London - Any Hidden Gems?

Bargain_Rzl

patrick0 wrote: »

Have you been to Borough Food Market on a Saturday morning? Get there by 10am though as it gets very busy later. If you get the northern line then go to London Bridge and take the Borough High St exit from the tube station - watch the people and you'll see the entrance (there are about 10 different entrances). It's open on Thursday and Friday but there's not many stallholders on those days.

Or the Sir John Soane museum - I've not been there but have heard quite a few people saying it's well worth visiting.

The bit in bold is only partly true. Thursday there are only a few stallholders, but on Fridays it's only marginally less fully-functional than on Saturdays - and almost as full of tourists (I work just round the corner).

Stompa

Bargain_Rzl wrote: »

(I work just round the corner).

If I worked round the corner I'd be seriously overweight!

Lemmy_Caution

I think the tunnel tour that Big Gay Kirk refers to is the one that the Brunel Museum does. They take you through the tunnel that the East London Line runs through, from Rotherhithe to Wapping.
Have you been to Stoke Newington? There's Abney Park Cemetery, Clissold Park and house, the Castle (ex-waterworks building.) Or what about Walthamstow? with it's street market and the village. Why not try wandering the alleyways of the City Of London? The Inns of Court, Middle Temple.
By the way, I think the best way to discover hidden gems is to just wander around; going through streets you haven't been down before, or getting public transport to somewhere you've never been.

Stompa

Lemmy_Caution wrote: »

Have you been to Stoke Newington? There's Abney Park Cemetery, Clissold Park and house, the Castle (ex-waterworks building.)

Yes, I had a wander around StokeFest a few months back.

Lemmy_Caution wrote: »

Or what about Walthamstow? with it's street market and the village.

Hmmm, not tried Walthamstow, I'll add it to my list!

Lemmy_Caution wrote: »

By the way, I think the best way to discover hidden gems is to just wander around; going through streets you haven't been down before, or getting public transport to somewhere you've never been.

I agree, I do a lot of that, and you do sometimes stumble across some really interesting places. Mind you some folks have suggested I should be a bit cautious, some of the estates you come across that way are a bit dubious apparently - not that I've ever encountered any problems.

Iguana

http://www.walks.com/

I went on one last year. It was brilliant!!

Lemmy_Caution

Stompa wrote: »

I agree, I do a lot of that, and you do sometimes stumble across some really interesting places. Mind you some folks have suggested I should be a bit cautious, some of the estates you come across that way are a bit dubious apparently - not that I've ever encountered any problems.

Go to (almost) any part of the world and you will get people warning you that; this place, or that place is dodgy.

Iguana

Iguana wrote: »

http://www.walks.com/

I went on one last year. It was brilliant!!

I forgot to add that there is a charge (the website tells you the cost) but they are well worth going on!

mum26

Have you visited the Foundling Museum (close to Russell Square I think) and Clink?

Lemmy_Caution

The Foundling Museum is O.K-ish, No more than that. And you have to pay an entrance fee (£5.00 I think.) It's mostly, pictures, the odd exhibit, and a good deal of reading of cards. Can't really recommend it