Author Topic: Off-beat London  (Read 7768 times)

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Off-beat London
« on: 21 February, 2017, 06:40:59 pm »
Back in 2009 you lot helped me out with tips to find off-beat stuff to do in Paris and your input assisted greatly in me and The Current Mrs R having a top time in France's capital.

So, please can you repeat the trick with London?  We have a weekend trip planned at the end of June to celebrate the TCMR's birthday.  We want to know about the fun, the interesting, the unusual stuff to do, see, eat and drink.  If all your ideas are too numerous to pack into a single weekend fret not as we only live 45 minutes away so can easily work through the list at other times.

thanks in advance  :thumbsup: :-*

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #1 on: 21 February, 2017, 06:51:54 pm »
The Kircaldy Testing Museum, Southwark.  Not been there myself and keep meaning to.

http://www.testingmuseum.org.uk/

The Brunel Museum, Rov rive. http://www.brunel-museum.org.uk/

Sir John Soane's Museum, obvs.  Well Lincoln's Inn Fields, actually, not obvs.

http://www.soane.org/

 
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #2 on: 22 February, 2017, 08:04:50 am »
Cool!

jiberjaber

  • ... Fancy Pants \o/ ...
  • ACME S&M^2
Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #3 on: 22 February, 2017, 09:03:43 am »
The Kircaldy Testing Museum, Southwark.  Not been there myself and keep meaning to.

http://www.testingmuseum.org.uk/

The Brunel Museum, Rov rive. http://www.brunel-museum.org.uk/

Sir John Soane's Museum, obvs.  Well Lincoln's Inn Fields, actually, not obvs.

http://www.soane.org/

We did the Brunel Museum when they had the floodlit tunnel on too which was a good combo http://www.brunel-museum.org.uk/events/floodlit-thames-tunnel/
There's a couple of famous pubs near there too iirc to do with the Royal Society meetings... will try and remember what and where
Regards,

Joergen

Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #4 on: 22 February, 2017, 09:35:15 am »
Sir John Soane's Museum, obvs.  Well Lincoln's Inn Fields, actually, not obvs.

http://www.soane.org/
Another vote for this. I actually found the museum exhibits themselves a bit boring, but the actual place itself is fascinating*, and Lincoln's Inn Fields is a veritable oasis in the middle of London. The cafeteria next to the tennis courts is a great place for a snack and a sit-down.

I would also recommend Bunhill Fields (https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/city-gardens/visitor-information/Pages/Bunhill-Fields.aspx) and the Postman's Park (https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/city-gardens/visitor-information/Pages/Postman's-Park.aspx).

* Edit = apologies, I was thinking of the Hunterian Museum in Lincoln's Inn Fields. (Thank you Little Jim.)

jiberjaber

  • ... Fancy Pants \o/ ...
  • ACME S&M^2
Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #5 on: 22 February, 2017, 10:03:07 am »
We did this when they first started in London which was a fun trip...

https://www.londonducktours.co.uk/

Regards,

Joergen

Clare

  • Is in NZ
Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #6 on: 22 February, 2017, 10:06:11 am »
The Kircaldy Testing Museum is brilliant but they have very limited opening hours (first Sunday of every month). We had never heard of it but just happened to be in the hotel next door at the right time.

The Soane Museum is also a brilliant place and you get to see the Hoggarths.

If you are foodies Borough Market is interesting but very expensive (as markets go), not open Sunday. It will be rammed with visitors.

The Undercroft on the South Bank often has rather good sk8r dudes doing their thing.


ian

Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #7 on: 22 February, 2017, 10:10:23 am »
Go to Crystal Palace, marvel at the lack of both crystal and palace. How did a greenhouse burn down anyway? Go see the wrong-o-saurs, though some of them are in dino-restoration hospital at the moment. Gaze out at the best view there is of London. Cross the road and soak up the views of Croydon skyline. Then cross back, quickly, before it nicks your eyeballs.

Borough Market is super-annoying crowded these days, but there's loads of street-food-y markets dotted around (walk a bit further to Maltby Street and wash down lunch with something from Anspach & Hobday). Sometimes just wandering is the best plan, the touristy stuff sucks, I've no idea why people fly around the world to visit the same shops that in every capital or, the horrors, to queue for the Hard Rock Cafe.

Scientists have proved that tourists won't immediately die if they leave zone 1. Just ensure you take an environment suit and self-contained air supply.

Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #8 on: 22 February, 2017, 10:15:06 am »
Horniman museum.

http://www.horniman.ac.uk/

Great building, interesting mish mash of stuff (though some bits are closed at the mo as it is forever improving itself), sundial trail, wonderful gardens - nice mix of formal and informal, one of THE best views of London, particularly the modern stuff, from the gardens, whatever north Londoners may tell you, animal enclosure including a giant white rabbit (animals receive guests only about 12 to 4).

Great handy spoons in an art deco cinema.

From the tourist board:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88S4ofkC5a8

Faster to get to than you might think on the overground.

ian

Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #9 on: 22 February, 2017, 10:21:54 am »
And they've got a Robot Zoo at the moment. Which sounds cool, but I've not been yet.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #10 on: 22 February, 2017, 10:25:53 am »
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #11 on: 22 February, 2017, 12:57:38 pm »
If you do go to the Soane's museum in Lincoln Inn then the Huntarian is also worth a visit - it is the museum of the Royal College of Surgeons and full of preserved specimens and skeletons.  Apsley House at Hyde Park Corner - the Duke of Wellington's old house is very interesting if you like the National Trust type of place (It isn't NT, but the same type of visit) plus you can buy a dual ticket to get you up onto the Wellington Arch just across the road.

You could also take TCMR for afternoon tea somewhere nice - I am sure she deserves a special treat (as well as a medal).  You wont get in to the likes of the Savoy for ages but we went to the Athanaeum (just down the road from Apsley House) for the MiL's big birthday and even a died-in-the-wool cynic like me enjoyed it.  Very very good food and it really is as much as you can eat and drink and we were not rushed at all - I can't remember what sort of dress code they have but you might be pushing your luck if you turn up part way through a 400km perm hoping to re-fuel.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #12 on: 22 February, 2017, 01:00:35 pm »
Scientists have proved that tourists won't immediately die if they leave zone 1.

They make it to Zone 3 all the time in search of the birthplace of Shakespeare...

Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #13 on: 22 February, 2017, 01:23:42 pm »
The Old Operating Museum and Herb Garret: http://oldoperatingtheatre.com/ amazing and cheap.
Tower Bridge Experience is surprisingly not shit.
St Katherine's Wharf nearby is also good for a wander, as is the walk along the river around there.

Add a river boat extension to your travel card and cruise all the way out to Woolwich, through the Thames Barrier for buttons, then get off at Greenwich and have a walk around the Naval College and the market (nicer food, cheaper and less crowded than Borough).

The observatory is worth a visit.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #14 on: 22 February, 2017, 02:51:27 pm »
Scientists have proved that tourists won't immediately die if they leave zone 1.

They make it to Zone 3 all the time in search of the birthplace of Shakespeare...

 ;D ;D ;D

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #15 on: 22 February, 2017, 02:57:26 pm »
Scientists have proved that tourists won't immediately die if they leave zone 1.

They make it to Zone 3 all the time in search of the birthplace of Shakespeare...

He was born at The Globe Theatre wasn't he?

Some great suggestions by the way, thanks very much, keep them coming.

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #16 on: 22 February, 2017, 09:12:18 pm »
The London Museum of Water and Steam (used to be the Kew Steam Museum). It's at Kew, so a small schlepp out from the centre.

http://www.waterandsteam.org.uk/
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #17 on: 22 February, 2017, 09:36:39 pm »
The London Museum of Water and Steam (used to be the Kew Steam Museum). It's at Kew, so a small schlepp out from the centre.

http://www.waterandsteam.org.uk/

Ohh!
I did that a few years ago - that's a good one.

ian

Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #18 on: 23 February, 2017, 09:46:14 am »
Scientists have proved that tourists won't immediately die if they leave zone 1.

They make it to Zone 3 all the time in search of the birthplace of Shakespeare...

I once had a Chinese tourist who, on a train from London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street, asked me if he was on the right train to Liverpool Street. In Runcorn.

Re offbeat London, if The Breakdown has happened before you travel, then Melissa, the last living girl in Forest Hill, can give tours of post-apocalyptic south-east London. Don't look up, of course, on account of the demons.

Andrij

  • Андрій
  • Ερασιτεχνικός μισάνθρωπος
Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #19 on: 23 February, 2017, 01:44:35 pm »
Tube to Hampstead, and around the corner from the station stroll down Flask Walk and stop in The Flask for a fortifying beverage.  Continue along Flask Walk, perhaps stopping at Burgh House & Hampstead Museum before heading down Willow Road to visit “Erno Goldfinger’s innovative 1939 Modernist house” at no. 2.  If needed, stop in The Freemasons Arms before reaching no. 2.

Next, cross over onto Hampstead Heath, aiming for Parliament Hill and the views of London.  Turn north and work your way up across the Heath to explore the art collection in Kenwood House.  Then cut back west then along the road for a drink/meal at The Spaniards.  Continue along Spaniards Road then down Heath Street, detouring up to The Holly Bush for a drink/meal before returning to Hampstead station.

Caveat: If you plan to eat at either The Spaniards or The Holly Bush then it’s a good idea to make a reservation – they both can get rather busy.

ETA: not particularly off-beat, but it's beyond Zone 1 so I don't consider part of the standard 'things to do in London'.
;D  Andrij.  I pronounce you Complete and Utter GIT   :thumbsup:

Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #20 on: 23 February, 2017, 02:24:27 pm »
Kenwood House is definitely worth a visit.    If arts are an interest then Leighton House in Holland Park is lovely.  https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/subsites/museums/leightonhousemuseum1.aspx
Not fast & rarely furious

tweeting occasional in(s)anities as andrewxclark

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #21 on: 23 February, 2017, 02:56:46 pm »
Tube to Hampstead, and around the corner from the station stroll down Flask Walk and stop in The Flask for a fortifying beverage.  Continue along Flask Walk, perhaps stopping at Burgh House & Hampstead Museum before heading down Willow Road to visit “Erno Goldfinger’s innovative 1939 Modernist house” at no. 2.  If needed, stop in The Freemasons Arms before reaching no. 2.

Next, cross over onto Hampstead Heath, aiming for Parliament Hill and the views of London.  Turn north and work your way up across the Heath to explore the art collection in Kenwood House.  Then cut back west then along the road for a drink/meal at The Spaniards.  Continue along Spaniards Road then down Heath Street, detouring up to The Holly Bush for a drink/meal before returning to Hampstead station.

Caveat: If you plan to eat at either The Spaniards or The Holly Bush then it’s a good idea to make a reservation – they both can get rather busy.

ETA: not particularly off-beat, but it's beyond Zone 1 so I don't consider part of the standard 'things to do in London'.

Love it, you've missed your vocation  :thumbsup:

Thanks for all the other suggestions by the way, keep 'em coming!

Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #22 on: 23 February, 2017, 03:17:55 pm »
The London Museum of Water and Steam (used to be the Kew Steam Museum). It's at Kew, so a small schlepp out from the centre.

http://www.waterandsteam.org.uk/

Nearby is the Musical Museum, it's a museum of automated musical instruments. It's great, or it was when I went there some time ago.

http://www.musicalmuseum.co.uk/

You need to turn up at the right time to join a tour so you can watch and hear the instruments. It won't be any fun otherwise.

jiberjaber

  • ... Fancy Pants \o/ ...
  • ACME S&M^2
Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #23 on: 23 February, 2017, 06:01:08 pm »
For Sunday unfortunately you might not be able to attend the Church  O:-) anymore, but at least you can get your dinner in a convenient burger format.

Regards,

Joergen

Re: Off-beat London
« Reply #24 on: 23 February, 2017, 06:21:12 pm »
The City of London do a number of guided walks, and there are self-guided leaflets. As a bit of a dendrophile I'd favour the Tree Trail.
https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/city-gardens/Documents/Tree-trail-City-of-London.pdf

I lived in the suburbs, and I always liked the City at the weekend, as it's nice and quiet.
https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/visit-the-city/walks/Pages/self-guided.aspx