Hidden gems in London.

[Onionringo]

Hi,

What are your hidden gems in London? I seem to have found myself with a couple of free days, completely child free, and as I live on the outskirts of London, thought I'd try and explore places I've never been. All suggestions welcome for interesting museums, bars, restaurants for lunch, parks, shops, anything. I've generally stuck to all the well known places and museums, my favourites being the Portrait Gallery and the V&A. That's where I always seem to end up, and I'm determined to stay away from them this time.

Any ideas? What would you do if it were you with these days to fill?

The mesueum of brands and packaging. Sounds dull but it's wonderful. Also the museum of childhood in Bethnal green

Definitely the Kenwood Ladies' Pond, my favourite place to swim. Gets super busy on nice days but nice to go early or even swimming in the rain!

And Dennis Sever's House, as a pp mentioned - it's an old house in Spitalfields that used to belong to an artist and he restored all the rooms as they would have been in different historical periods. The idea is that the family who live there have just stepped out so there are plates and cups lying around, sound effects, a fire in the kitchen stove etc. They do candlelit evening tours, it's magical.

Also Wilton's Music Hall which is an original, partially restored music hall in East London. It's a great place for a drink or to watch something, they have quirky shows and live music events.

Postmans Park in the City. It's small but worth the journey to read the wall of memorial to heroic self-sacrifice. Fascinating stories and some (most) truly heart-breaking ones too. A real hidden gem. Otherwise, the whole area of Temple sandwiched between Fleet Street and Embankment is lovely and another hidden gem. Temple church etc. Such a quiet area amongst the bustle of London. Find Kings Bench walk and you'll feel like you've been transported back in time.

This thread has some fabulous ideas for child-free days out in London www.mumsnet.com/Talk/uk/2276463-Chat-thread-for-Londoners-sorry-for-being-quichey-everyone-else?pg=1

We had an open gardens tour of the area behind Kings Cross Station a few weeks ago.
It is fabulous up there.
Beautiful gardens. One inside the remnants of an old gas cylinder by the canal.
There is the Kings Cross swimming pond for which there is a viewing platform (not always people swimming in the pond though to give the plants time to filter the water).
Next to the platform is the Skip Garden made from old skips & a large greenhouse made from old widow frames (cafe here too)
There are restaurants & cafes in the area & a Waitrose quite unlike one you'll never have been into because it's in an old railway building.
It was just a lovely area to explore that has been reclaimed from old sidings, railway buildings & is (I believe our guide said ) 15 - 20 years into a thirty year project. Largest regeneration site in Europe.

Brilliant ideas, thanks.

I love Postmans Park, one of my favourite places. I like the idea of exploring further around the City.

Bearcatt - my office is there. It's great isn't it! :o)

Hunterian, John Soanes, Geffyre, Old Operating museum all v good.

I got lost trying to find Postman's Park and never did manage to get there. Any body fancy giving me idiot-proof instructions?

Another vote for Highgate Ladies Pond and The Foundling Museum from me

The Rolling Stones exhibition at the Saatchi gallery. It is only there until 4/9 and great if you are a fan.

You're very lucky Bear to work in such a beautiful place.
DH & I will definitely be back up there one weekend.
My brother & his wife loved it too.
Our tour guide made it a fabulous tour too.

Agree with Postmans Park too.
Very interesting reading the tiles in memory of people who died trying to save others.

William Morris museum in Walthamstow. Won Museum of the Year a couple of years ago.

Red House (designed and lived in by Morris) in Bexleyheath. This is near Danson Park, where you can park and also visit Danson House.

Just placeholding so have this thread as an amazeballs reference

I second Leighton house and nearby is the Linley Sambourne House
www.rbkc.gov.uk/subsites/museums/18staffordterrace1.aspx

Eltham Palace is great - lovely Art Deco rooms and Tudor parts.

Also there are two fantastic bridges that open at Paddington Dock - they open about 3 times a week - one as designed by the man who did 2012 cauldron.
londonist.com/2015/04/video-paddington-basins-incredible-bridges

You could then walk to little Venice and get a boat to Camden. The canal is so quiet and you get to see the backs of posh gardens and that pretty floating chineses restaurant.

www.fengshang.co.uk/

You can walk by the canal from Camden to Kings cross which as well as all the attractions listed above has a sweet little canal museum. If you have train tickets you can get 2 for 1 entry. It sometimes has an ice pit you can go down too.
www.canalmuseum.org.uk/

I did this walk which includes going over the river on the cable car. It's interestingly eerie and desolate on a Sunday. The trail is a bit confusing at the end near Stratford though,
the-line.org/#/home

I don't think anyone's mentioned this and it's free

wellcomecollection.org/

You can get a lovely lunch at the Wellcome collection too.

I love London Walks www.walks.com/

We've done lots and they've all been excellent. Just pick a date and see what they are doing. I especially enjoyed one around The City and the Thames Foreshore one

The Wellcome Collection has an absolutely brilliant book shop too.

Have you tried the Florence nightingale museum? I really enjoyed it - learning about her pie charts and the other clever stuff she did. Near the southbank too:

www.florence-nightingale.co.uk

john soans YES, wonderful house, and portabello and that area - west bourne grove, great houses to look at too

adore hampstead and primrose hill is lovely. I also love the little roads at the back of selrgifes near wallace collection....

Worth keeping an eye on www.ianvisits.co.uk and www.diamondgeezer.blogspot.com for small, quirky events.

I love the small shops on Marylebone high street, not too busy usually