Page 8 | Most magical places in London? Feeling so depressed to be back. Help me find some joy and wonder!

Bionacan · 2023-04-01T17:01:19+00:00

All that in the title really… Hampstead Ladies’ Pond is my most magical London space. Please give me some others and stop me from feeling gutted to be back (was living abroad in my favourite country but had to return for family reasons).

CeliaNorth · 11/04/2023 19:13

Dirty old river, must you keep rolling
Flowing into the night?
People so busy, make me feel dizzy
Taxi light shines so bright
But I don't need no friends
As long as I gaze on
Waterloo sunset
I am in paradise

Every day, I look at the world from my window
But chilly, chilly is evening time
Waterloo sunset's fine (Waterloo sunset's fine)

Terry meets Julie
Waterloo station
Every Friday night
But I am so lazy, don't want to wander
I stay at home at night
But I don't feel afraid
As long as I gaze on
Waterloo sunset
I am in paradise

Every day, I look at the world from my window
But chilly, chilly is evening time
Waterloo sunset's fine (Waterloo sunset's fine)

Millions of people swarming like flies 'round
Waterloo underground
But Terry and Julie cross over the river
Where they feel safe and sound
And they don't need no friends
As long as they gaze on
Waterloo Sunset
They are in paradise
Waterloo sunset's fine (Waterloo sunset's fine)
Waterloo sunset's fine

Westfacing · 11/04/2023 19:52

Lemursandions · 11/04/2023 19:09

I also did an amazing architecture tour at the Barbican the other day - so interesting and helped me see it in a totally different way. Would definitely recommend!

I did that tour a few years ago on a lovely summer's evening. As you say, you see it in a different light once you know the history - but then I am a fan of Brutalist architecture!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 11/04/2023 19:54

The Barbican is fabulous. See also the Brunswick centre for beautiful brutalism!

Lemursandions · 11/04/2023 19:57

Although the tour I went on challenged that the Barbican is actually brutalist … which given how I still manage to get lost there I’d probably agree with!!

Westfacing · 11/04/2023 20:03

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 11/04/2023 19:54

The Barbican is fabulous. See also the Brunswick centre for beautiful brutalism!

Oh, yes the Brunswick Centre! Talking of the BC, it's a few minutes walk from the Foundling Museum - well worth a visit.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 11/04/2023 20:13

Westfacing · 11/04/2023 20:03

Oh, yes the Brunswick Centre! Talking of the BC, it's a few minutes walk from the Foundling Museum - well worth a visit.

Show quote history

Also near the lovely Lambs Conduit Street and Doughty Street with one of Dickens' houses (I've not been inside, but very beautiful from the outside).

LollipopViolet · 11/04/2023 20:36

I am loving all these suggestions - planning a 4 night trip in September and want to explore London outside of the traditional touristy stuff. This is giving me plenty of inspiration.

WhichSpoon · 13/04/2023 20:51

dig135 · 10/04/2023 11:09

This one might divide opinion as they get dirty and I'm guessing need to be removed by someone.

But the little paintings someone does on the floor of the bridge from the Tate to St Paul's.

@dig135 I love those, I took these photos a few years back when they weren't as faded as they are now.

Most magical places in London? Feeling so depressed to be back. Help me find some joy and wonder!

dig135 · 14/04/2023 09:31

Whichspoon great photos! They're very charming although I wonder if they annoy the council when it comes to scraping off the dirty ones.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 14/04/2023 09:47

@LollipopViolet 4 nights is the perfect length of time imo. It’s enough time to do some substantial things but also enough time to chill and not feel like you have to cram things in. A day in Richmond is lovely on a longer trip, or a day in Highgate/Hampstead.

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 14/04/2023 09:52

Ahhh I'm loving this thread

I'm a midlander and travelled lots as a kid (ex army brat) but I never ever get bored of our yearly trip to London. It's an amazing city. Every time we go DD and I have conveyabout "If you lived in London ..." make believe kind of thing and pick the prettiest cottage, coolest looking flat, great bar and imUinyhow lovely it would be to live there.

Even the tube with all its grubby chaos never loses its magic for us.

I remember a few years ago we went just for the day (boy it was a long one) and we were on the tube headed back to St Pancras for our train. It was an incredibly hot summer's evening and you could tell everyone just wanted to get home. At one stop a chap got on with a HUGE old school ghetto blaster and proceeded to take a seat and press play. People looked very unimpressed. However he played Baby Don't Chanheg by Gladys Nightv( I love that song anyway) and it had such a soothing effect on the whole carriage, feet started tapping, heads nodding and smiles appeared, i even quietly sang along much to DDs horror (I'd had a few birthday martinis ).

So yea ... even the mundane things feel much more fun in London.

Im saving this thread so I have ideas for later this year, thanks everyone (and OP)

Furries · 14/04/2023 10:42

When I lived in London I used to really enjoy meandering through the City at the weekend, such a different feel to during the week. Would usually start from Tower Hill and take different routes to around St Paul’s.

Lamb’s Conduit Street.

Taking routes from around Theobalds Road to end up somewhere on the Thames - taking in Gray’s Inn or Lincoln’s Inn etc.

For shopping etc I was never a fan of the West End or Westfield. Much preferred Canary Wharf - added bonus that it was only a few stops from my flat. Loved ROKA restaurant there. And the ice rink and cabins they’d have in the winter.

Halsall · 15/04/2023 09:38

dig135 that reminds me of the pavement around the area of the Foundling Museum - in Marchmont Street there are little silver tokens embedded in the floor. They were made by the artist John Aldus and refer to the tokens mothers would leave with their babies in hopes that they could come back and reclaim them one day. Quite often they were things like little hearts, which they cut in two so they could prove they were the rightful mothers by fitting the tokens together - sadly, very few mothers ever were able to return for their babies.

The pavement art makes a trail that leads to the museum.

MarshaBradyo · 15/04/2023 09:43

ChateauMargaux · 01/04/2023 23:50

In September, I dropped my son off to university in London with great intrepidation. We live in a small village in rural France and he is my eldest and very young. I was apprehensive. I started my day with a swim at the Ladies Pond then danced at the Hampstead Heath Tumulus which feels like a powerful place, and then admired the impressive view from Parliment hill. I met my son under the wings in Angel after picking up some essentials from Argos, where some lovely women looked after my parcels while I got a coffee and then chatted to another beautiful traveller who told me about her travels in South America. I had been browsing independent book shops and picked some paperbacks which were covered in brown paper, with descriptions on them and labeleed 'A blind date with a book'.. my son LOVED his.. Later we were standing outside a bank, where a man was playing music and getting a bit of a buzz around him, when we came out the man was cutting a homeless man's hair. Later outside a mobile phone shop, a youngish woman was talking to a middle aged woman about a homeless support shelter that would help her.

It was like the city was telling me... your son will be safe here.. this is a place of magic, of opportunity and of community where people will be taken care of.

Ah this made me tear up

I love it here, lovely post

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 15/04/2023 17:18

ChateauMargaux · 01/04/2023 23:50

In September, I dropped my son off to university in London with great intrepidation. We live in a small village in rural France and he is my eldest and very young. I was apprehensive. I started my day with a swim at the Ladies Pond then danced at the Hampstead Heath Tumulus which feels like a powerful place, and then admired the impressive view from Parliment hill. I met my son under the wings in Angel after picking up some essentials from Argos, where some lovely women looked after my parcels while I got a coffee and then chatted to another beautiful traveller who told me about her travels in South America. I had been browsing independent book shops and picked some paperbacks which were covered in brown paper, with descriptions on them and labeleed 'A blind date with a book'.. my son LOVED his.. Later we were standing outside a bank, where a man was playing music and getting a bit of a buzz around him, when we came out the man was cutting a homeless man's hair. Later outside a mobile phone shop, a youngish woman was talking to a middle aged woman about a homeless support shelter that would help her.

It was like the city was telling me... your son will be safe here.. this is a place of magic, of opportunity and of community where people will be taken care of.

Ahhh that's so lovely

Fogcity · 19/04/2023 00:13

Just started working near the Tate Modern and walking along the River Thames - dipping into the Tate Modern and strolling across the Millennium Bridge is such a joy!

LollipopViolet · 25/04/2023 10:59

Reviving this thread to share my experience last Monday. Went to London for work for the day, had to go to the area around Fetter Lane.

My lovely friend gave me directions for the journey from Euston, taking the Tube to Charing Cross and then walking via the Strand, down into Fleet Street. I was dreading it, everyone I knew was telling me to just get a cab, watch my bag etc. I am so glad I didn’t listen.

I had the most lovely walks, past Bush House, several gorgeous churches, the Royal Courts of Justice and other lovely buildings. The sun was shining, people gave me and my white cane space, one lovely man checked on me when I stopped to get my bearings on the return trip…

Okay London, you have my attention.

Roll on September - we’ve actually extended our trip by 2 nights to use some hotel reward nights and give ourselves even more time to just enjoy our capital.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 25/04/2023 15:35

LollipopViolet · 25/04/2023 10:59

Reviving this thread to share my experience last Monday. Went to London for work for the day, had to go to the area around Fetter Lane.

My lovely friend gave me directions for the journey from Euston, taking the Tube to Charing Cross and then walking via the Strand, down into Fleet Street. I was dreading it, everyone I knew was telling me to just get a cab, watch my bag etc. I am so glad I didn’t listen.

I had the most lovely walks, past Bush House, several gorgeous churches, the Royal Courts of Justice and other lovely buildings. The sun was shining, people gave me and my white cane space, one lovely man checked on me when I stopped to get my bearings on the return trip…

Okay London, you have my attention.

Roll on September - we’ve actually extended our trip by 2 nights to use some hotel reward nights and give ourselves even more time to just enjoy our capital.

This is so lovely. Glad you enjoyed your day. Have a wonderful return trip. What are you planning?

seperatedmum · 25/04/2023 18:06

I nominate this thread for mumsnet classics. London is amazing. not just the London transport museum

LollipopViolet · 25/04/2023 18:20

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie honestly, a lot of wandering and showing each other "our" London - friend wants to take me to Camden as she really likes it there. I want to go and find GOSH and show her the hospital where I spent many a day as a child (just the outside, obviously)

We're hoping to go and see Six in the West End (we saw the tour at our local theatre, and as I have sensory issues we know it's a "safe" option for me) and if the weather plays nice we're going to buy some picnic bits and go and enjoy one of the parks. Also some museums - NHM and the V&A I think are top of the list. I've never done either.

But mostly, just enjoying the city - I lived in Essex for the first 10 years of my life before moving to the Midlands, and feel like I didn't really appreciate being so close to London.

Inkblue · 25/04/2023 19:00

I’d add in King’s Cross. Lots of places to eat and window shopping in Coal Drop’s yard. You can walk along the canal to Camden and beyond. Parliament Hill Lido is great place to swim in the summer, as well as the ponds. Lots of galleries, Tate, National Gallery, The RA. The Serpentine is one of my favourites in the summer when they have the temporary pavilions up and the park is just lovely. Look for art school end of year shows to pick up some inexpensive art or just go and see. There’s always a good vibe. I never get tired of walking over the river, day or night. So many markets to visit, Borough, Portobello, Camden, Covent Garden. I’m most fond of Soho. Though it has changed quite a bit there are some good pubs and really good coffee shops and do go to The Algerian Coffee Stores. I like Bar Italia but Maison Bertaux does the best cakes anywhere. Wander through Chinatown and pickup some ingredients at one of the supermarkets there. The thing I like best about London is there are so many areas I don’t know and are a surprise to me even after living here most of my life. Just get on a bus or tube and visit somewhere you’ve never been.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 25/04/2023 19:04

@LollipopViolet The area around GOSH is really lovely. Lambs Conduit Street (around the corner) for a couple of nice coffee shop and restaurant choices.

CurrentHun · 25/04/2023 23:01

the Inns at Court

tigerbear · 25/04/2023 23:13

Place marking

Shoxfordian · 26/04/2023 06:25

I love the jewellery room at the V&A; the Tate Britain and it’s fascinating history- used to be a prison; getting the boat between the two Tate art galleries - the modern is great too. I like the Wallace Collection near Euston for a more quirky museum: don’t think it’s been mentioned yet. Love London though