Chat thread for Londoners (sorry for being quichey everyone else)

[Mintyy]

Right you laahvly cockerney sparrers. Cor blimey, apples & pears, luvaduck etc.

Having lived in London an exhilarating 30 years, I have resolved to make this the year I get to know it better.

Please can you recommend interesting walks and places to visit in areas that you know very well, because I want to head out with my oyster card and explore. Am taking a day off work every week from now on and I want to see slightly off-the-beaten-track London.

So, if anyone was asking me this question I would recommend walking from Chancery Lane Station, through the Inns of Court at Grays Inn, visit to the Sir John Soane Museum, walk up Doughty Street, quick pop in to the Charles Dickens Museum, Coram's Fields, Brunswick Centre, Russell Square (for eg.).

But there are huge swathes of London I know absolutely nothing about! I've never been to Portobello Road for instance, only been to Camden market a handful of times, don't really know much about West London, SW London, Docklands, East central London just outside the city (eg. Limehouse).

Oh there's tons of places to explore! If you have a favourite walk, little museum or park I should see, then please post.

Thank you

[SylviaPouncer]

Quichey!

[Carltondance]

Last year I walked the capital ring which is a path that circles london through approximately zone 3. It was great and and I saw an awful lot of London that I never knew existed. The walk from Wimbledon to Richmond was a real highlight

[ElfontheShelfIsWATCHINGYOUTOO]

I've never been to Portobello Road for instance, in 30 years?

Well start there! Walk round there, west Bourne Grove etc most of it lovely to meander round, shops and gorgeous houses. Start at bottom and work up or start at not hill tube or holland park and walk down.

[ElfontheShelfIsWATCHINGYOUTOO]

you could finish back up on not hill high street and walk up ken chuch street to kensington, another nice walk is back up to holland park tube and walk across road from tube and walk back towards town, one road back from road....

[Mintyy]

I worked in Notting Hill for a long time Elfy, never actually made it as far as Portobello Road.

[ElfontheShelfIsWATCHINGYOUTOO]

I have done your channcery lane walk, soams etc all bar charles dick museum wld also recomened that walk v nice.

[ElfontheShelfIsWATCHINGYOUTOO]

I am Blabbered. Really blabbered.

[Lweji]

Little Venice? Or is that not sufficiently off the beaten track?

[Mintyy]

Yes, only been there a couple of times. Little Venice definitely on my list.

[mamapain]

Yes definitely spend time around Little Venice and canals, its lovely there in the summer.

When you say just outside the city, does that include Shoreditch/Hoxton/Haggerston?

[Lweji]

The Lea Valley towards north?

[Sillybillymuckypup]

You can walk to little venice from Camden market along the canal towpath and you get to look into the back gardens of lots of glamorous regents park houses along the way

[toomuchicecream]

What about doing a guided walk? I've used these people a few times: www.walks.com/ and it's always been interesting - lots of extra snippets of information I wouldn't have found out otherwise. Alternatively you could use their programme as a list of suggestions for where you could go!

What about walking the footpaths on the green chain?

[Amethyst24]

The Museum of London Docklands is fab and fascinating. Afterwards, go to The Gun for dinner - gorgeous traditional pub right on the river.

[catrin]

East London: Get off at Shadwell station and go for a (insert drink of choice here) at the Prospect of Whitby pub. Claims to be the oldest pub in London. It is v lovely and quirky as pubs go and it is great to sit outside and watch the Thames.

[Amethyst24]

And when you go to Portobello Road, visit the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising (think that's what it's called anyway!) Yep - www.museumofbrands.com/

[Amethyst24]

Oh, and (sorry, will STFU soon) the Geffrye Museum www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/ and (seriously off the beaten track, this) Eltham Palace - dazzlingly beautiful. www.elthampalace.org.uk/

[Trills]

[BeCool]

Have you been on the cable car? Combine it with a womble around Docklands.

London Wetlands Centre in Barnes is an amazing treasure in Zone freaking 2. You will be amazed to be in London - you can see the Shard from the observation deck. Tube to Hammersmith then its a short bus ride, or a walk along the south side of the river - go over Hammersmith Bridge, take the left tow path & walk a while. You can easily spend a day there - lots of walking in gorgeousness once you are there. Any season is nice but late spring/summer very lovely. I've been a member for 3 years now and discover something new every time. One of the hides has binoculars etc provided (ask when you get there).

[BeCool]

In Spitalfields, Dennis Severs House is an amazing visit: www.dennissevershouse.co.uk/

[Laquitar]

WHt at an excellent idea, i am so envious!!

You def have to go East. You can start from Islington and walk by the canal to East. Victoria Park, Brick Lane
Or Stratford, Olympic Park..

Or come to North, come to Barnet and visit me for tea (grin)

[Mintyy]

Ah, Amethyst, my love of the Geffrye Museum knows no bounds!

I do know Shoreditch/Haggerston/Columbia Road very well ... or at least I did a long time ago before it all got gentrified. Used to cycle along the canal from home in Dalston to work in Islington. If I went back there it would all be hugely changed, no doubt.

[BeCool]

also walking west along the Thames from Hammersmith to Chiswick and Kew Bridge is very nice with lots to see and lots of fab pubs enroute if you fancy a few invigorating halves. You could visit/tour Fullers Brewery (Chiswick), Hogarths House and/or Chiswick House and park enroute.

[MuddhaOfSuburbia]

Ooh me too Mintyy-30 years!

My idea was to walk round the boundaries of Lewisham Southwark and poss Greenwich or Lambeth with a dog, but your idea sounds much more fun and less spottery

[Lambstales]

Hunterian Museum

Ps What's the best way from Victoria to the V&A?