath, London, and city vs countryside
- Bristol praised for beauty, music scene, size, river setting, engineering history, community feel, and proximity to countryside; criticized for traffic and poor transit.
- Bath residents value being minutes from both city centre and countryside.
- London defended as uniquely rich in chaos, diversity, and opportunity; others find large cities interchangeable and prefer rural life.
- Seasonal affect in the UK is mentioned: winter in London feels harsh; being able to reach countryside and country pubs mitigates it.
Errata, accuracy, and humor
- The blog author later issues a “sheepish apology” for missing a small central farm; commenters highlight their lessons on not overstating “facts” and on incomplete information.
- Some think this self-criticism is excessive for a light post but note the audience’s tendency to bikeshed details.
- Thread includes playful jokes (spherical sheep, most central rabbit, LLM tripping, dung-based games) and one very cynical comment likening Londoners to sheep for slaughter.