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

Hampstead bathing ponds are just lovely. Ok, not just yet, but when spring is in full sway it will be lovely once again.

And walking along the river from Greenwich, heading East ish. I swear that around about the Trafalgar Inn you feel like you're at the seaside rather than in london proper.

Ooh, and visiting places like City Hall, and Houses of parliament. The former is open quite frequently, the latter pre booked through MP.

Oh Yes the Indian place in Warren st, i used to go there when i was young.
Now years later i work just next to warren st station.

Very inspiring thread! The part i dont know is South London. I must go and explore it.
I just think that followed this thread....erm how can i say this...erm a lot of us might catch a horrible cold. A mysterious virus might hit London workers. The economy will collapse and it will be Mintyy's fault.

Stars66 are we neighbours?! Grin.

The Chelsea Physic Garden chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk/, between Royal Hospital Road (where the entrance is) and Chelsea Embankment is beautiful. There is an entrance fee, about 9 I think. It also has a cafe/restaurant, I haven't eaten there but it's supposed to be quite good.

Or, while you're in that part of Chelsea, you could go to The Surprise www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/london-the-surprise for lunch.

With those two, you're within walking distance of the King's Road too!

Brompton Cemetary www.brompton-cemetery.org/. Main entrance is on Fulham Road, but you can also get to it from Old Brompton Road/Lillie Road - go to West Brompton station.

There's a really nice walk from Putney Bridge to Barnes. Head for Putney Embankment, you go past all the rowing clubs, keep going down the towpath, turn left down Queen Elizabeth Walk (which runs between a large sports ground on one side and the Wetlands Centre on the other side) and when you get to the end (in Barnes) there's The Red Lion red-lion-barnes.co.uk/ for lunch!

Oh that is really good to hear MrsBert! I am going to do that tour too, have always loved the Barbican. Wish I could afford to live there when I'm grown up.

Yy to Nunhead Cemetary and nearby Peckham . That's my manor and can fully recommend to anyone who wants to venture south of the river.

Adding to others inspiration.

At Kenwood the conservatory is now a childrens activity room, with toys for them to play with, magnifying glasses to borrow and take round the wonderful house etc.

Just East on to the Heath from Kenwood you get the most amazing view of London. (Also Parliament Hill)

Waterlow Park is by Highgate Cemetary and lovely to walk round. The Bull and Last pub on Highgate Road (towards Kentish Town) is excellent, at the weekends you'll need to book but it's well worth it.

The London Stone

Anyone working around Cannon St? Look out for this stone and keep it safe!

I walked through Regent's Park and was completely bowled over to hear elephants and monkeys from the zoo!

Take a canal boat trip. Sounds lame but it's brilliant. The locks are fun, especially for children. My friend lives on a boat and it's a real community effort. I'm far too antisocial for that life.

One of the things she always takes part in is a big regatta at Little Venice over the May bank holiday.

Part of the route home takes you past the zoo. The aviary is on one side and the wolves are on the other. There's a sign on that side of the bank warning you not to stop and if you see any escaped animals to call 999!

The houses are pretty wonderful too.

Thanks for the thread btw. I'm saving it.

"Thanks for the thread btw. I'm saving it."

Agree - but at the moment it's in 'chat' so will go pfft.

OP: would you consider asking MNHQ to move it to a permanent forum idc?

One of the things she always takes part in is a big regatta at Little Venice over the May bank holiday We go there every year as long as it's not raining

House

Has anyone done this? We do every year - In September buildings you don't normally get to see open their doors to the public, everything from 10 Downing St to the GPO Tower (Sorry can't get used to calling it the BT Tower!) We have been up the Gerkin, walked around residential houses, it's fabulous!

Open House Oops!

Mine too Mintyy, I was at school in New Cross and haven't ventured too far since (Living near Croydon now though, boo).

Have you had a look at some of the stuff that's going on in the arches in Peckham? There are apparently loads of artisan food producers setting up shop under there - apart from Bar Story, of course. I hear good things but haven't ventured over recently.

What a lovely thread!

I have a couple of things I always do with visitors.

1. Richmond. Just walk around for a bit, have fish & chips lunch at the Slug & Lettuce on the riverside, walk along the river towards Ham, but whilst still in Richmond head uphill as high as you can go, and into Richmond park, where we go to King Henrys Mound, and look at St Pauls Cathedral. Did you know that planners still have to bear in mind that St Pauls should be visible from this particular spot?

1. Isabella Plantation (Inside Richmond Park) in May when the Rhododendrons are in Bloom. You can come from either Petersham Gate, Richmond Gate (a bit of a walk from either), or the Broomfield Hill Car park. This is my preferred entry point. There is av van that sells the most gorgeous fresh bacon buns.

1. Barnes Village. Just a walk around Barnes Pond, then head to the river and walk to Kew Retail park (30 minutes) and back. Coffee in Costa is optional. On the return, head up towards White Hart Lane (not the Arsenal one) and go to Orange Pekoe which is a lovely lovely tea room with the biggest selection of tea in the world, and home made cakes. They serve lunch type foods. If it is close to dinner, then the Depot by the river, or Annies on White Hart Lane are excellent choices for dinner. If you want a budget option, there is a fab fish & chip shop back in Barnes Village. You will ROLL out of the door.

Happy to be the West London Guide!

Open House is fantastic. I volunteer as a steward. Get in depth knowledge of the venue you're stewarding and in return, a free guide and queue priority badge.

Oh, I forgot Fulham Palace, and Bishops Park.

Take the train to Twickenham, take a short walk to the Thames where you'll find yourself opposite Eel Pie Island en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eel_Pie_Island which I think you can have a mooch around. There's a pub on Twickenham Embankment opposite Eel Pie called The Barmy Arms www.taylor-walker.co.uk/pub/barmy-arms-twickenham/c0462/, which is OK. But there's another pub a bit further downriver called the White Swan on Twickenham Riverside www.whiteswantwickenham.co.uk/, which is rather quirky. A bit further down Riverside is Orlean House Gardens and Gallery (not sure how often the gallery is open, but the gardens are spectacular anyway). A bit further is Marble Hill Gardens and House www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/marble-hill-house/.

There's a passenger ferry www.hammertonsferry.com/ from Marble Hill Gardens to the Ham side of the river (wear sensible shoes, if the tide is low there are some slippery steps on the Ham side !!), where you can walk to Ham House www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ham-house/. TBH, I don't think public transport is great that side of the river (train-wise anyway), so it probably best to return the way you came.

Actually, if you want to do both the Twickenham side and Ham side in one day, I'd suggest (still arriving at Twickenham station) heading straight for the ferry, 'do' Ham, return on the ferry and then mooch - and lunch - on the Twickenham side.

Has anyone mentioned Kew Gardens? One of my favorites.

Kew Gardens is great in summer!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnificent_Seven_cemeteries - a couple of years ago we decided to visit all of London's amazing old cemeteries - I think Highgate and Nunhead are my favourites. Lovely places to walk and explore.

Have you visited any of London's city farms? There's one in Hackney which is small but great fun, and one on the Isle of Dogs near Mudchute (I go horse riding there) which has llamas and a nice cafe.

The Goldsmiths' Hall does free tours, but you have to apply in advance. The cheesegrater building is opening its garden (I think on the 47th floor) from the 12th January, not sure if it's permanent, but again you have to apply, and again, it's free.

And of course, the Tower of London ceremony of the keys. Takes place when the Tower is closed, and used to be free, but I haven't done it for years.

Somerset House has tours of the parts not normally open to the public, it's first come, first served, and I think only about a dozen people on each of the 2 tours each day.

Just this week I did the Houses of Parliament, with free tickets via my MP. I think it was exactly the same as the paid-for tour, and we were able to ask for a specific date, but this could be because my MP's secretary is particularly helpful, or it could be the norm.

We shall find somewhere good to move this so it doesn't get zapped in chat.

Also if you have a free afternoon I'd recommend you take a bobble around Kings Cross - the Camley Street Nature area is lovely and there are some really interesting little galleries that have opened on back streets around there. You can also head along the canal either way