Follow in The Beatles' Footsteps at the Abbey Road Crossing

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The Beatles' Abbey Road album cover is one of, if not the, most iconic images in musical history. But when John, Paul, George and Ringo nonchalantly strolled across the zebra crossing adjacent to the studios where they were adding the finishing touches to their 1969 album, they couldn't have had any idea that the photograph which adorned the sleeve would go on to be one of the most imitated and recreated images of all time.

Liverpool is the natural first port of call for any Beatles fanatic wanting to embark on a Fab Four pilgrimage, but there is just something inexplicably magical about walking in their shoes (or bare feet if you're Paul!), across the Abbey Road crossing.

The studio itself is a short walk away from St John's Wood tube station and the crossing is the first one you see on approach, easily identifiable by the hordes of tourists and disgruntled taxi drivers trying to pass. To the unsuspecting eye, it can be quite an amusing sight; Beatles fans from all over the world, patiently queuing to walk along the crossing, stopping traffic in the process as they try to recapture the perfect pose. Some opt for no shoes in homage to Paul McCartney; some chose to lay face down, repeatedly kissing the hallowed concrete, while others simply burst into tears, overawed by the sheer history they have just become a part of.

Outside of the studio, the walls are adorned with written graffiti tributes, Beatles lyrics and odes to the Fab Four, with the local council reportedly made to repaint them every three months, while the street sign is now mounted high and out of reach due to it being regularly taken by those not willing to settle for just a photograph.

Visiting the Abbey Road crossing may not always be first on the list of things to do whilst in London; in fact it is unlikely to even register amongst ideas for excursions when in the capital. But it is a more than worthwhile trip and a must for any Beatles fan. It offers the perfect alternative for those looking for a break away from the hustle of Central London, and the best thing is, it won't cost you a penny. For less than an hour out of your day, you can follow The Beatles' footsteps and capture yourself immersed in some true musical history.

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