4 hours in London

[Ilovenotebooks]

I'm visiting family in London next weekend. On one of the days they're all going somewhere that I'm not keen to go to so I've got about 4 hours to myself. I've done all the usual London stuff so looking for something a bit different to do. Grateful for any suggestions.
It'll just be me. 40+ year old woman. I'm not keen on museums or historic houses. Love animals, beautiful buildings, lovely scenery, photography opportunities, books, wandering. Happy to travel to any zone.

No!!!

That’s saved me a trip, then. Or made my day trip significantly longer…

There’s only a pathetic selection of really dog eared ones in the indie publisher section of the giant Waterstones on Piccadilly. Others have them scattered around the shelves as if they were ordinary books, it’s a shocker. Hatchards have some lovely editions of their own though - still worth the wander!

How do you feel about walking? Inspired by The Queue I would walk west along Shad Thames, starting at Curlew Street (although possibly having a little detour around the riverside on the north side of the buildings on Shad Thames first.) That's between London Bridge and Bermondsey tube stations but there are buses along Tooley St, Boss Street probably being the closest stop.

This is the route of The Queue and it passes historical wharf bridges, then comes out at the south end of Tower Bridge (another detour?), then continues on along the Thames, past 'the Carbuncle', Hays Galleria (The Queue actually went through Cote), Southwark Cathedral, the Golden Hynde, the Clink, the remains of the Bishop of Winchester's Palace, The Globe, Tate Modern, on and on until you've had enough. It's a very old part of London and there's history all around you, but it's also very pleasant, with vistas of the river and London opening up as you round a corner. It's surprising how the big buildings appear to cross the river as you move, owing to the meanders.

Eltham Palace for stunning building, lovely scenery, photography opportunities and wandering round the gardens.

Garden Museum in Lambeth, not really a traditional museum, for much of the same.