Hi all, i have a 1 maybe 2 day free pass form the better half to mooch around London on my own. Not been for years, so looking for some location ideas. Not interested in tourist stuff, want gritty architecture, history etc preferably un modernised, was thinking Spitalfileds area, or Camden Lock, anyone got any suggestions?
cheers
Russ
Hi Russ - I live in London and there is a LOT to choose from as you can imagine. Some of my favourite areas include:
Regents Canal (goes all the way round from Limehouse Basin to Southall, and there are lots of good bits of which Camden Lock is only one (to be honest only the Camden bit is interesting). Check out Little Venice (near Paddington) and the stretch from Islington to Limehouse. Some new flats, some 1960s buildings but also a lot of old warehouses, locks and Canal Boats. While you are in Hoxton, a walk down to Hoxton Square (centre of London's "creative" music and ad business) will take you through some interesting pubs, restaurants and real victorian London architecture interspersed with the odd modern frontage.
With the Olympics on, the Thames has a number of attractions. Walking from the converted warehouses in Shad Thames (near Tower Bridge) back towards the Tate Modern and the South Bank is a riot of colour and activity - you can stop in Borough Market on the way and pick up some chille chocolate before wandering the backstreets around Southwark. Yes it does get a bit touristy and is crowded right now but at night, most of the bridges are lit up and if you cross the Millennium bridge from the Tate Modern there are some stunning shots at night from the north bank.
For no crowds and some romatically fading industrial scenery, walking from Greenwich up to the Dome along the river. Rusting barges and disused docks still coexisting with some current working docks.
Battersea Power Station is still an icon (best from North Bank) but a few minutes walk further west towards Battersea Bridge and there is the "floating village" of houseboats along Cheyne Walk, and Lots Road power station (also disused). From the south bank you a great view of Lots Road power station - time it right and you can see the sun setting behind it.
Another favourite of mine is the area around the City of London which mixes new and old and takes you down to the river through some quite interesting places - try a 3/4 loop starting at Smithfields Market, through the Barbican, down to Bank then onto Moorgate ending up at St Pauls. Remember to poke your nose in all the back streets and interesting pubs along the way. Theres a lot hiding under the new facades of the big banks.
Other places I like for a bit of "local colour" (I could go on indefinitely...) would include Brick Lane of course.
so they lost out on my cash. London semed much moe friendlier than the last time i was there, not too busy either
