To ask Londoners how much you explored London as a child?

[AdoptedBumpkin]

Was talking to an older man who grew up in South London yesterday, and he told me he only went to North London once before the age of 18.

I grew up in South London, mostly outer SW postcodes, and I travelled around London quite a lot as a child and more so as a teen, so I was a bit surprised by this.

If you lived in London as a youth, how often do you go to other parts of the city?

• did you go

Not much cos we never had any money tbh

1950's child here so out in London in the late 60's early 70's. We went everywhere either by tube or on foot. Left to our own devices pretty much all day from about age 8. We were expected home in time for dinner and no one ever questioned where we'd been or what we'd been up to. Radio 1 club was a big outing at 13 or 14. Petticoat Lane market on a Sunday morning, Carnaby Street and Biba. Bars, hotels and clubs all under age. They were the BEST times. Great fun indeed.

IWLSC - I guess it does depend on money to a degree. Feel a bit insensitive now.

Recklessgran - wow! Your parents must have been very laid back?

Saw loads of central London.

Didn't bother with far north, far east London.

Why would you visit residential areas of London miles from where you live unless you had a reason to go?

Saw plenty of the inner city though

MyuMe that's fair enough, but I was a little surprised at how his one visit to North London was so memorable he recalled it vividly 50 years later.

I live on the outskirts. My kids have been into London loads of times. Done all the main attractions, theatre visits etc. We don’t go all the time anymore but still do go up in the summer

I lived in Thamesmead and saw loads of London as a child and teenager. From the age of 11 I used to get a red bus rover ticket for 75p every school holiday and explore the sights.
I also used to visit different markers with my DM such as Deptford market, petticoat lane, Chapel market.

It’s cool, on reflection we did a reasonable amount- me and my sister used to go up to Camden at weekends when we were 12/14, I used to go clubbing from 16 onwards but get the £1.50 night bus home to zone 5! I guess I meant more that my out of London friends had all done things like the Tower of London and London Zoo, Tussauds and West End shows etc but we never did because it all cost money.

Lippy I did a bit of that with my dear mum. Fond memories to look back on.

Nawf ah dah rivuh was a different land

joking apart

why would I have explored residential areas where none of my friends were
and where the shops I liked were not located

I live in a much smaller city now and there are areas I CBA to explore

IWLSC - that sounds very brave/independent. Don't think my parents would have let me do that at 16.

Yes it’s got me thinking one of some fun times we had.
We also used to watch a film every Christmas at Leicester Square as a family.
I’d also meet my cousin who lived in North London and walk around Covent Garden where there was an amazing stationery shop. We’d buy different coloured paper and carry it around in a special carrier bag. I was only about 12 or 13.

I don’t think I’ve been to any London neighbourhoods north of Camden either and I lived there for 29 years. Saw plenty of central London though.

We were quite lucky to grow up in a big city.

I grew up in zone six so not even really London, but we'd go a lot, petticoat lane, carnaby street, brick lane for the Sunday market and a beigel, my gran lived in North London so spent a fair amount of time there. Also did lots of the sights, museums, Madame Tussauds, Oxford Street Christmas shopping etc, but not theatre etc until I was in my late teens early twenties and family finances were different By 16 I was in the clubs and gig venues etc

Grew up North, saw all of Central London but wouldn’t have gone into residential boroughs South as no reason to. Maybe he’s defining North as proper North London rather than North of the Thames which would be major parts of the centre

From 13 I used to explore on my own and went clubbing in Central London from about 15. I’m 40 now

That is how he defined it. He said he had been north of the river a few other times.

I was like Recklessgran. I lived in West London. Went to school on the tube, regularly went into Town at weekends when I was younger with my sisters to go to galleries etc parents often took us to Bayswater Road, Post Office Tower, Carnaby Street etc. By the age of 15/16 we were going to clubs locally and sometimes to places like Global Village. Then I got into live music and we would go anywhere to see a favourite band or to a party. So that could be Brixton, Putney, Hammersmith, Camden, Finsbury Park, Islington and even Chelmsford, Guildford etc. We were very independent, too much in some ways 🍺

I lived in SE London suburbs so the fun place to go was Greenwich. Museums and art galleries too in central. As a teen went clubbing in Camden (back then early 90s there was no checking of IDs and quite normal for two 15 year olds to be out all night). But some places you just would have no need to go. I’m still a foreigner in North London and feel very ill at ease there!

Grew up in 1970s/80s in north London. Often went into the centre to shows, museums, shopping, sites, but never went to east, west or south London until I was an adult and lived in all those places at various times.

Davros That sounds cool. It is amazing how different people's lives are, even within the South East alone. I knew people from rural Surrey who had to rely on lifts from parents.

I lived on the outskirts as a child (zone 5) and spent a lot of time in London but didn't actually go to many places! My Dad worked there and we stayed at his workplace a lot but stayed in the building (a hotel so not too shabby really) and mainly went to Oxford Street and Hyde Park. Did a few other bits but mainly stayed in the West End. I now live with my kids in zone 6 and spend lots of time in London with them (and on my own). I still feel like I've barely touched the surface . I take a weekend once each year to get up there and wander on my own. I love it so much - it's my happy place. I even like exploring the suburbs - always something interesting to see/new places to eat etc.

I went to Covent Garden, Camden, Leicester Square, Kensington Market from about 13. From 14/15 to indie gigs. Didn’t visit many residential areas though, why would I?