The real hub of the East End; lots of great bargains to be had; a great atmosphere on a Saturday afternoon.
Victoria Park just down the road to sit and unwind in!

just off Parnell road; Bow; E3

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When in London, a visit to Greenwich is a must. See the Observatory and take a walk at Greenwich Park, and visit the National Maritime Museum that has free admission daily 10.00 am to 17.00 pm.

www.hotelara.com/england/2007/10/westminster-to-greenwich-boat-trip.html

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Hyde Park is wonderful and it's only 15 minutes from Kings Cross, the terminus for the Eurostar train!

www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde_park/

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A 50m, heated, outdoor pool, near to Victoria Park and Hackney central. London Fields Lido has been renovated and is now open!

It is operated by GLL so facilities are spartan but it is fab and clean. Entry is less than £4 and the pool is open from 6.30am (mon-fri) or 8am to 8pm.

Lockers are poolside (20p) and changing rooms and showers are inside and out. There is also sunbathing space around the pool.

It is a blissful place to plough up and down: no gimmicky wave machines or even inflatables here.

Be aware, though, that if it really really rains, then you will be thrown out of the pool as visibility is reduced.

Sad irony that London summers mean that it is too wet to swim.

London Fields Westside
E8 3EU
Map: tinyurl.com/3asby5

www.hackney.gov.uk/c-londonfields-lido.htm

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It's a cafe in the middle of Regent's Park's playing fields. So a good place to watch people wearing themselves out whilst you sip on hot chocolate. But also, it has changing rooms, lockers (£1 returnable) and showers (£1.50) which you can use after a run round the park. Plus a schedule of gym classes. Slightly chaotic but all the nicer for it.

Regent's Park

www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/regents_park/hub/thehub.cfm

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This is a fantastic London institution. In the centre of Regent's Park it is a little piece of magic. You enter through a small gate and the softly draped fairy lights around the bar, the smell of barbecued meat and the excited buzz of over 1,000 fellow attendees makes for a really exciting night. Many start with a picnic on the lawns outside in the park which is a fab way to feel really summery. Tickets start from ten pounds. Every year performances include Midsummer Night's Dream, a children's play and something contemporary (this year it is the Boyfriend). It also stages comedy nights and concerts on Sundays. Comedy Store Players is fantastic but sells out quickly every year. It is a completely unpretentious night out, you can take wine and crisps etc. into the auditorium. Advise that you also take warm clothes and possibly waterproofs, depending on the weather!

openairtheatre.org/

Regents Park, 10 minutes walk from Baker Street tube.

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Greenwich Observatory was built to look at the stars. But it's a fantastic place to look at London, too.

You look past the green lawns and Palladian architecture below, across the Thames, past the Dome and Canary Wharf, to the whole of north London spread out on its hills above the metropolis. Nowhere else do you get this feeling of the sheer scale of the city, and binding it all together, the sluggish grey ribbon of the river.

From Cutty Sark DLR station - it's an uphill walk so come motivated!

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Situated on a hill in one of the nicest parts of London is the Royal Observatory. I like it because of the view across the Thames (fantastic and free); it’s not jammed in like lots of things in London (the Aussie in me wants big spaces) and for something different, you can stand in both halves of the world at the same time . How so? By straddling the line at 0 degrees longitude at the Observatory ( which means, you stand in two hemispheres at once).

The National Maritime Museum is close by (at the bottom of the hill, on the edge of the park) and is also worth a look, as is the Queen’s House. The Observatory is part of the Greenwich World Heritage site.

Greenwich Park, London;
Access from Greenwich station is best (carparking is limited);
Royal Observatory and National Maritime Museum: www.rog.nmm.ac.uk
Greenwich Park: www.royalparks.gov.uk/parks/greenwich_park/

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The four Inns of Court in central London - the Inner and Middle Temple, Lincoln's Inn, and Gray's Inn - are as beautiful and historic as many of the Oxford and Cambridge colleges, but far less crowded.

You can wander freely through the outdoor areas of the Inns of Court on weekdays, during business hours, and picnics are permitted on weekdays in the spacious gardens of Gray's Inn, called "the Walks”. This is a remarkable privilege since all four Inns of Court are still the main workplaces for large numbers of barristers.

The Inner Temple offers the added attraction of Temple Church (built c. 1200), one of five medieval round churches in England and as stunning architecturally as it is unusual.

Underground station: Chancery Lane, Temple; Bus No. 11

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The Thames Path is a national trail walking route along the length of the Thames - from the source to the mouth - which of course means it runs right through the heart of London. It's a great route, and gives you a flavour of the variety that there is in London, just by going a few miles along it. You could be in Kew then Putney or by the Houses of Parliament then the Tate Modern. If you are a bit more adventurous you will find yourself up close and personal with Canary Wharf and then the amazing Thames Barrier.

www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ThamesPath/index.asp?PageId=1 or www.theaccesscompany.com/londonwalks/#

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At more than 300ft long and 100ft wide, the centrepiece of the Royal Botanic Gardens is no ordinary greenhouse. You can imagine a T Rex stalking its prey among the prehistoric cycads, or close your eyes and let the warmth and perfumes transport you to a tropical isle. Underneath is the equally primordial Marine Display.

Kew Gardens, tube Kew Gardens, Richmond

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One of London's best-kept secrets/parks in the East End. It's huge and full of things to see and do - tennis courts, three lakes, flying fox, giant slides, two kids' playgrounds (including an adventure-type paddling pool for summer fun), football pitches, walking/running/cycling paths and lots of big green space if you like to just sit and do nothing. Also has a regular dose of fairs, concerts, etc.

In between Hackney and Bethnal Green. Closest tube stops Bethnal Green and Mile End. Bus no. 277 goes through the middle of it and can be caught from Mile End tube station.

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A peaceful place to contemplate. Great Christmas and Easter servıces. What is more the park adjacent to the chuch serves as an oasis in the very heart of London

Mayfair; nearest tube: Green Park

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A beautiful Victorian garden in the middle of Streatham Common. Queen Victoria visited for the now gone spa waters (is there a way they can be brought back?). Tranquil even at the height of summer, an oasis in the middle of south London. Plus, there is a lovely old-fashioned cafe run by quirky Italian old women.

Streatham Common - the nearest train station is Streatham.

www.lambeth.gov.uk/AboutLambeth/TownCentresStreatham.htm

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Take a leisurely stroll along one of the prettiest and most historic routes in London. Start in the village of Blackheath and then stroll over the heath to Greenwich Park and the Royal Observatory, where you can cross GMT and get a wonderful view of London. Then down into Greenwich, through the covered market and the Naval College, past Cutty Sark, and then under the Thames to the Isle of Dogs via the century old Foot Tunnel.

From there it is only a short walk to Canary Wharf under the progressively larger shadow of the skyscrapers. On the Wharf there are restaurants, serious shopping in the indoor malls, and best of all the Jubilee Line and DLR to take you home again.

Blackheath, Greenwich, Canary Wharf

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The National trail along the banks of the Thames has a few interruptions but provides a chance to see the river at its best. A highlight is to cycle from Putney Bridge to Weybridge taking in Richmond Park and Hampton Court - do it on a weekday and the path is virtually deserted. Too tired to cycle back? Stick your bike on the train and head back into town.

Beside the river. www.sustrans.org.uk. Various tube/rail along the route.

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It was once my local pub. I was born and bred in London Fields, and this was a beacon of the community: good beer, a boules pit in the back garden and, during the summer, local cricket or football. Someone generally has a guitar or sings a song and people listen while chilling on the grass.

It was an intimate, friendly place - it's lost its intimacy because it's more popular now, but its still a great place for a summer day's relaxing. Take a picnic...

Pub On The Park
London Fields
Hackney E8

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Part of the splendid Regent's Park, it's a great place for a stroll and offers one of the finest views over the capital.

to the north of Regent's Park, within walking distance of Camden Town tube station.

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Grab a blanket, some friends and chill out with a bottle (or more!) of wine and an amazing view of the city from the top of the hill.

Hampstead Heath

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A real local park only a few miles from the centre of the city, Brockwell Park is the green lung between Brixton and Dulwich with a cosmopolitan and exciting clientele and, in the summer, the Brockwell Park Lido, where the south London freaks and celebrities come out to play.

Herne Hill station (BR) or Brixton Tube (Victoria Line)

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