London hidden gems, any you’d care to share.

[LucyTamedOgres]

I’ve just found out about The Mayor of Scaredy Cat town, a bar that you enter via The Breakfast Club which I would have LOVED to explore and will do one day when child free (over 18’s only )

This then got me thinking of any hidden gems you’ve discovered and stumbled upon? Any you can recommend which would be good for a teenager too.

As we might be heading over there while it’s quiet (ish) thought it might be the prime time to explore the lesser known places, secret places, as we’ve visited many of the usual tourist attractions.

Alderman Stairs is very close to St Kathryn's Dock and can be found on Google maps. It is an ancient steps leading to the Thames, hidden on both sides by posh flats. You always find old clay pipes or shards of Victorian glass on the Thames shoreline. We used to tell the kids takes of pirates using the steps for smuggling. Not worth doing a special trip to London for but definitely worth going if you are around the area as my kids always loved finding a treasure. Bring wetwipes for mud and careful as steps are slippy, fills a happy half an hour.

Thanks @gelert5619

Thames Barrier Park. The Thames Barrier is pretty surreal sight, silent sentinels.

Camberwell - street art and urban grit.

Canary Wharf has a big outdoor free dance festival next Saturday.

St Dunstan in the East - gorgeous bombed out medieval church which has turned into a sort of garden, with trees growing all through the ruins. Just spectacular and a popular picnic spot.

London Mithraeum, where the 3rdC Temple of Mithras stood. It’s open again now, but free tickets have to be booked in advance. It’s also on the site of one of London’s lost rivers.

Another ‘lost’ London river is the famous ancient Tyburn. There’s a tiny bit of a stream that passes through the basement of Grays Antique Centre (just behind Bond Street station), which allegedly is part of or a branch of the Tyburn. Not sure if that’s true but Grays is fascinating to visit. You can pop into the basement for free.

Gresham College gives free public lectures.

Tower Hamlets Cemetary park, bursting with history and nature.

Lunchtime concerts at St John’s, Smith Square

Wow, I've lived half my life in London and didn't know a lot of these places

A few of my favourite spots are:
The Hardy tree at St Pancras church
Treadwells book store
The Victorian Walk at Museum of London
Barbican conservatory
Highgate Cemetery
Grant Museum of Zoology
The Old Operating Theatre

@Poorpigletsrevenge

The naval museum and Greenwich observatory are my favourite place in London. You can then walk down the hill and visit the market for lunch and see the Cutty Sark. Not very hidden, but often overlooked.

Also I’m assuming you know the password for the Scaredy Cat bar?

In Greenwich Park, you can also see the brass strip on the floor which is the physical marker of the prime meridian - zero degrees longitude.

Feeding the parakeets in Kensington Gardens. Google the location (it's near the peter pan statue). Take an apple and wait for them to descend on you!

If you go to Kensington Gardens, don’t miss the Elfin Oak. Just by the entrance to the Diana Memorial playground. www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/kensington-gardens/things-to-see-and-do/memorials-fountains-and-statues/elfin-oak

Went with DS last Monday. We walked 22k - his favourite is just exploring.

Clerkenwell and Exmouth market.
Walk along the Thames...not secret but v interesting and not many people there.
The Hugenot weaver's houses behind Christchurch in Spitafields.
Agree about coal drops yard.
I'd avoid Trafalgar square in the evening. It's incredibly sad. Lots of homeless people who have felt abandoned during this, congregating there. And you can't help one without helping all. I went home and donated to shelter.

There's an alleyway near Liverpool Street that was inspiration for harry Potter. Ill see if I can find it.

www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/2018/10/22/londons-alleys-artillery-passage-e1/

Artillery Passage.

And Millenium Bridge, great views and Harry Potter again, but not secret.

I’m thinking of going to London for a few days in October. Has most stuff opened back up?

Sorry to thread steal OP! Hope you have a fab time.

Just thought I'd add a wet weather recommendation. I love Camden market - I know it's tacky and commercialised but it's still fun to wander around and you can walk it along the canal from Kings Cross and see a load of other stuff on the way too. Anyway, when I was there with a friend and our kids this time last year in torrential rain, we found a crazy golf facility right down in the basement. It's windowless and kind of tropical dayglo - I think it's really meant for adults with drinks in the evening but it was pretty cool in the day with a 6, 7 and 8 year old.

Around King's Cross there's also the tiny Canal Museum, King's Place (large office/arts centre - you can hang out in the squashy sofas in the cafe and ride the impressive escalators) and there's a narrowboat bookshop.

Also following

The big museums are open with social distancing and advance booking. I went to the Science Museum on 18th Aug and that was one of the last to open I think. Not sure all the small ones have been able to open though. There are also fewer eating places than before so taking your own food and snacks can be a good idea.

However, London feels very empty compared to normal.

The King's Wardrobe

We're just moving this thread to the London topic for OP.

Placemarking because all of the twenty or so I was going to mention have been done, so I’ll try and think of any others.

Just checked and all the places I mentioned are open - canal museum only Fri-Sun, King's Place cafe Wed-Sun, Camden market golf with masks and pre-booking (they're called 'Plonk' and have several other sites around London).

Another poster mentioned the Wellcome medical galleries at the Science Museum - these have been recently redone and are marvellous. You get a great view down on Making the Modern World from them too. Finally, Wonderlab' (children's interactive) at the SM is WAY nicer with social distancing!

@Elderflower14 good shout re: the actors church! I went to see Alice through the looking glass there and it was amazing (the show is more “intereactive” - they get the audience involved and you move around the venue during the show - really really good!

Highgate Cemetery to see memorials to Karl Marx, (no booking required) and George Eliot. The other side of the Cemetery is booked tours only.

Pollocks’ toy museum in West End

British Museum is so vast that you could spend a week in there and there is always something to see thats quiet even when it’s crowded.

Museum of London is great and so is the Barbican foyer for free music and cafes on a rainy day

Barts hospital to spot the illnesses on Hogarth’s paintings bartsheritage.org.uk/museum-and-history/visit-the-museum/hogarth-stair/

Agree with the Soane museum- try to get on a candlelit tour. (Soane’s name is also on the wall at the Barts great hall- see above)

Agree postman’s park with the Watts Memorial just near St Paul’s Cathedral I s fascinating and sad, so many kids who died saving their siblings and friends: www.postmanspark.org.uk/

Great thread!

Love this thread!