248 KIPFERL AUSTRIAN ££ A NORTH LONDON PLAYLIST Map p434 (www.kipferl.co.uk; 20 Camden Passage, N1; mains £10-14; h10am-6pm Mon, 9am-10pm ¨¨Madness – Driving In My Car Tue-Sun; tAngel) Part cafe, part restaurant (1982), NW5 (2009) and totally Austrian, Kipferl serves clas- ¨¨The Smiths – London (1987) sic comfort food such as Weiner schnitzel, ¨¨Pet Shop Boys – King’s Cross kasespatzle (egg noodles with cheese) and (1987) spinach dumplings. Otherwise just sidle in ¨¨Blur – For Tomorrow (Visit To Prim- and choose a coffee from the ‘colour palette’ rose Hill Extended) (1993) menu typical of Viennese cafes, and pick ¨¨Morrissey – Come Back to Camden from the mouth-watering selection of cakes (2004) (Sacher torte, apfelstrudel etc). ¨¨Babyshambles – Pentonville (2005) Ca m d e n & N o rth Lo n d o n D r i nk i ng & N i g h tl i fe of baked goods and fresh salads greets you. 6 DRINKING & Meals are as light and bright as the bril- NIGHTLIFE liantly white interior design, with a strong influence from the eastern Mediterranean. Camden Town is one of North London’s favoured drinking areas, with more bars YIPIN CHINA CHINESE ££ and pubs pumping out music than you could ever manage to crawl between. Map p434 (%020-7354 3388; www.yipinchina. The hills of Hampstead are a real treat co.uk; 72 Liverpool Rd, N1; mains £8-22; hnoon- for old-time-pub aficionados, while 11pm; v; tAngel) The kind of Chinese res- Islington is known for theatre pubs and taurant that’s usually full of Chinese people tucked-away wine and cocktail bars. As (ie the good kind), Yipin specialises in the for King’s Cross, there are new places spicy, fragrant, colourful cuisine of Hunan, opening all the time, many in converted but there are plenty of fiery Sichuanese and Victorian buildings. familiar Cantonese dishes to choose from, too. The lengthy picture menu makes the choosing (slightly) easier. 6 King’s Cross & Euston TRULLO ITALIAN ££ oDRINK, SHOP & DO BAR Map p434 (%020-7226 2733; www.trullorestau- Map p434 (%020-7278 4335; www.drinkshopdo. rant.com; 300-302 St Paul’s Rd, N1; mains £16-22; h12.30-3pm daily, 6-10.30pm Mon-Sat; tHigh- com; 9 Caledonian Rd, N1; h10.30am-midnight Mon-Thu, to 2am Fri, 9am-2am Sat, 10.30am-10pm bury & Islington) Trullo’s homemade pasta Sun; W; tKing’s Cross St Pancras) This kooky is delicious, but the main attraction here is the charcoal grill, which churns out the little outlet will not be pigeonholed. As its name suggests, it is many things to many likes of succulent Italian-style pork chops, people: a bar, a cafe, an activities centre, a steaks and fish. The service is excellent, too. gift store, a disco even. But the idea is that there will always be drinking (be it tea or SMOKEHOUSE BARBECUE ££ gin), music and activities – anything from Map p434 (%020-7354 1144; www.smokehou- dancing to building Lego robots. seislington.co.uk; 63-69 Canonbury Rd, N1; mains £16-18; h6-11pm Mon-Fri, 11am-midnight Sat, noon-10.30pm Sun; W; tHighbury & Islington) oEUSTON TAP BAR In this lovely, light-filled boozer, elegantly Map p434 (%020-3137 8837; www.eustontap. com; 190 Euston Rd, NW1; hnoon-11pm; tEus- turned out in dark wood and whitewashed ton) Part of a twinset with the Cider Tap, walls, you’ll find a meaty menu of interna- tional dishes, all imbued – as the name sug- this specialist boozery inhabits a monu- mental stone structure on the approach gests – with a smoky flavour. Ingredients to Euston Station. Craft beer devotees can are carefully sourced and skilfully com- bined, and there is a particularly extensive choose between eight cask ales, 20 keg beers and 150 by the bottle. Cider rules over beer list. The little leafy garden is a boon in the road. Grab a seat on the pavement, or the warmer months. take the tight spiral staircase upstairs.
oBAR PEPITO WINE BAR 249 St Pancras) Once a mechanic’s workshop, Map p434 (www.barpepito.co.uk; 3 Varnishers this Victorian warehouse has scrubbed up Yard, The Regent’s Quarter, N1; h5pm-midnight very well indeed. It tends to be favoured by Mon-Sat; tKing’s Cross St Pancras) This tiny, local businesspeople for informal meetings intimate Andalusian bodega specialises in during the day, but the same customers let sherry and tapas. Novices fear not: the staff their hair down here in the evening. DJs rev are on hand to advise. They’re also experts things up on Friday nights. at food pairings (top-notch ham and cheese EGG LDN CLUB selections). To go the whole hog, try a tast- ing flight of three selected sherries with Map p434 (www.egglondon.co.uk; 200 York Way, N7; h10pm-6am Tue, 11pm-8am Fri, 11pm-10am snacks to match. Sat; tCaledonian Rd & Barnsbury) Egg has a CAMINO BAR superb layout with two vast exposed-con- crete rooms, a wooden loft space, a garden Map p434 (www.camino.uk.com; 3 Varnishers and a roof terrace. It specialises in house Yard, The Regent’s Quarter, N1; hnoon-midnight; W; tKing’s Cross St Pancras) Festive Camino and techno and attracts some heavyweight DJs, particularly on Saturday nights. At is popular with London’s Spanish commu- weekends, it runs a free shuttle bus from nity and therefore feels quite authentic. Drinks, too, are representative of what 11pm onwards from outside 68 York Way. Ca m d e n & N o rth Lo n d o n D r i nk i ng & N i g h tl i fe you’d find in Spain: cava, Estrella on tap and a long, all-Spanish wine list. It’s a bril- liant place to watch football – international 6 Primrose Hill games in particular – and DJs hit the turn- tables on weekends. In summer, the court- QUEEN’S PUB yard gets absolutely crammed. Map p436 (www.thequeensprimrosehill.co.uk; 49 Regent’s Park Rd, NW1; h11am-11pm; Wc; tChalk Farm) Perhaps because this is Prim- BIG CHILL HOUSE PUB, CLUB Map p434 (www.wearebigchill.com; 257-259 Pen- rose Hill, the Queen’s is a bit more cafe-like tonville Rd, N1; h9am-midnight Mon-Thu, to 3am than your average pub. Still, it’s a good one, Fri, 11am-3am Sat, 11am-midnight Sun; W; tK- with a creditable wine and beer selection ing’s Cross St Pancras) Come the weekend, the and, more importantly, plenty of people- only remotely chilled-out space in this large, watching to do while sipping your pint – buzzy Victorian pub is its first-rate and gen- Jude Law has been known to come here for erously proportioned rooftop terrace. It’s run a tipple. by the people behind the Big Chill record la- bel, so it can be counted on for a varied roster of live music and DJs. The sound system is 6 Camden Town fantastic and entry is free most nights. oPROUD CAMDEN BAR BOOKING OFFICE BAR & Map p436 (www.proudcamden.com; Stables Mar- RESTAURANT BAR ket, Chalk Farm Rd, NW1; free-£15; h10.30am- Map p434 (www.bookingofficebar.com; St Pan- 1.30am Mon-Sat, noon-midnight Sun; tChalk cras Renaissance London Hotel, Euston Rd, NW1; h6.30am-10pm Mon-Thu, to 3am Fri, 11am-mid- Farm) Proud occupies a former horse hos- pital within Stables Market, with private night Sat & Sun; tKing’s Cross St Pancras) As booths in the stalls, ice-cool rock photog- the name suggests this was, in a former life, the booking office of St Pancras train sta- raphy on the walls and a kooky garden ter- race complete with a hot tub. It’s also one tion. The space has been transformed into of Camden’s best music venues, with live a showstopping bar, with dizzyingly high ceilings and prices to match. The cocktail bands and DJs most nights. list takes inspiration from the architecture, oDUBLIN CASTLE PUB featuring plenty of popular Victorian ingre- dients such as tea, orange peel, elderflower Map p436 (www.thedublincastle.com; 94 Park- way, NW1; h1pm-2am; tCamden Town) There’s cordial and gin. live punk or alternative bands most nights 6 ST CHAD’S PLACE BAR in this comfortingly grungy pub’s back room (cover charges are usually between Map p434 (www.6stchadsplace.com; 6 St Chad’s £4.50 and £7). DJs take over after the bands Pl, WC1X; h8am-11pm Mon-Fri; W; tKing’s Cross on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
250 oEDINBORO CASTLE PUB open fires in winter and a knack for making you stay longer than you had intended. Set Map p436 (www.edinborocastlepub.co.uk; 57 above Heath St, it’s reached via the Holly Mornington Tce, NW1; hnoon-11pm; W; tCam- Bush Steps. den Town) The large and relaxed Edinboro has a refined atmosphere, gorgeous furni- ture designed for slumping, a fine bar and SPANIARD’S INN PUB a full menu. The highlight, however, is the Map p433 (www.thespaniardshampstead.co.uk; Spaniards Rd, NW3; hnoon-11pm; g210) Dat- huge beer garden, complete with a BBQ and ing from 1585, this historic tavern has foosball table and adorned with coloured more character than a West End musical. lights on long summer evenings. It was highwayman Dick Turpin’s hang-out LOCK TAVERN PUB between robbery escapades, but it’s also served as a watering hole for more savoury Map p436 (www.lock-tavern.com; 35 Chalk Farm characters such as Dickens, Shelley, Keats Rd, NW1; hnoon-midnight; tChalk Farm) An institution in Camden, the black-clad Lock and Byron. It even gets a mention in Drac- ula. There’s a big, blissful garden that gets Tavern rocks for several reasons: it’s cosy in- crammed at weekends. side; there’s an ace roof terrace from where you can watch the market throngs as well Ca m d e n & N o rth Lo n d o n D r i nk i ng & N i g h tl i fe as a rear beer garden; the beer is plentiful; GARDEN GATE PUB and it also has a roll call of guest bands and Map p433 (www.thegardengatehampstead.co.uk; 14 South End Rd, NW3; hnoon-11pm Mon-Fri, DJs at the weekend to rev things up. 10.30am-midnight Sat, 10.30am-10.30pm Sun; BLUES KITCHEN PUB W; tHampstead Heath) At the bottom of the heath hides this gem of a pub, a 19th- Map p436 (%020-7387 5277; www.theblueskitch- century cottage with a gorgeous beer gar- en.com; 111-113 Camden High St, NW1; hnoon- midnight Mon-Thu, to 3am Fri, 10am-3.30am Sat, den. The interior is wonderfully cosy, with dark-wood tables, upholstered chairs and 10am-1am Sun; tCamden Town) The Blues an assortment of distressed sofas. It serves Kitchen’s recipe for success is simple: se- lect brilliant blues bands, host them in a Pimms and lemonade in summer and mulled wine in winter, both ideal after a fabulous bar, make it (mostly) free and of- long walk. The food’s good, too. fer some fabulous food and drink. Which means that the crowds keep on comin’. There’s live music every night – anything from folk to rock ‘n’ roll – and blues jams 6 Highgate from 7pm on Sundays. FLASK TAVERN PUB BREWDOG CAMDEN BAR Map p433 (www.theflaskhighgate.com; 77 High- Map p436 (www.brewdog.com; 113 Bayham St, gate West Hill, N6; hnoon-11pm; W; tHighgate) Charming nooks and crannies, an old cir- NW1; hnoon-11.30pm; tCamden Town) The cular bar and an enticing beer garden make hair of this particular dog is craft beer, with around 20 different brews on tap. this 1663 pub the perfect place for a pint BrewDog’s own brewery is up in Scotland, en route between Hampstead Heath and but more than half of the bar’s stock is com- Highgate Cemetery. In the winter, huddle prised of guest beers sourced from boutique down in the cosy interior and enjoy the breweries the world over. Sunday roast and open fires. It’s like a vil- lage pub in the city. 6 Hampstead 6 Islington Hampstead is the place to go for historic, THE BULL PUB charming old pubs where Sunday lunch al- ways seems to turn into an afternoon. Map p434 (www.thebullislington.co.uk; 100 Upper St, N1; hnoon-midnight; W; tAngel) One of oHOLLY BUSH PUB Islington’s liveliest pubs, the Bull serves a Map p433 (www.hollybushhampstead.co.uk; 22 large range of draught lager, real ales, fruit Holly Mount, NW3; hnoon-11pm; Wc; tHamp- beers, ciders and wheat beer, plus a good stead) This beautiful Georgian pub has an wine selection. The mezzanine is generally antique interior, a secluded hilltop location, a little quieter than downstairs, although
on weekend nights you’ll generally struggle 251 to find a seat. Barfly and the Electric Ballroom are PUBLIC HOUSE BAR multi-purpose, with gigs in the first part of the evening (generally around 7pm or Map p434 (www.boutiquepubs.com; 54 Isling- 8pm), followed by club nights around ton Park St, N1; h5pm-midnight; tHighbury & midnight. Be sure to also check out Islington) This handsome bar adds a splash what’s on at Proud Camden (p249), of boudoir/burlesque glam to Islington’s the Lock Tavern (p250), the Dublin drinking scene. Everything is pretty fabu- Castle (p249) and the Blues Kitchen lous, from the carefully prepared cocktails (p250). (all seasonal) to the gastropub menu and oCECIL SHARP HOUSE TRADITIONAL MUSIC the long list of after-dinner drinks (bran- dies, whiskies, dessert wines). Map p436 (www.cecilsharphouse.org; 2 Regent’s Park Rd, NW1; tCamden Town) If you’ve ever THE CASTLE PUB fancied clog stamping, hanky waving or bell jingling, this is the place for you. Home Map p434 (www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/thecastle; to the English Folk Dance and Song Soci- 54 Pentonville Rd, N1; h11am-11pm; W; tAngel) ety, this institute keeps all manner of wacky A gorgeous, boutique pub with a winning folk traditions alive, with performances formula of snazzy decor (wooden floors, and classes held in its gorgeous mural-cov- Ca m d e n & N o rth Lo n d o n E nterta i nment designer wallpaper, soft furnishings, large ered Kennedy Hall. The dance classes are maps on the walls), good gastropub food, a oodles of fun; no experience necessary. rotating selection of craft beers and, to top it all off, a wonderful roof terrace. oSCALA LIVE MUSIC BARRIO NORTH BAR Map p434 (%020-7833 2022; www.scala-london. co.uk; 275 Pentonville Rd, N1; tKing’s Cross St Map p434 (www.barrionorth.com; 45 Essex Rd, Pancras) Opened in 1920 as a salubrious N1; h5pm-midnight Sun-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat; tAngel) A good bet for a fun night out, this golden-age cinema, Scala slipped into porn- movie hell in the 1970s only to be reborn as a cocktail/DJ bar’s atmosphere, decor and club and live-music venue in the noughties. music are a celebration of all things La- tino, with a hint of London and New York It’s one of the best places in London to catch an intimate gig and a great dance space too, thrown in. If you can, grab a seat in the hosting a diverse range of club nights. fairy-lit cut-out caravan. ‘Amigo hour’ is be- tween 5pm and 8pm. oKOKO LIVE MUSIC 69 COLEBROOKE ROW COCKTAIL BAR Map p436 (www.koko.uk.com; 1a Camden High St, NW1; tMornington Cres) Once the legendary Map p434 (www.69colebrookerow.com; 69 Cole- Camden Palace, where Charlie Chaplin, the brooke Row, N1; h5pm-midnight Sun-Thu, to 2am Fri & Sat; tAngel) Also known as ‘the bar with Goons and the Sex Pistols all performed, KOKO is maintaining its reputation as one no name’, this tiny establishment may be of London’s better gig venues. The theatre nothing much to look at, but it has a stellar reputation for its cocktails (with prices to has a dance floor and decadent balconies and attracts an indie crowd with Club NME match). The seasonal drinks menu is steeped on Friday. There are live bands almost eve- in ambitious flavours and blends, with clas- sic drinks for more conservative palates. It ry night of the week. also runs cocktail masterclasses (£40). oJAZZ CAFE LIVE MUSIC Map p436 (%0844 847 2514; www.thejazz cafelondon.com; 5 Parkway, NW1; tCamden 3 ENTERTAINMENT Town) Although its name would have you think that jazz is this venue’s main staple, North London is the home of indie rock it’s only a small part of what’s on the menu. and many a famous band started out The intimate club-like space also serves up playing in the area’s grungy bars. You funk, hip hop, R&B and soul, with big-name can be sure to find live music of some acts regularly dropping in. The Saturday kind every night of the week. Venues club night, ‘I love the 80s v I love the 90s’, is such as Scala, KOKO, the Jazz Cafe, a long-standing favourite.
252 ANGEL COMEDY COMEDY ELECTRIC BALLROOM LIVE MUSIC Map p434 (www.angelcomedy.co.uk; 2 Camden Map p436 (%020-7485 9006; www.electricball- Passage, N1; hshows 8pm; tAngel) F room.co.uk; 184 Camden High St, NW1; tCamden There’s free comedy every night (dona- Town) One of Camden’s historic venues, the tions are gratefully received, however) at Electric Ballroom has been entertaining this great little comedy club upstairs at North Londoners since 1938. Many great the Camden Head. Monday is improv night bands and musicians have played here, and on any other evening you might get from Blur to Paul McCartney, The Clash anything from a new act to a famous name and U2. There are constantly changing road testing new material; check the web- club nights on Fridays, while on Saturdays site for listings. it hosts Shake, a crowd pleaser featuring dance anthems from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. UNION CHAPEL CONCERT VENUE Map p434 (www.unionchapel.org.uk; 19 Compton REGENT’S PARK OPEN Tce, N1; tHighbury & Islington) One of Lon- AIR THEATRE THEATRE don’s most atmospheric and individual Map p436 (%0844 826 4242; www.openairthea- music venues, the Union Chapel is an old tre.org; Queen Mary’s Gardens, NW1; hMay-Sep; church that still holds services as well tBaker St) A popular summertime fixture Ca m d e n & N o rth Lo n d o n S h opp i ng as concerts – mainly acoustic – and the in London, this 1250-seat outdoor audito- monthly Live At The Chapel comedy club. rium plays host to four productions a year It was here that Björk performed one of her – usually famous plays (Shakespeare often most memorable concerts to a candlelit au- features) and the occasional musical. dience in 1999. HAMPSTEAD THEATRE THEATRE BARFLY LIVE MUSIC (%020-7722 9301; www.hampsteadtheatre.com; Map p436 (www.thebarflylondon.com; 49 Chalk Eton Ave, NW3; tSwiss Cottage) The Hamp- Farm Rd, NW1; tChalk Farm) This typically stead is famed for staging new writing and grungy indie-rock venue is well known for taking on emerging directors. It was an ear- hosting small-time artists looking for their ly champion of Harold Pinter, which shows big break. The venue is small, so you’ll feel it knows a good thing when it sees one. like the band is playing just for you and your mates. There are club nights most nights of KING’S HEAD THEATRE THEATRE the week. Jubilee on Fridays is probably the Map p434 (www.kingsheadtheatre.com; 115 Up- per St, N1; tAngel) This stalwart pub theatre best, with a mix of live bands and DJs. hosts new plays and musicals, along with THE FORUM CONCERT VENUE revivals of classics. Classical music and op- Map p433 (www.theforumlondon.com; 9-17 High- era are part of the mix, too. gate Rd, NW5; tickets from £10; tKentish Town) You can find your way to the Forum – once THEATRE ALMEIDA the famous Town & Country Club – by the Map p434 (%020-7359 4404; www.almeida. co.uk; Almeida St, N1; tHighbury & Islington) ticket touts that line the way from Kentish Housed in a Grade II–listed Victorian Town tube station. This art deco former cinema (built 1934) is spacious yet intimate building, this plush theatre can be relied on for imaginative programming. enough for bands and comedians starting to break through (or big names a little past their prime). 7 SHOPPING ROUNDHOUSE CONCERT VENUE Shopping in Camden Town is all about Map p436 (www.roundhouse.org.uk; Chalk Farm market stalls, Doc Martin boots and Rd, NW1; tChalk Farm) Built as a railway shed secondhand clothes. Islington is great in 1847, this unusual round building be- for antiques, quality vintage clothes and came an arts centre in the 1960s and hosted design objects. many a legendary band before falling into near-dereliction in 1983. Its 21st-century oCAMDEN PASSAGE MARKET ANTIQUES resurrection has been a great success and it now hosts everything from big-name con- Map p434 (www.camdenpassageislington.co.uk; certs to dance, circus, stand-up comedy, po- Camden Passage, N1; h8am-6pm Wed & Sat, etry slam and improvisation sessions. 11am-6pm Sun-Tue, Thu & Fri; tAngel) Not to
253Ca m d e n & N o rth Lo n d o n S h opp i ng WHICH CAMDEN MARKET? Camden Market (p240) comprises four distinct market areas. They tend to sell similar kinds of things (numerous T-shirts with variations on the ‘Keep Calm & Carry On’ theme, for instance), although each has its own specialities and quirks. Stables Market (Map p436; Chalk Farm Rd, NW1; h10am-6pm; tChalk Farm) Connect- ed to the Lock Market, the Stables is the best part of the Camden Market complex, with antiques, Asian artefacts, rugs, retro furniture and clothing. Camden Lock Market (Map p436; www.camdenlockmarket.com; 54-56 Camden Lock Pl, NW1; h10am-6pm; tCamden Town) Right next to the canal lock, this is the original Camden Market, with diverse food stalls, ceramics, furniture, oriental rugs, musical instruments and clothes. Camden Lock Village (Map p436; Chalk Farm Rd, NW1; h10am-6pm; tCamden Town) Stretched along the canal on the opposite side of the road from the Lock Market, this part of Camden Market is lined with stalls selling bric-a-brac. There are controversial plans to turn it into the ‘Borough Market of North London’ as part of a development in- volving the building of offices and 170 apartments in a large building backing the site. Buck Street Market (Map p436; cnr Buck & Camden High Sts, NW1; h9am-5.30pm; tCamden Town) While it bills itself as ‘The Camden Market’, this little covered market isn’t part of the main complex. Stalls sell mainly T-shirts, jewellery and tourist tat. It’s the closest market to the station, but the least interesting. be confused with Camden Market, Camden TWENTYTWENTYONE GIFTS Passage is a pretty cobbled lane in Islington lined with antique stores, vintage clothing Map p434 (www.twentytwentyone.com; 274 Up- boutiques and cafes. Scattered along the lane per St, N1; h10am-6pm; tHighbury & Islington) are four separate market areas devoted to an- Crammed with exceedingly cool, mainly tique curios and whatnots. The main market northern European design objects, this is a days are Wednesday and Sunday. Stallhold- great spot for quirky gifts or high-quality ers know their stuff, so bargains are rare. homewares. A £45 Jan Kochanski dustpan and broom, perhaps? oANNIE’S VINTAGE COSTUME GILL WING GIFTS & TEXTILES VINTAGE Map p434 (www.gillwing.co.uk; 194-195 Upper St, N1; h9am-6pm; tHighbury & Islington) Inhab- Map p434 (www.anniesvintageclothing.co.uk; iting multiple stores on Upper St, Gill Wing 12 Camden Passage, N1; h11am-6pm Sun-Tue, Thu & Fri 8am-6pm Wed & Sat; tAngel) One of sells shoes (at number 192), kitchenware (at 190) and jewellery (at 182), but our favourite London’s most enchanting vintage shops, is its flagship gift shop. It’s basically impos- Annie’s has costumes to make you look like Greta Garbo. Many a famous designer has sible to walk past without doing a double take at the colourful window full of glasses, come here for inspiration, so you might also cards, children’s toys and other eclectic get to do some celebrity spotting. titbits. HARRY POTTER SHOP AT PLATFORM 9¾ CHILDREN EXCLUSIVO FASHION Map p434 (www.harrypotterplatform934.com; Map p433 (2 Flask Walk, NW3; h10.30am-6pm; tHampstead) If you’ve ever dreamed of King’s Cross Station, N1; h8am-10pm; tKing’s owning a pair of Manolo Blahniks or a Puc- Cross St Pancras) Diagon Alley is impossible to find, so if your junior witches and wiz- ci dress but have always balked at the price, Exclusivo might just be your chance. This ards have come to London seeking a wand tiny shop specialises in top-quality second- of their own, apparate the family directly to King’s Cross Station instead. This lit- hand designer garments and accessories, and while prices remain high (£300 for a tle wood-panelled store also stocks jump- dress, for instance), they are a fraction of ers sporting the colours of Hogwarts’ four houses (Gryffindor having pride of place) the original price tag. and assorted merchandise.
254 DILLY-DALLY AT ALLY PALLY Alexandra Palace (www.alexandrapalace.com; Alexandra Palace Way, N22; dAlexandra Palace) Built in 1873 as North London’s answer to Crystal Palace, this grand construc- tion sits high on a hill overlooking the city, surrounded by 196 hectares of parkland. Don’t be fooled into imagining royal connections; ‘Ally Pally’ (as it’s affectionately known) is a people’s palace, used for conferences, exhibitions, festivals and the occa- sional rock gig and club night. Locals come to enjoy the sweeping views, whizz around the indoor ice-skating rink and to fondle veggies at the Sunday farmers market. The building suffered the ignoble fate of burning to the ground only 16 days after opening. Encouraged by attendance figures, investors decided to rebuild and it reopened just two years later. During WWI it housed German prisoners of war and in 1936 was the scene of the world’s first TV transmission – a variety show called Here’s Looking at You. It burned down again in 1980 but was rebuilt for the second time and reopened in 1988. Ca m d e n & N o rth Lo n d o n S ports & A ct i v i t i es HOUSMANS BOOKS guard. Opening times vary with the sea- sons, from 7am or 8am until 3.30pm in Map p434 (www.housmans.com; 5 Caledonian winter and 8.30pm at the height of sum- Rd, N1; h10am-6.30pm Mon-Sat, noon-6pm Sun; mer. The men’s pond is particularly popular tKing’s Cross St Pancras) If you’re searching with gay men and the lawns surrounding for hard-to-find tomes on a progressive, are a prime sunbathing and posing spot radical, pacifist, feminist, socialist or com- whenever the sun’s out. There’s also a nude munist theme, this long-standing, not-for- sunbathing area within the changing-room profit bookshop is your best bet. enclosure. 2 SPORTS & The mixed pond closes in winter. It’s the ACTIVITIES least secluded of the three and can some- times get crowded in summer. LORD’S SPECTATOR SPORT HAMPSTEAD HEATH PONDS SWIMMING (%020-7432 1000; www.lords.org; St John’s Wood Map p433 (Hampstead Heath, NW5; adult/child Rd, NW8; tSt John’s Wood) For cricket devotees £2/1; tHampstead Heath) Set in the midst of the gorgeous heath, Hampstead’s three a trip to Lord’s is often as much a pilgrimage as anything else. As well as being home to bathing ponds (men’s, women’s and mixed) Marylebone Cricket Club, the ground hosts offer a cooling dip in murky brown water. Despite what you might think from its ap- Test matches, one-day internationals and domestic cricket finals. International match- pearance, the water is tested daily and es are usually booked months in advance, meets stringent quality guidelines. The men’s and women’s ponds are open but tickets for county cricket fixtures are reasonably easy to come by. year-round and are supervised by a life-
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 255 Notting Hill & West London NOTTING HILL | WESTBOURNE GROVE | HIGH STREET KENSINGTON | EARL’S COURT | WEST BROMPTON | MAIDA VALE | SHEPHERD’S BUSH | HAMMERSMITH | PADDINGTON | BAYSWATER Neighbourhood Top Five 1 Spending a Saturday 3 Taking a boat trip 5 Cosying up in a front- afternoon browsing the (p258) between Little row double bed with a stalls of Portobello Road Venice and Camden along glass of vino at the Electric Market (p258). Regent’s Canal. Cinema (p265). 2 Sizing up the outra- 4 Raising a glass to Old geous exterior floral cas- Father Thames from the cade of the Churchill Arms terrace of the Dove pub (p264). (p265). e# 0 Shirland Rd Lisson Gve Park Rd 0 1 km 0.5 miles Edgware Harrow Rd Rd Ladbroke Gve way Westway 3# Westbourne Park Rd Harrow Rd 5# NOTTING Bishop's Bridge Rd 1K#ensPionrgttoobneHPlloaIrRkLdRLdWest Inverness Tce PADDINGTON The RingChepstow Rd Praed St Gdns Edgware Rd Sussex Bayswater Rd HPayrdke 00000000 Ladbroke Gve Kensing ton Church St Bayswater Rd Kensington Gardens Holland Park Ave 2# RPoounndd The Serpentine HoPlalraknd KENSINGTON Kensington Rd 000000000000000 KNIGHTSBRIDGE HOLLAND PARK 4# For more detail of this area see Map p438 and p440A
256 Explore: Notting Hill & West London Lonely Planet’s Top Tip Most people come to West London for three reasons: for Portobello Road Market, outstanding dining, or because To make the best of your they’re kipping in one of the area’s choice accommoda- time at Portobello Road tion options. Market, do a one-way cir- cuit between Notting Hill West London is sight-light, but you should allow half a Gate and Ladbroke Rd tube day for Portobello Road Market and another half day to stations. The flow tends walk along the Grand Union Canal towards Little Ven- to go from Notting Hill to ice, maybe with a pint at one of the waterside pubs en Ladbroke Grove, but either route. way works fine. Follow our Notting Hill Walk (p261) for Some excellent restaurant and entertainment options a suggested route. will save those staying in the area from legging it into the West End (although it’s close enough to do so if you 5 Best Places want). For eating, Notting Hill has a great concentration to Eat of good names, but cast your net further and land superb pickings in Hammersmith and Shepherd’s Bush. Notting Hill & West London ¨¨Potli (p262) For nightlife, Notting Hill and Shepherd’s Bush are ¨¨Ledbury (p260) the most vibrant, while Kensington is home to one of the capital’s most unique rooftop clubs. Other areas will ¨¨River Cafe (p263) be pretty quiet once the pubs have rung the 11pm bell. ¨¨Mazi (p260) Local Life ¨¨Kerbisher & Malt ¨Fruit and vegetable markets Although also popular (p262) with tourists, Portobello Road Market (p258) is where many Notting Hill residents shop for their daily For reviews, see p260 A fruit and veg. Another good fruit and veg market is Shepherd’s Bush Market (p262). 6 Best Places ¨Waterside strolling Little Venice (p258) is very to Drink popular at the weekend when families go for a walk along the canal’s towpaths. ¨¨Troubadour (p264) ¨Affordable pampering The Porchester Spa (p267) is ¨¨Windsor Castle (p264) run by Westminster Council and is cheaper than typical ¨¨Churchill Arms (p264) commercial spas. ¨¨Dove (p265) Getting There & Away For reviews, see p263 A ¨Underground The west–east Central Line stops 1 Best Guided at Queensway (Bayswater), Notting Hill Gate and Tours Shepherd’s Bush. For Paddington, Westbourne Grove, and the western end of Shepherd’s Bush, there’s the ¨¨Regent’s Canal (p267) painfully slow Hammersmith & City Line. Earl’s Court and Hammersmith are on the zippy Piccadilly Line. ¨¨Brompton Cemetery ¨Santander Cycles Useful to get from one (p258) neighbourhood to another, with docking stations across West London. ¨¨18 Stafford Terrace (p257) ¨¨Kensal Green Cemetery (p259) For reviews, see p257 A
1 SIGHTS 257 blue and green tiles from Rhodes, Cairo, 1 Notting Hill & Damascus, and Iznik in Turkey. Westbourne Grove A fountain tinkles away in the centre be- MUSEUM OF BRANDS, neath the golden dome; even the wooden latticework of the windows and gallery PACKAGING & ADVERTISING MUSEUM was brought from Damascus. A fireplace upstairs inlaid with Chinese tiles, a stuffed Map p438 (%020-7908 0880; www.museumof- peacock at the foot of the stairs and peacock brands.com; 111-117 Lancaster Rd, W11; adult/ quills in the fireplace amplify the Byzan- child £7.50/3; h10am-6pm Tue-Sat, 11am-5pm tine mood. The house also contains notable Sun; tLadbroke Grove) This recently relo- pre-Raphaelite paintings by Burne-Jones, Watts, Millais and Lord Leighton himself. cated shrine to nostalgia is the brainchild 18 STAFFORD TERRACE HOUSE of consumer historian Robert Opie, who has amassed advertising memorabilia and Map p440 (%Mon-Fri 020-7602 3316, Sat & Sun 020-7938 1295; www.rbkc.gov.uk/subsites/ packaging since the age of 16. There are ear- museums/18staffordterrace1.aspx; 18 Stafford ly Monopoly sets, the first appearances of Mickey Mouse and Disney, a primitive ver- Tce, W8; adult/child £8/3; htours 11.15am & 2.15pm Wed, 11.15am, 1pm, 2.15pm & 3.30pm Sat & sion of Cluedo, Teazie-Weazie powder sham- Sun mid-Sep–mid-Jun; tHigh St Kensington) For- poo, radios, TVs, and ephemera celebrating cultural/consumer icons the Fab Four, Mork merly known as Linley Sambourne House, 18 Stafford Terrace, tucked away behind & Mindy, Star Wars, Star Trek, Buzz Light- Kensington High St, was the home of Punch year, Pokemon et al. An annual ticket is £20. cartoonist and amateur photographer Lin- N ot ti n g H i ll & W e s t Lo n d o n S ights ley Sambourne and his wife Marion from 1875 to 1914. What you see is pretty much 1 High Street Kensington the typical home of a comfortable middle- LEIGHTON HOUSE HOUSE class Victorian family, with dark wood, Turkish carpets and sumptuous stained Map p440 (%Mon-Fri 020-7602 3316, Sat & Sun glass throughout. You can visit some nine 020-7471 9160; www.leightonhouse.co.uk; 12 Holland Park Rd, W14; adult/child £10/6; h10am- rooms, by 90-minute guided tour only. 5.30pm Wed-Mon; tHigh St Kensington) Sitting HOLLAND PARK PARK on a quiet street just west of Holland Park and designed in 1866 by George Aitchison, Map p440 (Ilchester Pl; h7.30am-dusk; tHigh St Kensington, Holland Park) This handsome park Leighton House was home to the epony- divides into dense woodland in the north, mous Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830–96), a painter belonging to the Aesthetic move- spacious and inviting lawns by Holland House, sports fields for the beautiful game ment. The ground floor is served up in an and other exertions in the south, and some Orientalist style, its exquisite Arab Hall added in 1879 and densely covered with lovely gardens, including the restful Kyoto Garden. The park’s many splendid peacocks NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL Every year, for three days during the last weekend of August, Notting Hill echoes to the beats of calypso, ska, reggae and soca sounds of Notting Hill Carnival (www.thelondon- nottinghillcarnival.com). Launched in 1964 by the local Afro-Caribbean community keen to celebrate its culture and traditions, it has grown to become Europe’s largest street festival (over one and a half million visitors in total) and a highlight of the annual calendar in London. The carnival includes events showcasing the five main ‘arts’: the ‘mas’ (derived from masquerade), which is the main costume parade; pan (steel bands); calypso music; static sound systems (anything goes, from reggae, dub, funk and drum and bass); and the mobile sound systems. The ‘mas’ is generally held on the Monday and is the culmination of the carnival’s celebrations. Processions finish around 9pm, although parties in bars, restaurants and seemingly every house in the neighbourhood go on late into the night. Another undisputed highlight of the carnival is the food: there are dozens of Carib- bean food stands and celebrity chefs such as Levi Roots often make an appearance.
258 to August (and two Sundays a month from are a gorgeous sight and an adventure play- September to April) from the South Lodge, ground keeps kids occupied. Holland House near the Fulham Rd entrance. The annual is the venue of Opera Holland Park (p266) summer open day includes rare visits to the in the summer months. catacombs (see www.brompton-cemetery. The former Commonwealth Institute, org.uk for details). just south of the park, is being reinvented as the new Design Museum (p166). 1 Earl’s Court & West 1 Maida Vale Brompton LITTLE VENICE CANAL Map p438 It was Lord Byron who dreamed up this evocative phrase to describe the BROMPTON CEMETERY CEMETERY junction between Regent’s Canal (p246) Map p440 (www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/bromp- and the Grand Union Canal (Map p438), a ton-cemetery; Old Brompton Rd, SW5; tour £6; h8am-dusk; tWest Brompton, Fulham Broad- confluence overseen by beautiful mansions and navigated by colourful narrow boats. way) While this atmospheric 19th-century, The canals go back to the early 19th century 16-hectare boneyard’s most famous denizen is suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, the when the government was trying to develop new transport links across the country. cemetery is fascinating as the possible in- The Grand Union Canal actually finishes spiration for many of Beatrix Potter’s char- acters. A local resident in her youth, Potter up in Birmingham (you can journey much of its entire length by bicycle): horse-drawn may have noted some of the names on head- barges were ideal to carry coal and other N ot ti n g H i ll & W e s t Lo n d o n S ights stones: there’s a Mr Nutkin, Mr McGregor, Jeremiah Fisher, Tommy Brock – even a Pe- bulk commodities such as grain or ice. Lit- tle Venice is an important mooring point ter Rabbet! for narrow boats (many of them permanent The chapel and colonnades at one end are modelled on St Peter’s in Rome. Two-hour homes), which keeps the boating spirit bub- bling away. tours depart at 2pm every Sunday from May PORTOBELLO ROAD MARKET Buzzing Portobello Road Market is an iconic London DON’T MISS... attraction with an eclectic mix of street food, fruit and veg, antiques, curios, collectables, vibrant fashion and ¨¨Fashion market trinkets. Although the shops along Portobello Rd open ¨¨Designers at Porto- daily and the fruit and veg stalls (from Elgin Cres to Talbot bello Green Arcade Rd) only close on Sunday, the busiest day by far is Satur- ¨¨Fruit and veg stalls day, when antique dealers set up shop (from Chepstow ¨¨Antiques market Villas to Elgin Cres). This is also when the fashion market (beneath Westway, from Portobello Rd to Ladbroke Rd) PRACTICALITIES is in full swing – although you can also browse for fashion on Friday and Sunday. ¨¨Map p438, B4 ¨¨www.portobellomar- More upmarket, Portobello Green Arcade (Map ket.org p438; www.portobellodesigners.com; 281 Portobello Rd, W10; ¨¨Portobello Rd, W10 tLadbroke Grove) is home to some cutting-edge clothing ¨¨h8am-6.30pm and jewellery designers. Across the way, Acklam Village Mon-Wed, Fri & Sat, to Market (Map p438; 4-8 Acklam Rd, W10; h11am-5pm Sat & 1pm Thu Sun; tLadbroke Grove) is a popular weekend street-food ¨¨tNotting Hill Gate, market with snacks from across the globe. Ladbroke Grove Continue on Portobello Rd towards Golborne Rd (famous for vintage furniture and clothes shops) and you’ll hit the ‘new goods’ section, with kitchenware, bric- a-brac and more fruit and veg stalls – as well as second- hand goods, despite this being the ‘new-goods’ market.
259N ot ti n g H i ll & W e s t Lo n d o n S ights LAURE PROUVOST French-born, London-living Laure Prouvost won the 2013 Turner Prize for her installa- tion Wantee. We caught up with her to get her angle on London and its art scene. Which art work in London means the most to you and why? That’s tricky as what’s on constant display is quite specific to a kind of art, painting or objects. I often go to screenings that virtually exist for a period of time; the Lux (www. lux.org.uk) is amazing for the film and video development of the artist in London. In terms of what I could see any time...I think The Ambassadors (Hans Holbein the Younger, 1553) in the National Gallery (p89) is always surprising, but also the hidden panels of Sir John Soane’s Museum (p96). I also like the divan (couch or sofa) by Franz West as an active piece of public art at the Whitechapel Gallery (p215). Which art gallery (or galleries) in London do you see as being the most progressive and exciting? I really like Raven Row (www.ravenrow.org), the Whitechapel Gallery, the Showroom (www.theshowroom.org) and the Chisenhale Gallery (www.chisenhale.org.uk), and of course my gallery MOT International (www.motinternational.com). Public art in London – any good? Generally not great, but excellent to come across the John Latham book emerging from his Flat Time House (www.flattimeho.org.uk) in Peckham. There are also tempo- rary big productions and sometimes protest banners in front of Big Ben. The Fourth Plinth (p105) is what I can think of in terms of public art (the quality varies I think, but that’s maybe for the best). When you down your artist’s materials at the end of the day, what’s your choice for dinner? Cooking eggs from the chicken in my studio, making a big omelette and a shot of vodka in our cold studio with raspberries for desserts… Or I might go to dinner at St John (p202) or Koya (p112) for Japanese noodles or just a simple Lahmacun Turkish Pizza at Mangal Ocakbasi (p223) on Arcola St. 1 Shepherd’s Bush Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery (www. kensalgreen.co.uk). Some of these tours also KENSAL GREEN CEMETERY CEMETERY visit the catacombs beneath the Anglican Chapel. The cemetery is laid out alongside (www.kensalgreencemetery.com; Harrow Rd, W10; the Grand Union Canal, which makes for tours £7; h9am-5pm Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun, to splendid walks alongside the water. 6pm Sun in summer; tKensal Green) For many years the most fashionable necropolis in England (you wouldn’t be seen dead any- 1 Hammersmith where else), Kensal Green Cemetery accept- ed its first occupants in 1833, and the Gothic WILLIAM MORRIS SOCIETY MUSEUM boneyard is the final resting place of many il- Map p440 (%020-8741 3735; www.williammor- rissociety.org; 26 Upper Mall, W6; h2-5pm Thu & lustrious names, including Charles Babbage, Sat; tRavenscourt Park) F Tucked away in Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Wilkie Collins, Anthony Trollope, William Makepeace the coach house and basement of Kelmscott House (William Morris’ former home), this Thackeray, Baden Powell and the almost small riverside museum stages temporary ex- comically named Dr Albert Isaiah Coffin. Supposedly based on the Cimetière du hibitions on all things William Morris. There’s a downstairs shop (with a fireplace designed Père-Lachaise in Paris, the cemetery is dis- by Morris) and a still-working printing press tinguished by its Greek Revival architec- ture, arched entrances and the outrageously (demonstrations given on Saturdays). Short films on Morris and the house are ornate tombs that bear testimony to 19th- run and you can also access a small part of century delusions of grandeur. Two-hour tours of the cemetery are offered on Sundays the garden, although the rest of the house and the main garden are out of bounds for at 2pm (from March to October; first and most of the year. third Sundays per month other times) by the
260 Wed-Sun, 6.30-10.30pm Mon & Tue & 6.30-11pm Wed-Sun; tNotting Hill Gate) Mazi has shaken 5 EATING up the Greek tradition along pretty Hillgate St, concocting a lively menu of modern and 5 Notting Hill & innovative (many of sharing size) platters in Westbourne Grove a bright and neat setting, with a small back garden (for summer months) and an all- ARANCINA ITALIAN £ Greek wine list. It’s both small and popular, so reservations are important. Map p438 (www.arancina.co.uk; 19 Pembridge Rd, W11; mains £2.80-24; h8am-11pm Mon-Sat, 9am- 11pm Sun; tNotting Hill Gate) Arancina always has a scrum of people around it thanks to oGEALES SEAFOOD ££ the whiff of freshly baked pizza, Sicilian Map p438 (%020-7727 7528; www.geales. com; 2 Farmer St, W8; 2-/3-course express lunch snacks and the cut-out orange Fiat 500 in £9.95/12.95, mains £8.50-22.95; hnoon-3pm Tue- the window. Try the arancine (fried balls of rice with fillings; £2.80), the creamy des- Fri, 6-10.30pm Mon-Fri, noon-10.30pm Sat, noon- 9.30pm Sun; tNotting Hill Gate) Frying since serts known as cannolo siciliano (£2.80) 1939, Geales enjoys a quiet location, tucked or a slice of perfect pizza. There’s another branch not far away at 19 Westbourne Grove. away on the corner of Hillgate Village. The succulent fish in crispy batter is a fine catch from a menu which also runs to other British TAQUERÍA MEXICAN £ faves such as pork belly with apple sauce and Map p438 (www.taqueria.co.uk; 139-143 West- crackling, and beef and bacon pie. Look out bourne Grove; tacos £5-7.50; hnoon-11pm Mon- Thu, to 11.30pm Fri & Sat, to 10.30pm Sun; W; for the good-value express lunch. N ot ti n g H i ll & W e s t Lo n d o n E ating tNotting Hill Gate) S You won’t find fresher, ELECTRIC DINER AMERICAN ££ limper (they’re not supposed to be crispy!) tacos anywhere in London because these Map p438 (www.electricdiner.com; 191 Portobello Rd, W11; mains from £8-19; h8am-midnight Mon- ones are made on the premises. Refur- Thu, to 1am Fri-Sun; W; tLadbroke Grove) This bished in 2015, it’s a small casual place with a great vibe. Taquería is also a committed slender American-style diner has a long counter and red-leather booths, to am- environmental establishment: the eggs, plify cinematic associations with the adja- chicken and pork are free-range, the meat British, the fish MSC-certified and the milk cent movie theatre. The French-American menu’s breakfasts, burgers, steak frites, hot and cream organic. dogs, knickerbocker glories and apple crum- CHURCHILL THAI KITCHEN THAI £ bles are delicious, backed up by a notewor- thy catalogue of draught and bottled beers. Map p440 (%020-7792 1246; www.churchillarms kensington.co.uk; 119 Kensington Church St, W8; mains £8.50; hnoon-10pm Mon-Sat, noon- E&O ASIAN ££ 9.30pm Sun; W; tNotting Hill Gate) Tucked Map p438 (www.rickerrestaurants.com/e-and-o/; 14 Blenheim Cres; mains £11-33; hnoon-3pm & away inside the Churchill Arms’ conserva- 6-11pm Mon-Fri, noon-11pm Sat, 12.30-10.30pm tory (p264), this restaurant has been cook- ing up excellent and highly affordable Thai Sun; W; tLadbroke Grove) This Notting Hill hot spot offers Asian fusion fare presented cuisine for more than 15 years. With one of as artfully as elaborate origami. The decor London’s most distinctive pubs attached, you can just wander in with your pint and is equally attractive: black-and-white mini- malist. You can do dim sum (£3.50 to £8) sit down to dine. at the bar if no tables are available in the FISH HOUSE FISH & CHIPS £ evening (it gets busy). Map p438 (29 Pembridge Rd; mains £7-14; oLEDBURY FRENCH £££ h11.30am-10pm; tNotting Hill Gate) This well- placed chippie en route to Portobello Rd is Map p438 (%020-7792 9090; www.theledbury. com; 127 Ledbury Rd, W11; 4-course set lunch £50, frequently stuffed to the gills: all fresh fish, 4-course dinner £95; hnoon-2pm Wed-Sun & light and crispy batter, fine chips, jostling elbows and sunny service. 6.30-9.45pm daily; W; tWestbourne Park, Not- ting Hill Gate) Two Michelin stars and swoon- ingly elegant, Brett Graham’s artful French oMAZI GREEK ££ restaurant attracts well-heeled diners in Map p438 (%020-7229 3794; www.mazi.co.uk; jeans with designer jackets. Dishes – such 12-14 Hillgate St, W8; mains £10-26; hnoon-3pm
261 Tavistock Rd Westbourne ' e€ # 0 500 m 0 0.25 miles Westway #11Portobello Rd Park Rd Westbourne Park Rd ¥# Lancaster Rd Talbot Rd Chepstow Rd Ladbroke #10 Grove Kensington Colville RdColville Tce Westbourne Gve &~#9 Park #8 LLGSaoDaqdneru#bsTdn6cardbeoeraniegk#l#Ksehe75ePRnodsWriNtnoegObstHetoTblnlIoToCLPhRuILaeNdrprnksG#teRo4wGdVviellas Rd Denbigh Rd Pembridge Villas BAYSWATER Ladbroke Gve L Pembridge Rd ansdowne Rd Notting Hill Gate Bayswater Rd Clarendon Kensington Ladbroke Rd #3 Gate Hill Gardens Rd Notting ¥# Farmer St #2 Holland Park Ave UxHbilrligdagteeSStKtens#in1gton Pl KCenhsuirncghtoSnt KENSINGTON 22Neighbourhood Walk Notting Hill START NOTTING HILL GATE STATION sand-coloured 6St Peter’s Church to the END PORTOBELLO GREEN ARCADE LENGTH 1.5 MILES; TWO HOURS west on the far side of Portobello Rd. Continue along Portobello Rd and turn From Notting Hill Gate tube station, leave the south side exit and take a left down right down Lonsdale Rd to the absorbing Farmer St into 1Hillgate Village, with its 7Museum of Brands, Packaging and picture-postcard painted houses. Callcott Advertising (p257), stuffed away down St is particularly photogenic. Loop back Colville Mews. Backtrack to Portobello Rd around and leave Hillgate St by the iconic and note the 8shop named ‘Notting Hill’ 2Coronet (p265) cinema featured in the at No 142 on your right: the bookshop of rom-com Notting Hill. Turn right and cross at William Thacker (Hugh Grant) in the epony- the lights to the junction with Pembridge Rd; mous film (now a clothes and shoe shop). the tollgate – the ‘gate’ of Notting Hill Gate – Further along Portobello Rd, stop outside once stood here. the historic 9Electric Cinema (p265); Along Pembridge Rd, at the junction with Kensington Park Rd, was once the main observe the tiling by the pavement that says ‘Electric House’ and pop in to take a gander entrance to the huge 19th-century 3Hippo at the classic interior. Down further, cross Westbourne Park Rd, named after the River drome. The Hippodrome vanished in the Westbourne, one of London’s underground 1840s, although its layout survives in the road contours to the west. Bend into Portobello Rd rivers. The blue front door at a280 West and note the blue plaque high at 4No 22, bourne Park Rd, William Thacker’s flat in the film Notting Hill, still attracts devotees. commemorating George Orwell who lived here. Keep walking along Portobello Rd and At b Portobello Green Arcade pop into charming 5Denbigh Terrace, with (p258), stop to browse a clutch of invigor- ating designer clothes shops and quirky its pastel-coloured houses. Note the steeple of boutiques. Ladbroke Grove tube station is a short walk west.
262 & 4.30-10pm Tue-Thu, noon-10pm Fri & Sat, to 9pm as Herdwick lamb with salt baked turnips, ewe’s milk and garlic shoots, or flame- Sun; W; tHammersmith) S Every day save grilled mackerel with pickled cucumber, Monday is Fry Day at popular, peacock-blue- celtic mustard and shiso – are triumphant. fronted Kerbisher & Malt, where the sustain- London gastronomes have the Ledbury on ably sourced, delectable, battered-or-grilled speed-dial, so reservations are crucial. coley, haddock, pollock, cod and plaice has made waves. Served in a box to go, the chip 5 Shepherd’s Bush & butties (£2) and tasty double-fried chips (£2) Hammersmith are all good news, while white-tile walls and chunky wooden tables cast Kerbisher & Malt oPOTLI INDIAN £ as a no-nonsense, but handsome, chippie. Map p440 (www.potli.co.uk; 319-321 King St, W6; TOSA JAPANESE £ weekday 1-/2-course set lunch £6.95/9.95, mains Map p440 (www.tosauk.com; 332 King St, W6; £7-13.50; hnoon-2.45pm Mon-Sat, noon-10.30pm mains from £5; h12.30-2.30pm & 6-11pm; Sun, 6-10.30pm Mon-Thu, to 11pm Fri & Sat; W; tStamford Brook) With a welcoming flaming tStamford Brook, Ravenscourt Park) With its charcoal grill brightening its window, this scattered pieces from Mumbai’s Thieves Mar- simple, casual yet pretty-and-precise Japa- ket, Indian market kitchen/bazaar cuisine, nese restaurant fixes its focus on smaller home-made pickles and spice mixes, plus an dishes, as well as delectable meat skewers, accent on genuine flavour, tantalising Potli including scrummy yakitori (grilled chick- deftly captures the aromas of its culinary en) and asparamaki (pork and aubergine) home. Downstairs there’s an open kitchen skewers, and noodles. N ot ti n g H i ll & W e s t Lo n d o n E ating and service is very friendly, but it’s the allur- ing menu – where flavours are teased into a BUSH THEATRE CAFE & BAR CAFE £ rich and fully authentic India culinary expe- Map p440 (www.bushtheatre.co.uk; 7 Uxbridge Rd; mains from £2.50; h9am-11pm Mon-Fri, 11am-11pm rience – that’s the real crowd-pleaser. Sat; W; tShepherd’s Bush Market) Tread the The paneer shaslik (Indian cottage cheese, caramelised onions and peppers) is a delecta- bare wood floorboards of this roomy cafe in this erstwhile library, and grab a paperback ble intro, while the Kerala fish curry, with its play or two from the dense collection stuffed mild yet full-flavoured accents, is a sublime choice, but the menu is a success throughout. onto shelves. This is a great place to grab a brekkie, sink a draught beer, hang out for pre- oKERBISHER & MALT theatre snacking or for just taking time out FISH & CHIPS £ from the vehicular din of Shepherd’s Bush. Map p440 (www.kerbisher.co.uk; 164 Shepherd’s Bush Rd, W6; mains £5.90-6.90; hnoon-2.30pm A COOKE’S BRITISH £ Map p440 (www.cookespieandmash.com; 48 Goldhawk Rd; mains from £4; h10.30am-4.30pm SHEPHERD’S BUSH MARKET Mon-Wed & Sat, to 4pm Thu & Fri; tGoldhawk Rd) Fenced in by the ethnic flavours of Shep- Shepherd’s Bush Market (Map herd’s Bush, rock-solid A Cooke’s has been p440; h9.30am-5pm Mon-Wed, Fri serving London pie and mash since the & Sat, to 1pm Thu) This fruit and veg twilight years of Queen Vic’s reign. The en- market stretches underneath the vironment: moulded plastic furniture and Hammersmith & City and Circle Lines Queens Park Rangers football banners. The between Goldhawk Rd and Shepherd’s food: honest, good-value and out-and-out Bush tube stations. Popular with local London pie and mash. A Cooke’s made a African and Afro-Caribbean commu- crucial cameo appearance in cult mod flick nities, it’s stockpiled with mangoes, Quadrophenia. passionfruit, okra, plantains, sweet Served in a jiffy and consumed with potatoes and other exotic fare. A spoon and fork, a single pie and mash in regeneration of the market has long a bowl with parsley liquor is £4, eels and been waiting in the wings, but has yet mash will set you back £6. The shop is due to kick off. to be sold to make way for the proposed development of adjacent Shepherd’s Bush Mr Falafel (www.mrfalafel.co.uk; Market, but at the time of writing was still Units T4-T5; falafel from £3; 11am-6pm open for business. Mon-Sat) is the place for Palestinian falafel wraps, done to a turn.
263 PRINCESS VICTORIA GASTROPUB ££ 5 Paddington & Bayswater Map p440 (www.princessvictoria.co.uk; 217 Ux- bridge Rd, W12; mains £13.50-17.50, weekday 2-course lunch £12.50; h11.30am-midnight Mon- COUSCOUS CAFÉ MOROCCAN ££ Sat, to 11pm Sun; W; g207, 607, tShepherd’s Map p438 (7 Porchester Gardens, W2; mains £9.95-15.95; hnoon-11.30pm; tBayswater) Bush Market) This imposing former Victori- This tiny, cosy and vividly decorated base- an gin palace is a quality boozer with ample elbow space. Grandly restored, the roomy ment place excels in Moroccan-style cous- cous and tagines (spicy stews cooked in an interior soaks up pretty much any hubbub earthenware dish), pastillas (filled savoury thrown at it. The menu is a gastronomic triumph, wine-lovers are in clover with a pastries), brochettes (grilled meat skewers) and slightly exaggerated service. Alcohol is strong selection and at the rear is a walled served or you can BYO (no corkage fee). herb garden. GATE VEGETARIAN ££ Map p440 (%020-8748 6932; http://thegate 6 DRINKING & restaurants.com/hammersmith.php; 51 Queen NIGHTLIFE Caroline St, W6; mains £13-15; hnoon-2.30pm Mon-Fri, noon-3pm Sat & Sun, 6-10.30pm daily; v; tHammersmith) One of London’s best vege- tarian restaurants, this good-looking eatery 6 Notting Hill & could do with better feng shui (behind the Westbourne Grove Hammersmith Apollo, off Hammersmith flyover), but the inventive menu (pan-fried N ot ti n g H i ll & W e s t Lo n d o n D rinking & N ightlife EARL OF LONSDALE PUB broccoli-flower ravioli, aubergine schnitzel), Map p438 (277-281 Portobello Rd, W11; hnoon- great weekend brunches, welcoming staff, 11pm Mon-Fri, 10am-11pm Sat, noon-10.30pm Sun; and relaxed atmosphere make the trek here tNotting Hill Gate, Ladbroke Grove) Named worthwhile. Bookings are crucial. after the bon vivant founder of the AA (Au- tomobile Association, not Alcoholics Anony- SHIKUMEN CHINESE ££ mous), the Earl is peaceful during the day, Map p440 (%020-8749 9978; www.shikumen. with a mixture of old biddies and young co.uk; Dorsett Hotel, 58 Shepherd’s Bush Green, W12; mains £8.50-19.50; hnoon-11pm Mon-Sat, hipsters inhabiting the reintroduced snugs. There are Samuel Smith’s ales, a fantastic 11.30am-11pm Sun; tShepherd’s Bush) Named backroom with sofas, banquettes, open fires after the delightful Sino-European–styled stone gateways that line the lǐlòng lanes and a magnificent beer garden. Note the occasional bricked-in windows of Shanghai, Shikumen (pronounced shh- – a tax on windows introduced in 1696, re- koo-murn) serves up an eclectic range of Chinese dishes that darts about the China sulted in windows being bricked in to avoid payment. culinary map, from Peking duck to Sìchuān hot-and-sour soup, salted and smoked BEACH BLANKET BABYLON BAR hakka-s tyle corn-fed chicken and Cantonese Map p438 (www.beachblanket.co.uk; 45 Ledbury dim sum. The food is excellent, but service Rd, W11; h6pm-midnight Mon, noon-midnight can be slack. Tue-Fri, 10am-midnight Sat & Sun; W; tNotting Hill Gate) This buzzing bar, decorated in RIVER CAFE ITALIAN £££ baroque and rococo styles, is the place for Map p440 (%020-7386 4200; www.rivercafe. a decadent night out. Famed for celebrity co.uk; Rainville Rd, Thames Wharf, W6; mains from £18; h12.30-2.30pm & 7-9pm Mon-Sat, noon- sightings, it’s a hang-out for the moneyed set of the royal boroughs. 3pm Sun; W; tHammersmith) The Thames- side name that spawned the world-famous PORTOBELLO STAR COCKTAIL BAR eponymous cookery books offers simple, Map p438 (%020-3540 7781; www.portobellostar- precise cooking that showcases seasonal in- bar.co.uk; 171 Portobello Rd, W11; cocktails from £6; gredients sourced with fanatical expertise; h11am-11.30pm Sun-Thu, to 12.30am Fri & Sat; W; the menus change daily. Booking is essen- tLadbroke Grove) Gin (and excellent cocktails) tial, as it’s Michelin-starred and a favourite is the name of the game at the Portobello Star, of cashed-up local gastronomes. a former pub given a refreshing makeover into a nifty, narrow cocktail bar. Upstairs
264 WINDSOR CASTLE PUB is The Ginstitute, a fascinating experience (£100) that includes a cocktail reception, a Map p440 (www.thewindsorcastlekensington. gin lecture, a 70cl bottle of Portobello Road co.uk; 114 Campden Hill Rd, W11; hnoon-11pm No 171 gin and a 70cl bottle of your personally Mon-Sat, to 10.30pm Sun; W; tNotting Hill Gate) devised gin blend (and legs of rubber). A classic tavern on the brow of Campden Hill Rd, this place has history, nooks and charm NOTTING HILL ARTS CLUB CLUB on tap. It’s worth the search for its historic Map p438 (www.nottinghillartsclub.com; 21 Not- compartmentalised interior, roaring fire (in ting Hill Gate, W11; h6pm-late Mon-Fri, 4pm-late Sat & Sun; W; tNotting Hill Gate) London sim- winter), delightful beer garden (in summer) and affable regulars (most always). Accord- ply wouldn’t be what it is without places ing to legend, the bones of Thomas Paine like NHAC. Cultivating the underground music scene, this small basement club at- (author of Rights of Man) are in the cellar. In the old days, Windsor Castle was vis- tracts a musically curious and experimen- ible from the pub, hence the name. tal crowd. Dress code: no suits and ties. CHURCHILL ARMS PUB UNION TAVERN PUB Map p440 (www.churchillarmskensington.co.uk; Map p438 (www.union-tavern.co.uk; 45 Woodfield 119 Kensington Church St, W8; h11am-11pm Mon- Rd, W9; hnoon-11pm Mon-Thu, to midnight Fri & Sat, to 10.30pm Sun; W; tWestbourne Park) With Wed, to midnight Thu-Sat, noon-10.30pm Sun; W; tNotting Hill Gate) With its cascade of gera- just the right mix of shiny gastropub, rough- niums and Union Jack flags swaying in the and-ready local appeal, a good location on the Grand Union Canal (with waterside terrace) breeze, the Churchill Arms is quite a sight on Kensington Church St. Renowned for its N ot ti n g H i ll & W e s t Lo n d o n D rinking & N ightlife and a strong selection of craft beers, this pub Winston memorabilia and dozens of knick- is a great choice for a pint or two on your way to or from Portobello Road Market. knacks on the walls, the pub is a favourite of both locals and tourists. The attached Churchill Thai Kitchen (p260) in the con- servatory serves excellent Thai food. 6 High Street Kensington 6 Earl’s Court & West oKENSINGTON ROOF GARDENS CLUB Brompton Map p440 (www.roofgardens.virgin.com; 99 oTROUBADOUR BAR Kensington High St, W8; hclub 10pm-3am Fri & Sat, garden 9am-5pm; W; tHigh St Kensington) Map p440 (www.troubadour.co.uk; 263-267 Atop the former Derry and Toms building Old Brompton Rd, SW5; h9am-midnight; W; high above Kensington High St is this en- tEarl’s Court) On a compatible spiritual chanting venue – a nightclub with 0.6 hec- plane to Paris’ Shakespeare and Company tares of gardens and resident flamingos. Bookshop, this eccentric, time-warped The wow-factor comes at a premium: entry and convivial boho bar/cafe has been ser- is £20 (£25 from May to September), you enading drinkers since the 1950s. (Deep must register on the guest list (http://gls. breath) Adele, Paolo Nutini, Joni Mitchell roofgardens.com/) before going and drinks and (deeper breath) Jimi Hendrix and Bob are £10 a pop. Dress to impress. Dylan have performed here, and there’s still live music (folk, blues) most nights and a There are three different gardens (dat- large, pleasant garden open in summer. ing from 1938): the stunningly beautiful You’ll be spoilt for choice with the wine Spanish gardens inspired by the Alhambra list – Troubadour runs a wine club and has in Granada; the Tudor gardens, all nooks, a wine shop (strong showing of Argentin- crannies and fragrant flowers; and the ian wines) next door. The club is open from Woodlands gardens, home to ancient trees 8pm (Tuesday to Saturday) but don’t expect and four flamingos. table reservations. The gardens can be visited year round by ATLAS PUB the public, free of charge (although they are often hired out for private parties, so phone Map p440 (www.theatlaspub.co.uk; 16 Seagrave ahead to check); they have their own bars Rd, SW6; hnoon-11pm Mon-Sat, to 10.30pm Sun; and often host live bands. The indoor part is W; tWest Brompton) A garrulous hubbub the club proper where commercial dance mu- frequently spilling from its ivy-clad and sic keeps the crowd of young socialites boog- ying until the early hours. Enter on Derry St.
port-coloured facade, this Victorian-era pub 265 tempts locals, visitors, foodies and drinkers tion, and it’s hard to imagine a better place to alike with a delicious wood-panelled interi- while away a weekend afternoon. or, a winning Mediterranean menu, a lovely side courtyard and a fine range of beers and 6 Hammersmith wines. DOVE PUB 6 Maida Vale Map p440 (%020-8748 9474; www.dovehammer- smith.co.uk; 19 Upper Mall, W6; h11am-11pm Mon- Sat, noon-10.30pm Sun; W; tHammersmith, Ravenscourt Park) Severely inundated by the WARRINGTON PUB Map p438 (www.faucetinn.com/warrington; 93 epic floodwaters of 1928, this gem of a 17th- Warrington Cres, W9; h8am-11pm Mon-Thu, to century Fuller’s pub revels in historic charm midnight Fri & Sat, to 10.30pm Sun; W; tWarwick and superb Thames views. Scottish poet Ave, Maida Vale) Flung up in 1857, this former James Thompson was reputedly inspired to high-end brothel is an ornate, art-nouveau write the lyrics to ‘Rule Britannia’ here in feast of a pub, with mosaic floors, pillared the 18th century. It was Graham Greene’s lo- portico and heaps of style. The huge saloon cal, Hemingway and Dylan Thomas drank bar, dominated by a marble-topped hemi- here, too, and William Morris lived nearby. spherical counter with a carved mahogany To your right as you walk in is what was base and a vast stained-glass window by once listed as the smallest bar in London. Tiffany, is a fabulous place to sample a If the sun comes out, fight for a spot on the range of four real ales. lovely terrace (forget it on Boat Race day) and Other alluring details include the impos- in winter, warm your toes by the open fire. ing marble fireplace, eye-catching ceiling N ot ti n g H i ll & W e s t Lo n d o n D rinking & N ightlife and magnificent porch. There’s outside OLD SHIP W6 PUB seating for al fresco drinking and five bed- Map p440 (www.oldshipw6.co.uk; 25 Upper Mall, W6; h11am-11pm Mon-Thu, 11am-midnight Fri, rooms (four-poster beds, roll-top baths), for 9am-midnight Sat, 9am-11pm Sun; W; tRaven- overnight stays. scourt Park, Stamford Brook) With a ceiling decorated with sculls and oars, and walls WATERWAY BAR Map p438 (www.thewaterway.co.uk; 54 Formosa St, hung with nautical prints, the Old Ship W9; h11am-11pm Mon-Fri, 10am-11pm Sat, 10am- and its shiny, buttoned-leather sofas would 10.30pm Sun; W; tWarwick Ave) Don’t come hardly merit a diversion but for its terrific here for the selection of beer or ales or the waterside perch, which guarantees superb expensive nosh; this place, hard by the Grand al fresco Thames views from the balcony Union Canal in Little Venice, is all about loca- upstairs or the ground-floor terrace. INDIE CINEMAS If you love cinema, you’re in for a treat with West London’s quirky picture houses. Q&A events with directors, sofas (beds, even), alcoholic drinks permitted (nay, en- couraged), and much more, this is how cinema should be. Tickets are slightly more expensive than run-of-the-mill movie houses. The magnificent Coronet (Map p438; www.the-print-room.org; 103 Notting Hill Gate, W8; tNotting Hill Gate) is not currently run- ning as a cinema, but as a fringe theatre, with a long-term restoration programme of its fantastic auditorium currently under way. Electric Cinema (Map p438; %020-7908 9696; www.electriccinema.co.uk; 191 Portobello Rd, W11; tickets £8-22.50; tLadbroke Grove) Having notched up its first centenary a few years back, the Electric is one of the UK’s oldest cinemas, updated. Avail yourself of the luxurious leather armchairs, sofas, footstools and tables for food and drink in the audito- rium, or select one of the six front-row double beds! Tickets are cheapest on Mondays. Gate Picturehouse (Map p438; %0871 902 5731; www.picturehouses.co.uk; 87 Notting Hill Gate, W1; tickets £8.60-12.60; tNotting Hill Gate) The Gate’s single screen has one of London’s most charming art-deco cinema interiors, with director Q&As and a wealth of cinema clubs, including the E4 Slackers Club (students) and Silver Screen (over- 60s). Cheapest tickets are on Mondays.
266 the middle of Holland Park (p257) for a mix of Dating to the 18th century, the pub is crowd pleasers and rare (even obscure) works. Six operas are generally performed each year. wall-to-wall with spectators during the an- nual Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. 3 ENTERTAINMENT RIVERSIDE STUDIOS PERFORMING ARTS Map p440 (www.riversidestudios.co.uk; Crisp Rd, W6; tHammersmith) The Riverside hosts an eclectic mix of performing arts, from circus O2 SHEPHERD’S BUSH to theatre and comedy, and also doubles as EMPIRE CONCERT VENUE an art-house cinema. There’s a popular res- Map p440 (www.o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk; taurant and bar to hand, with terrace views Shepherd’s Bush Green, W12; tShepherd’s Bush) Top acts (such as Mumford & Sons, Muse) of the Thames and Hammersmith Bridge. and back catalogue giants (Dead Kenne- dys, Marc Almond) get the crowds fired up in this famous midsized venue (capacity is 7 SHOPPING 2000). The downer is the fact that the floor doesn’t slope, so if you’re not so tall, you may CERAMICA BLUE HOMEWARES not get much of a view from up the back in Map p438 (www.ceramicablue.co.uk; 10 Blenheim Cres, W11; h10am-6.30pm Mon-Sat, noon-5pm the stalls – it’s worth paying for the balcony. Sun; i; tLadbroke Grove) A lovely spot for LYRIC HAMMERSMITH THEATRE colourful, eclectic and handsome crockery, Map p440 (%020-8741 6850; www.lyric.co.uk; imported from more than a dozen coun- King St, Lyric Sq, W6; tHammersmith) An ex- tries. There are Japanese eggshell-glaze N ot ti n g H i ll & W e s t Lo n d o n E ntertainment cellent venue that turns classics on their teacups, serving plates with tribal South head, the Lyric stages a stimulating choice African designs, gorgeous table cloths from of productions from the highbrow to more Provence and much more. accessible theatre. LUTYENS & RUBINSTEIN BOOKS BUSH THEATRE THEATRE Map p438 (www.lutyensrubinstein.co.uk; 21 Kens- Map p440 (www.bushtheatre.co.uk; 7 Uxbridge Rd, ington Park Rd, W11; h10am-6pm Mon, 10am- W12; tShepherd’s Bush) This rehoused West 6.30pm Tue-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat, 11am-5pm Sun; London theatre is renowned for encouraging tLadbroke Grove) Lutyens & Rubinstein is a new talent. Its success over the past three fantastic, albeit compact bookshop. Estab- decades is down to strong writing from the lished by a company of literary agents, the likes of Jonathan Harvey, Conor McPherson, focus is on ‘excellence in writing’, as deter- Stephen Poliakoff and Mark Ravenhill. mined by customers and readers, so every book comes recommended. OPERA HOLLAND PARK OPERA Map p440 (www.operahollandpark.com; Holland NOTTING HILL BOOKSHOP BOOKS Park, W8; tHigh St Kensington, Holland Park) Sit Map p438 (www.thenottinghillbookshop.co.uk; under the 800-seat canopy, temporarily erect- 13 Blenheim Cres; h9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 8.30am- ed every summer for a nine-week season in 7pm Sat, 10am-6pm Sun; tLadbroke Grove) Still milking every last drop as the inspira- tion behind the bookshop in Hugh Grant’s and Julia Robert’s monster rom-com, the WESTFIELD SHOPPING CENTRE former Travel Bookshop was repackaged a few years ago as a more general bookshop. Westfield (Map p440; http:// The new guise did little to staunch the flow uk.westfield.com/london; Ariel Way, W12; of pilgrims who pose outside for snaps. An h10am-10pm Mon-Sat, noon-6pm Sun; understandable accent on travel books en- tWood Lane) With a humongous cousin dures, but fiction provides equilibrium and in Stratford (and one tipped for Croy- there’s a strong children’s section at the rear. don), this gigantic recession-busting shopping mecca was London’s first BOOKS FOR COOKS BOOKS mall. As well as the 380-odd shops that reside here (all franchises), Westfield Map p438 (%020-7221 1992; www.booksforcooks. has a raft of eateries (again, chains com; 4 Blenheim Cres, W11; h10am-6pm Tue-Sat; only), bars, a cinema, and regular tLadbroke Grove) All the recipe books from events, from fashion shows to book celeb and nonceleb chefs you can imagine signings.
are sold here – perfect for more adventurous 267 cooks or for those looking for ‘exotic’ cook- for new items so there’s always new litera- books. The cafe has a test kitchen where you ture turning up and bargains await. can sample recipes at lunch and teatime. HONEST JON’S MUSIC Map p438 (%020-8969 9822; www.honestjons. com; 278 Portobello Rd, W10; h10am-6pm Mon- RELLIK VINTAGE Map p438 (www.relliklondon.co.uk; 8 Golborne Rd; Sat, 11am-5pm Sun; tLadbroke Grove) Selling h10am-6pm Tue-Sat; tWestbourne Park) Incon- old-school reggae, jazz, funk, soul, dance gruously located opposite one of London’s and blues vinyl to Notting Hill’s musical pur- most notorious tower blocks – the god-awful- ists since 1974, with a large volume of CDs. yet-heritage-listed concrete Trellick Tower – Rellik is a fashionista-favourite retro store. It stocks vintage numbers from the 1920s to the 1980s and, rummaging among the frippery, 2 SPORTS & it’s not unusual to find an Yves Saint-Laurent ACTIVITIES coat, a Chloe suit or an Ossie Clark dress. oLONDON WATERBUS COMPANY CRUISE RETRO WOMAN VINTAGE Map p438 (%020-7482 2550; www.londonwater- Map p438 (www.mgeshops.com; 20 Pembridge bus.co.uk; 58 Camden Lock Pl, NW1; adult/child Rd, W11; h10am-8pm; tNotting Hill Gate) More one way £8.30/6.80, return £12/9.80; hhourly secondhand than vintage, but very popular, 10am-5pm Apr-Sep; tWarwick Ave, Camden Retro Woman has racks upon racks of hand- Town) This enclosed barge runs enjoyable me-down fashion and big-name designer 50-minute trips on Regent’s Canal between goodies, including an astonishing selection Little Venice and Camden Lock, passing by N ot ti n g H i ll & W e s t Lo n d o n S ports & A ctivities of shoes (of Imelda Marcos proportions). Regent’s Park and stopping at London Zoo. There’s another branch a bit further along There are fewer departures outside high Pembridge Rd, at No 32. season – check the website for schedules. ORSINI VINTAGE QUEENS ICE & BOWL SKATING Map p440 (76 Earl’s Court Rd, W8; h10.30am-6pm Map p438 (%020-7229 0172; www.queensiceand- bowl.co.uk; 17 Queensway; adult/child £10.50/10, Mon-Sat, noon-5pm Sun; tEarl’s Court) One of skate hire £3; h10am-6.45pm & 8-10.45pm the most appealing women’s vintage design- er collections in town, Orsini is very small, daily, children’s classes 4.45-5.30pm Tue & Thu; tQueensway) London may have a generous but worth the effort to get to if you’re looking crop of winter-month outdoor ice rinks, but for a gem. Alterations are available in-store. Queen’s Ice Rink in Queensway is open all MUSIC year. A great hit with novices and ice-skaters ROUGH TRADE WEST Map p438 (%020-7229 8541; www.roughtrade. of all ages, the rink has been sending genera- com/pages/about; 130 Talbot Rd, W11; h10am- 6.30pm Mon-Sat, 11am-5pm Sun; tLadbroke tions of youngsters and adults, arms whirl- ing, around its rink for decades. There’s a Grove) With its underground, alternative fun tenpin bowling alley (10am to 11pm, and vintage rarities, this home of the epon- ymous punk-music label remains a haven £7.50 per person per game) right alongside. for vinyl junkies. PORCHESTER SPA SPA BOOKS Map p438 (Porchester Centre, Queensway, W2; BOOK & COMIC EXCHANGE admission £28; h10am-10pm; tBayswater, Royal Map p438 (www.mgeshops.com; 14 Pembridge Oak) Housed in a gorgeous, art-deco building, Rd; h10am-8pm; tNotting Hill Gate) Stuffed with surprises, this shop is inundated with the Porchester is a no-frills spa run by West- minster Council. With a 30m swimming pool, early issues of Superboy, Batman, Justice a large Finnish-log sauna, two steam rooms, League, the Flash, the Hulk, Spiderman, the Silver Surfer and a host of other comic three Turkish hot rooms and a massive plunge pool, there are plenty of affordable treatments superheroes, backed up by sizeable slabs on offer including massages and male and fe- of collectable music magazines and walls densely stuffed with second-hand books. male pampering/grooming sessions. It’s women only on Tuesdays, Thursdays There’s an ocean of books downstairs and Fridays all day and between 10am and as well, in lopsided piles, crammed into shelves and strewn across the floor. Stock is 2pm on Sundays; men only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Couples are constantly reduced in price to make space welcome from 4pm to 10pm on Sundays.
26 8 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Greenwich & South London GREENWICH | WOOLWICH | LAMBETH | KENNINGTON | ELEPHANT & CASTLE | BRIXTON | BATTERSEA | DULWICH | FOREST HILL | CAMBERWELL | WANDSWORTH | VAUXHAUL Neighbourhood Top Five 5 Discovering the di- 1 Taking in the 360- 3 Exploring the Cutty chotomy that is Deptford degree views from the Sark’s (p273) history and (p283), with its Georgian statue of General Wolfe in admiring its golden hull architecture, state-of-the-art Greenwich Park (p271). from below. Laban Theatre dance acad- emy and workaday market. 2 Hanging out at fun and 4 Revisiting the horror ever-funky Brixton Village of war and the promise (p276). of peace at the new First World War Galleries of the Imperial War Museum (p275). Long La Druid St WAPPING ROTHERHITHE River T hames Greenland Docks ISLE OF DOGS 4#â# New Kent Rd SouPtahrwkark Rdng e RdNew RdMPilalwrkall Old Kent Rd Evelyn Old Royal Gra herhith Camberwell Rd Rot Naval College e 3# æ# KenPnainrkgton BuPragrekss CAMBERWELL DEPTFORD Royal Observatory #æ 1# 5# Peckham Rd PECKHAM Lewisham Way NEW CROSS BRIXTON BLACKHEATH 2# Denmark Hill LEWISHAM e# 0 2 km 0 1 miles For more detail of this area see Map p442, p444 and p445A
Explore: Greenwich & South London 269 Until recently Londoners talked as if the Thames was the Lonely Planet huge barrier between north and south that it was in the Top Tip Middle Ages. But with more attractions, better transport links and increased pedestrian areas, the allure to go south A fun way to reach Dock- has become irresistible. Quaint Greenwich (gren-itch) is lands from Greenwich (or packed with grand architecture, while gorgeous parks and vice versa) is via the foot tun- standout museums bring growing fleets of visitors. With nel under the Thames. From the Royal Observatory and the fabulously renovated Cutty the Island Gardens park on Sark, Greenwich should be one of the highlights of any the Isle of Dogs, enjoy the visit to London – allow a day, particularly if you want to splendid view of Greenwich head down the river to the Thames Barrier. that Venetian artist Canal- etto portrayed in his Green- Find time for an afternoon or a night out in edgy and wich Hospital from the North artistic Brixton. Battersea and Wandsworth are home to Bank of the Thames (1752), lovely parks and a visit is ideally rounded off with a beer now in the National Maritime in a fantastic local pub. Lambeth boasts both the medi- Museum’s art collection. eval London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the incomparable Imperial War Museum with its 5 Best Places excellent new First World War Galleries. Further afield, to Eat Dulwich and Forest Hill are home to excellent galleries and museums, while Bexleyheath and Eltham will re- ¨¨Angels & Gypsies ward day trippers with unusual architectural gems. (p281) Local Life ¨¨Brunswick House (p284) ¨Hang-outs Spending a Saturday or Sunday afternoon in the pub is time well spent in South London, ¨¨Rivington Grill (p281) particularly if you add brunch at Rivington Grill ¨¨Franco Manca (p282) (p281) or Sunday lunch at Brunswick House; p284. ¨¨Chez Bruce (p282) ¨Live music & clubbing Brixton (Dogstar (p285)) and Vauxhall (Fire London; p286) swarm with London For reviews, see p280 A Greenwich & South London clubbers. ¨Shopping Funky and art-inclined Brixton Village 6 Best Places (p276) has emerged as a vibrant and eclectic hub of to Drink local life. ¨¨Lost Angel (p286) Getting There & Away ¨¨Cutty Sark Tavern ¨Underground, DLR & Train Most areas of South (p284) London can be reached by Underground or DLR, though sometimes you have to take the train. Most ¨¨Market House (p285) sights in Greenwich can be easily reached from the Cutty Sark for Maritime Greenwich (its full name) ¨¨Effra Hall Tavern (p285) DLR station, but a quicker way from central London is on one of the mainline trains from Charing Cross or ¨¨Greenwich Union London Bridge to Greenwich train station. (p284) ¨Bus From Greenwich, bus 177 or 180 is handy for the Thames Barrier and Woolwich. In Forest Hill, the P4 links For reviews, see p284 A the Horniman Museum and the Dulwich Picture Gallery. ¨Boat Thames Clipper boats run to Greenwich 1 Best Places and Royal Arsenal Woolwich from the London Eye, for Music Embankment and Tower Millennium piers. ¨Cable Car The airborne option to cross from the O2 ¨¨O2 Academy Brixton to the Royal Docks. (p286) ¨¨Chapel at Old Royal Naval College (p272) ¨¨Corsica Studios (p284) ¨¨O2 Arena (p286) ¨¨Plan B (p285) For reviews, see p284 A
ROYAL OBSERVATORY & GREENWICH PARK The Royal Observatory is where the study of the DON’T MISS... CHRISTER FREDRIKSSON / GETTY IMAGES © sea, the stars and time converge within gorgeous Greenwich Park, London’s oldest royal park. The prime ¨¨Meridian Courtyard meridian charts its line through the grounds of the ¨¨Flamsteed House observatory, chosen quite arbitrarily in 1884, dividing ¨¨Views from the the globe into the eastern and western hemispheres. statue of General The observatory sits atop a hill within leafy and Wolfe regal Greenwich Park, with its fabulous views and 74 ¨¨Astronomy Centre hectares of trees and lush greenery. Royal Observatory PRACTICALITIES Unlike most other attractions in Greenwich, the Royal Ob- ¨¨Map p445, D3 servatory contains free-access areas (Weller Astronomy ¨¨www.rmg.co.uk Galleries, Great Equatorial Telescope) and ones you pay for ¨¨Greenwich Park, Black- (Meridian Line, Flamsteed House). heath Ave, SE10 Flamsteed House & Meridian Courtyard ¨¨adult/child £9.50/5, Charles II ordered construction of the Christopher Wren– with Cutty Sark designed Flamsteed House, the original observatory £16.80/7.70 building, on the foundations of Greenwich Castle in 1675 after closing the observatory at the Tower of London. To- ¨¨h10am-5pm Oct-Jun, day it contains the magnificent Octagon Room and the to 6pm Jul-Sep rather simple apartment where the Astronomer Royal, John Flamsteed, and his family lived. Here you’ll also find ¨¨dDLR Cutty Sark, the brilliant new Time Galleries, explaining how the longi- dDLR Greenwich, dGreenwich tude problem – how to accurately determine a ship’s east- west location – was solved through astronomical means and the invention of the marine chronometer. In the Meridian Courtyard, where the globe is decisively sliced into east and west, visi- tors can delightfully straddle both hemispheres, with one foot on either side of the merid- ian line. Every day the red Time Ball at the top of the Royal Observatory drops at 1pm, as it has done ever since 1833.
271 Astronomy Centre & Planetarium PRIME TARGET Greenwich & South London R oyal O bser vat or y & G ree n w i ch Park The southern half of the observatory contains the the highly informative (and free) Weller Astronomy On 15 February 1894, Galleries, where you can touch the oldest object you the Royal Observatory will ever encounter: part of the Gibeon meteorite, was the unexpected tar- a mere 4.5 billion years old! Other engaging exhib- get of a bomb plot. The its include an orrery (mechanical model of the solar bomber – a 26-year-old system, minus the as-yet-undiscovered Uranus and French anarchist called Neptune) from 1780, astronomical documentaries, Martial Bourdin – man- a first edition of Newton’s Principia Mathematica aged to blow his left and the opportunity to view the Milky Way in multi- hand off in the bungled ple wavelengths. To take stargazing further, pick up attack and died from a Skyhawk telescope from the shop. his wounds soon after- wards. The choice of The state-of-the-art Peter Harrison Planetarium the Royal Observatory (Map p445; %020-8312 6608; www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/ as a target was never planetarium-shows; adult/child £7.50/5.50; dGreenwich, understood, but it was dDLR Cutty Sark) – London’s only planetarium – can undamaged. The bomb- cast entire heavens onto the inside of its roof. It runs ing later found literary at least five informative shows a day. Booking advised. recognition in Joseph Conrad’s novel The Greenwich Park Secret Agent and the anarchist appears in the The park (Map p445; www.royalparks.org.uk; King George TS Eliot poem Animula St, SE10; h6am-6pm winter, to 8pm spring & autumn, to 9pm under the name Boudin. summer; dGreenwich, Maze Hill, dDLR Cutty Sark) is one of London’s loveliest expanses of green, with a rose The Greenwich me- garden, picturesque walks, Anglo-Saxon tumuli and ridian was selected astonishing views from the crown of the hill near as the global prime the Royal Observatory towards Canary Wharf, the meridian at the In- financial district across the Thames. Greenwich Park ternational Meridian hosted the 2012 Olympic Games equestrian events. Conference in Wash- ington DC in 1884. Covering 74 hectares, this is the oldest enclosed Greenwich became royal park and is partly the work of André Le Nô- the world’s ground tre, the landscape architect who designed the palace zero for longitude gardens of Versailles. The view of central London and standard for from the statue of General James Wolfe, celebrated time calculations, for his victory over the French at the Battle of Que- replacing the multi- bec in Canada in 1759, is one of the best in the city. ple meridians that had existed till then. Ranger’s House (Wernher Collection) Greenwich was as- sisted in its bid by This elegant Georgian villa (EH; Map p445; %020-8294 the earlier US adop- 2548; www.english-heritage.org.uk; Greenwich Park, Ches- tion of Greenwich terfield Walk, SE10; adult/child £7.20/4.30; hguided tours Mean Time for its only at 11am & 2pm Sun-Wed late Mar–Sep; dGreenwich, own national time dDLR Cutty Sark), built in 1723, once housed the park’s zones. In any case, ranger and now contains a collection of 700 works the majority of world of fine and applied art (medieval and Renaissance trade already used paintings, porcelain, silverware, tapestries) amassed sea charts that iden- by Julius Wernher (1850–1912), a German-born rail- tified Greenwich as way engineer’s son who struck it rich in the diamond the prime meridian. fields of South Africa in the 19th century. The Span- ish Renaissance jewellery collection is the best in Eu- rope, and the rose garden fronting the house makes a visit in June even more special. Book in advance.
272 OLD ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE When Christopher Wren was commissioned by King DON’T MISS... William III and Queen Mary II to construct a naval ¨¨Painted Hall hospital here in 1692, he conceived it in two separate halves to protect the river views from the Queen’s ¨¨Concerts in the House, Inigo Jones’ Renaissance masterpiece to chapel the south. Built on the site of Palace of Placentia, ¨¨Artefacts from where Henry VIII was born in 1491, the hospital was Henry VIII’s Palace of initially intended for sailors wounded in the victory Placentia over the French at La Hogue. In 1869 the building was converted to a college for the navy. Today it is home PRACTICALITIES to the University of Greenwich and Trinity College of Music, with two main sections open to the public. ¨¨Map p445, C2 Painted Hall ¨¨www.ornc.org ¨¨2 Cutty Sark Gardens, Designed as a dining hall for sailors, the Painted Hall (Map SE10 p445; %020-8269 4799) F in the King William Building ¨¨admission free is one of Europe’s greatest banquet rooms, with ‘allegorical Baroque’ murals by artist James Thornhill. The magnifi- ¨¨hgrounds 8am-6pm cent ceiling mural above the Lower Hall is a feast, showing ¨¨dDLR Cutty Sark William and Mary enthroned amid symbols of the Virtues. Beneath William’s feet grovels the defeated French king Louis XIV, furled flag in hand. On the west wall of the Upper Hall, George I is depicted with his family. Off the Upper Hall to the south is the Nelson Room, originally designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor. In January 1806 the brandy-soaked (for embalming purposes, of course) body of the great naval hero lay in state here before his funeral at St Paul’s. Today the room contains a plaster replica of the statue atop Nelson’s column in Trafalgar Sq, plus other memorabilia, including lots of hospital silver. Chapel With its mix of ancient Greek and naval motifs, the beautiful chapel (Map p445; h10am- 5pm Mon-Sat, from 12.30pm Sun) in the Queen Mary Building is decorated in an elaborate rococo style with lots of trompe l’œil details. The eastern end of the chapel is dominated by the Preservation of St Paul after Shipwreck at Malta painting by the 18th-century Ameri- can artist Benjamin West. The chapel is famed for its excellent acoustics and regularly hosts concerts; check the Old Royal Naval College’s website for details. Discover Greenwich A painless introduction to this royal borough, the Discover Greenwich (Map p445; Pep- ys Building, King William Walk, SE10; h10am-5pm) F exhibition delves into the history of Greenwich with models and hands-on exhibits, many aimed at children. It also contains artefacts from King Henry VIII’s old palace, unearthed during a dig in 2005. The Greenwich Tourist Office (p391) is also here, as is the Old Brewery (Map p445; www. oldbrewerygreenwich.com; Pepys Bldg, Old Royal Naval College, SE10; h11am-11pm Mon-Sat, noon- 10.30pm Sun). Guided Tours Guided tours of the Old Royal Naval College depart at noon and 2pm daily and take you behind the scenes as well as to the main sights. They cost £6 and must be booked at the Greenwich Tourist Office.
1 SIGHTS 273 of Charles I and his queen, Henrietta Ma- 1 Greenwich ria. Don’t miss the immaculately restored painted ceiling in the Queen’s Presence Chamber on the 1st floor. O2 NOTABLE BUILDING ROYAL OBSERVATORY HISTORIC BUILDING Map p432 (www.theo2.co.uk; Peninsula Sq, SE10; See p270. tNorth Greenwich) The 380m-wide circular O2 cost £750 million to build for the turn of OLD ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE HISTORIC the last century. Once the definitive white BUILDING elephant, it has finally found its purpose as a multipurpose venue hosting big-ticket See p272. QUEEN’S HOUSE HISTORIC BUILDING concerts, sporting events and blockbuster exhibitions. There are dozens of bars and Map p445 (www.rmg.co.uk/queens-house; Rom- restaurants inside and you can actually scale ney Rd, SE10; h10am-5pm; dDLR Cutty Sark) F The first Palladian building by ar- it with an outfit called Up at the O2 (p287). It’s located on the Greenwich Peninsula, chitect Inigo Jones after he returned from just 10 minutes by bus from Greenwich it- Italy is as enticing for its form as for its art collection. The Great Hall is a lovely cube self and on the Jubilee line. shape with an elaborately tiled floor. Climb ST ALFEGE CHURCH CHURCH the helix-shaped Tulip Stairs up to the 1st floor, where there’s a rich collection of Map p445 (www.st-alfege.org; Greenwich Church St, SE10; h11am-4pm Mon-Wed, to 2pm Thu & Fri, paintings and portraits with a sea or sea- 10am-4pm Sat & Sun; dGreenwich, DLR Cutty faring theme from the National Maritime Museum’s collection. Sark) Designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor to replace a 13th-century church and conse- The house was begun in 1616 for Anne of crated in 1718, lovely St Alfege features a Denmark, wife of James I, but was not com- pleted until 1638, when it became the home restored mural by James Thornhill (whose work can also be found in the Painted Hall G re e nwi c h & So u th Lo n d o n S i gh t s CUTTY SARK DON’T MISS… This Greenwich landmark, the last of the great clipper ¨¨Hull views from the ships to sail between China and England in the 19th basement gallery century, is fully operational now after six years and £25 ¨¨Interactive displays million of extensive renovations largely precipitated by on the Cutty Sark’s disastrous fire in 2007. voyages ¨¨Figureheads col- The exhibition in the ship’s hold tells her story as a tea lection clipper at the end of the 19th century (and then wool and mixed cargo). Launched in 1869 in Scotland, she made PRACTICALITIES eight voyages to China in the 1870s, sailing out with a mixed cargo and coming back with a bounty of tea. As ¨¨Map p445, B2 you make your way up, there are films, interactive maps ¨¨%020-8312 6608 and plenty of illustrations and props to get an idea of ¨¨www.rmg.co.uk/ what life on board was like. cuttysark ¨¨King William Walk, On the top deck, you can visit the crew’s cramped SE10 living quarters and the officers’ plush cabins. Visits end ¨¨adult/child £12.15/ in the basement gallery located underneath the hull, 6.30, with Royal Obser- which rests on a glass ‘sea’ design by architect Nicola vatory £16.80/7.70 Grimshow and appears to be floating. There’s also an ¨¨h10am-5pm intriguing collection of figureheads below deck, one of ¨¨dDLR Cutty Sark the largest of its kind in the world.
274 dGreenwich, tCutty Sark) This museum, en- tirely devoted to fans (as in the things that GREENWICH ARCHITECTURE cool you down), has a wonderful collection of ivory, tortoiseshell, peacock-feather and Greenwich is home to an extraordinary folded-fabric examples, alongside kitsch interrelated cluster of classical build- battery-powered versions and huge orna- ings. All the great architects of the mental Welsh fans. The setting, an 18th- Enlightenment made their mark here, century Georgian town house, also has an largely due to royal patronage. In the Orangery (Map p445; full tea £7; h1.45-3.45pm early 17th century Inigo Jones built one Tue & Sun, 12.30-4.30pm Fri & Sat), with lovely of England’s first classical Renaissance trompe l’œil murals, a fan-shaped garden homes, the Queen’s House (p273), and afternoon tea four days a week. which still stands today. Charles II was particularly fond of the area and had Sir 1 Woolwich Christopher Wren build both the Royal Observatory and part of the Royal Na- FIREPOWER (ROYAL ARTILLERY val College, which John Vanbrugh then completed in the early 17th century. MUSEUM) MUSEUM at the nearby Royal Naval College and at St (%Mon-Fri 020-8312 7103, Sat 020-8312 7134; Paul’s Cathedral), a largely wood-panelled www.firepower.org.uk; Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, interior and an intriguing Thomas Tallis SE18; adult/child £5.30/2.50; h10am-5pm Tue- keyboard with middle keyboard octaves Sat; g177, 180, dDLR Woolwich Arsenal) Loud from the Tudor period. Free concerts take and reeking of adrenaline, Firepower is place at 1.05pm on Thursdays. an explosive display of artillery’s evolu- tion. The History Gallery traces artillery’s MUSEUM development from catapults to nuclear FAN MUSEUM Map p445 (%020-8305 1441; www.thefanmu- warheads, while the multimedia, smoke- seum.org.uk; 12 Crooms Hill, SE10; adult/child G re e nwi c h & So u th Lo n d o n S i gh t s £4/3; h11am-5pm Tue-Sat, noon-5pm Sun; filled Field of Fire immerses you in the ex- perience of artillery gunners from WWI to NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM Narrating the long and eventful history of seafaring Brit- DON’T MISS... ain, this museum’s highlights include Miss Britain III (the first boat to top 100mph on open water), the 19m-long ¨¨Frederick’s golden golden state barge built in 1732 for Frederick, Prince of state barge Wales, the huge ship’s propeller and the colourful figure- ¨¨Nelson’s uniform heads installed on the ground floor. Families will also love coat the ship simulator and the children’s gallery. ¨¨Miss Britain III ¨¨Ship simulator Adults are likely to prefer the fantastic (and more serene) galleries. Voyagers: Britons and the Sea on PRACTICALITIES the ground floor is an introduction to the collection and showcases some of the museum’s incredible archives. ¨¨Map p445, C2 On the 1st floor, Traders: the East India Company ¨¨www.rmg.co.uk/ and Asia looks at Britain’s 19th-century maritime trade national-maritime- with the East, while The Atlantic: Slavery, Trade, museum Empire explores the triangular trade between Europe, ¨¨Romney Rd, SE10 Africa and America from the 1600s to the 1850s. ¨¨admission free ¨¨h10am-5pm On the 2nd floor, the superb Nelson, Navy, Nation ¨¨dDLR Cutty Sark gallery focuses on the Royal Navy during the conflict- ridden 17th century. It provides an excellent look at the legendary national hero and, through documents and memorabilia, explains Nelson’s achievements and daz- zling celebrity. The coat in which he was fatally wounded during the Battle of Trafalgar takes pride of place.
275 IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM DON’T MISS… Fronted by a pair of intimidating 15-inch naval guns, this ¨¨First World War riveting museum is housed in what was the third home Galleries of the Bethlehem Royal Hospital, also known as Bedlam. ¨¨Holocaust Exhibi- Although its focus is on military action involving British tion or Commonwealth troops during the 20th century, it ¨¨Spitfire rolls out the carpet to war in the wider sense. ¨¨Curiosities of War The highlight is the state-of-the-art First World War PRACTICALITIES Galleries opened in the lower level (here floor zero) to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the conflict in ¨¨Map p444, C2 2014. It takes a hard look at those who experienced the ¨¨www.iwm.org.uk war both on the front line and at home. In the forecourt ¨¨Lambeth Rd, SE1 and the atrium above are Witnesses to War – every- ¨¨admission free thing from a Battle of Britain Spitfire and a towering ¨¨h10am-6pm German V-2 rocket to a Reuters Land Rover damaged by ¨¨tLambeth North rocket attack in Gaza and a section of the World Trade Center in New York. On the 1st floor, A Family in Wartime poignantly follows WWII through the experiences of the real-life Allpress family of Stockwell. In Secret War on the 2nd floor, there’s an intriguing rifle through the work of the Secret Operations Executive (SOE). One of the most challenging sections is the extensive Holocaust Exhibi- tion (not recommended for under 14s) on the 3rd floor. Bosnia in a four-screen, 15-minute extrava- in 1890, by which time she’d become one of G re e nwi c h & So u th Lo n d o n S i gh t s ganza. There’s a Gunnery Hall packed with the world’s first modern celebrities. weapons and vehicles, while the recently reopened Cold War Gallery (guided tour Nightingale led a team of nurses to Turkey only) walks you past the museum’s largest in 1854 during the Crimean War, when more material dating from 1945 to the present. soldiers were dying in the hospital than on the battlefield, and vastly improved their Kids will love the Camo Zone, where they care. Back in London, she set up a training can try their hand on the firing range (£1.50). school for nurses at St Thomas’s Hospital (where the museum is located) in 1859. 1 Lambeth, Kennington & Elephant & Castle The collection is divided into several key sections: her childhood and early life as a FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE nurse; her work in the district of Scutari (now Üsküdar) of Istanbul; and her work at MUSEUM MUSEUM St Thomas’s Hospital upon her return. An au- dioguide is included in the admission price. Map p444 (%020-7620 0374; www.florence- LAMBETH PALACE HISTORIC BUILDING nightingale.co.uk; St Thomas’s Hospital, 2 Lambeth Palace Rd, SE1; adult/child £7.50/3.80; h10am- Map p444 (www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/ pages/visit-the-lambeth-palace-gardens-.html; 5pm; tWestminster, Waterloo) This small but Lambeth Palace Rd, SE1; tLambeth North) A almost perfect museum looks at the life and legacy of Florence Nightingale (1820–1910), gorgeous red- and fired-brick Tudor gate- house, dating from 1495 and located beside considered the founder of modern nursing. the church of St Mary-at-Lambeth, leads Her story is told through memorabilia and documents – don’t miss her (now stuffed) to Lambeth Palace, the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. pet owl Athena and the lantern she carried Although the palace is not open to the pub- while visiting the wards at night. Most il- luminating are her letters and, highlight of lic, the gardens occasionally are; check the website for dates. the collection, a recording of her voice made
276 THAMES BARRIER This sci-fi-looking barrier is designed to protect London from flooding and, with rising sea levels and surge tides, vulnerable London is likely to become increasingly depend- ent on the barricade. Completed three decades ago, the barrier consists of 10 mov- able gates anchored to nine concrete piers, each as tall as a five-storey building. The silver roofs on the piers house the operating machinery that rotates the gates against excess water. Tested monthly, they make a glitteringly surreal sight, straddling the river in the lee of a giant warehouse. The Thames is a tidal river, with its tide rising and falling twice a day – a differ- ence in levels of up to 8m – and once a fortnight there’s also a stronger ‘spring’ tide. The danger comes when the spring tide coincides with an unexpected surge, which pushes tonnes of extra water upriver. The barrier has been built to prevent that water pouring over the riverbanks and flooding nearby houses. Environmentalists are al- ready talking about a bigger, wider damming mechanism further towards the mouth of the river on the North Sea before the current barrier comes to the expected end of its design life in about 2035. The barrier looks best when raised, and the only guaranteed time this happens is when the mechanisms are checked once a month. For exact dates and times, check with the Thames Barrier Information Centre (%020-8305 4188; www.gov.uk/the- thames-barrier; 1 Unity Way, SE18; adult/child £3.75/2.25; h10.30am-5pm Thu-Sun; g472 or 161 or, dCharlton, then, tNorth Greenwich, then, g472). If you’re coming from central London, take a train to Charlton from Charing Cross or London Bridge. Walk east along Woolwich Rd to Eastmoor St, which leads north- ward to the centre. If you’re coming from Greenwich, you can pick up bus 177 or 180 along Romney Rd and get off at the Thames Barrier stop. The closest tube station is North Greenwich, from where you can pick up bus 472 or 161. Boats also travel to and from the barrier, although they don’t dock here. G re e nwi c h & So u th Lo n d o n S i gh t s 1 Brixton ket has enjoyed an eye-catching renaissance in the past half-dozen years, prompted by an The years that most shaped contemporary initiative to offer a period of free rent to out- Brixton were the post-WWII ‘Windrush’ fits setting up in the dilapidated 1930s Gran- years, when immigrants arrived from the ville Arcade. Cafes and restaurants have West Indies. (Windrush was the name of swarmed in as well as a host of inventively one of the leading ships that brought these inclined shops, which happily cohabit with immigrants to the UK.) Economic decline butchers, greengrocers and bazaars. and hostility between the police and the black community particularly led to riots in The ‘village’ is lively day and night and 1981, 1985 and 1995. has a lovely, eclectic atmosphere. Shops worth popping into include Woo Woo Bou- Although violence returned to Brixton tique (unit 97), selling vintage-inspired during the London riots of August 2011, fashion, and African Queen (unit 30), piled the mood today is upbeat. Soaring prop- to the rafters with colourful West African erty prices have sent in house hunters, and fabrics and headdresses. The village is full pockets of gentrification sit alongside the of lunch spots and restaurants – check out more run-down streets. Apart from some Champagne + Fromage (p282) and Honest great restaurants and clubs, the big sights Burgers (p282), among others. are fantastic Brixton Village – a current South London culinary and shopping mag- BLACK CULTURAL net – and Brixton Market (p287). ARCHIVES CULTURAL CENTRE Map p442 (%020-3757 8500; http://bcaherit- age.org.uk; 1 Windrush Sq, SW2; h10am-6pm Tue-Sat, to 10pm every 2nd Thu) F Housed BRIXTON VILLAGE MARKET Map p442 (www.brixtonmarket.net/brixton-village; in a brand-new heritage centre in the heart Atlantic Rd, SW9; h8am-11.30pm Tue-Sun, to 6pm Mon; tBrixton) This revitalised covered mar- of Brixton, the Black Cultural Archives puts on seminal photographic exhibitions, many
277 in association with the V&A, and organises BATTERSEA POWER workshops, lectures and performances. STATION HISTORIC BUILDING Map p442 (www.batterseapowerstation.co.uk; dBattersea Park) Its four smokestacks fa- 1 Battersea mously celebrated on Pink Floyd’s Animals album cover, Battersea Power Station is one of South London’s best-known monu- BATTERSEA PARK PARK Map p442 (www.batterseapark.org; h8am-dusk; ments. Built by Giles Gilbert Scott (who also dBattersea Park) Sprinkled with sculptures designed the power station that’s now the by Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, Tate Modern, and the iconic red telephone these 50 hectares of gorgeous green- box) in 1933, the station was snuffed out in ery stretch between Albert and Chelsea 1983 only to enter an existential limbo for Bridges. To the north, the Peace Pagoda more than three decades. It’s now being re- (Map p442), erected in 1985 by a group of developed as a mixed residential and com- Japanese Buddhists to commemorate Hi- mercial space. roshima Day, displays the Buddha in the Luck turned for the mighty brick build- four stages of his life. There are lakes and ing in 2011 when a £5 billion master plan to plenty of sporting facilities – rent bicycles redevelop the site, right on the Thames, was and other pedal conveyances from London approved. Plans include thousands of new Recumbents (%020-8299 6636; www.london- homes, retail and corporate space and two recumbents.co.uk; Ranger’s Yard, Dulwich Park; new tube stations on the extended North- per hr £8-15; h10am-5pm). ern line at Battersea Park and Nine Elms, There’s also an art space called the Pump where the new US Embassy will relocate House Gallery (Map p442; %020-8871 7572; after leaving Grosvenor Sq in Mayfair. The http://pumphousegallery.org.uk; h11am-4pm Wed- rebuilt chimneys, reinforced with steel, will Sun) F and a small Children’s Zoo (Map be completed in 2016, as will the embassy p442; %020-7924 5826; www.batterseaparkzoo. and the first new homes. The total redevel- co.uk; adult/child £8.95/6.95; h10am-5.30pm Apr- opment isn’t expected to be finished until Oct, to 4.30pm Nov-Mar). 2024. Watch this space. G re e nwi c h & So u th Lo n d o n S i gh t s HORNIMAN MUSEUM DON’T MISS… Comprising the collection of wealthy tea merchant Fred- ¨¨Hands On Base erick John Horniman, this museum is a treasure trove of Gallery discoveries, from a huge stuffed walrus and slowly un- ¨¨Aquarium dulating moon jellyfish to a nasty 17th-century torture ¨¨Music Gallery chair from Spain and a knockout musical-instruments ¨¨Gardens exhibition. PRACTICALITIES On the ground and 1st floors is the Natural History Gallery, with animal skeletons, pickled specimens ¨¨%020-8699 1872 and dusty cupboards. When the 19th-century Apostle ¨¨www.horniman.ac.uk Clock from Germany strikes 4pm, the saints troop out ¨¨100 London Rd, For- past Jesus and only Judas turns away from him. Chil- est Hill, SE23 dren adore the Hands On Base Gallery, where you can ¨¨museum & gardens touch, wear and play around with thousands of objects. free, aquarium adult/ child £3.50/1.50 On the lower ground floor you’ll find the African ¨¨hmuseum 10.30am- Worlds Gallery and the Music Gallery. The latter 5.30pm, gardens displays thousands of instruments, from Native Ameri- 7.15am-sunset Mon-Sat, can rattles and early English keyboards to Indonesian 8am-sunset Sun gamelan and Ghanaian drums. There are touch screens ¨¨dForest Hill so you can hear what they sound like. The aquarium in the basement is small but state of the art and the 6.5 hectares of hillside gardens (complete with views of London as far as Wembley) are magnificent.
VISITBRITAIN / SIMON KREITEM / GETTY IMAGES © ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 278
JOHN LAMB / GETTY IMAGES © 279 1. Palm House, Kew Gardens (p294) 2. Greenwich Park (p270) Parks & Gardens 3. Fallow deer, Richmond Park (p296) Glance at a colour map of town and be HOWARD PUGH (MARAIS) / GETTY IMAGES © struck by how much is olive green. London has some of the world’s most superb urban parkland, most of it well-tended, accessible and a delight in any season. Hyde Park Perhaps London’s most famous and easily accessed expanse of urban greenery, Hyde Park is astonishing for the variety of its landscapes and trees. The lovely Serpentine separates it from that other grand London park, Kensington Gardens. Greenwich Park Delightfully hilly, elegantly landscaped and bisected by the Meridian Line, Greenwich Park offers sweeping perspectives from its highest point. London’s oldest enclosed royal park, it is home to herds of deer and some of Greenwich’s top highlights. Victoria Park Named after its eponymous royal benefactor, Victoria Park is one of East London’s most pleasant and popular parks and has recently had an expensive regeneration. In summer it becomes a venue for live music and festivals. Richmond Park An epic expanse of greenery down southwest, royal Richmond Park is home to herds of deer, sublime views and a fantastic collection of trees, ponds, woodland and grass. Shake off the urban fumes and immerse yourself in its wild expanses. Kew Gardens To fall for Kew Gardens, all you need is an eye for fine architecture, a fondness for exploration and a sense of natural curiosity. Children will adore the treetop walkway and the fantastic play zones.
280 1 Dulwich & Forest Hill Sat & Sun; v), in a modern extension near the main entrance, is a cut above the usual DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY GALLERY museum eateries. (%020-8693 5254; www.dulwichpicturegallery. The museum is a 10-minute walk north org.uk; Gallery Rd, SE21; adult/child £5/free; along Gallery Rd, which starts almost op- h10am-5pm Tue-Sun; dWest Dulwich) The posite West Dulwich train station. Bus P4 world’s first public art gallery, the small conveniently links the picture gallery with Dulwich Picture Gallery was designed by the Horniman Museum (p277). the idiosyncratic architect Sir John Soane 5 EATING between 1811 and 1814 to house nearby Dulwich College’s collection of paintings Eating in South London is a treat – be by Raphael, Rembrandt, Rubens, Reyn- it the fine dining in the restaurants of olds, Claude Lorrain, Gainsborough, Pous- Battersea, Camberwell or Greenwich, sin, Canaletto, Van Dyck and many more. or the eclectic market fare on offer in Unusually, the collector Noel Desenfans and Brixton and Greenwich. painter Sir Peter Francis Bourgeois chose to have their mausoleums, lit by a moody lumière mystérieuse (mysterious light) cre- ated with tinted glass, placed among the 5 Greenwich pictures. Go outside and look at the lantern above. GREENWICH MARKET MARKET £ It’s said to be the inspiration behind Giles Map p445 (www.greenwichmarketlondon.com; Gilbert Scott’s iconic red telephone box. College Approach, SE10; h9am-5.30pm; v; The gallery runs fantastic temporary dDLR Cutty Sark) Perfect for snacking your exhibitions (additional charge) and free way through a world atlas of food while guided tours of the museum depart at 3pm browsing the other market stalls. Come on Saturday and Sunday. The cafe (mains here for delicious food to go, from Spanish Greenwich & South London Eating £5.95-14.50; h9.30am-5pm Tue-Fri, 10am-5pm tapas and Thai curries to sushi, Ethiopian ELTHAM PALACE DON’T MISS Rayon heir Stephen Courtauld (of Courtauld Gallery ¨¨Great Medieval Hall fame) and his wife Virginia (Ginie) built an art-deco man- ¨¨Boudoir sion next to a 15th-century medieval hall between 1933 ¨¨Dining room and 1937. From the impressive entrance hall with its ¨¨Mah-jongg’s luxury dome, African black-bean-panelled walls and huge cir- cage cular carpet with geometric shapes, to the black-marble ¨¨Map room dining room with silver-foil ceiling and heavy black doors decorated with lacquered animal figures, it appears PRACTICALITIES the couple had taste as well as money. A £1.7-million refurbishment has opened up areas previously closed ¨¨www.english- to the public, including the decorated map room off heritage.org.uk Ginie’s boudoir, where the couple plotted their extensive ¨¨Court Yard, Eltham, travels, and the basement, converted to a deluxe air-raid SE9 shelter during the Blitz. ¨¨adult/child £13/7.80 ¨¨h10am-5pm Sun-Wed A royal palace was built on this site in 1305 and was, Apr-Sep, to 4pm Oct, to for a time, the boyhood home of Henry VIII, before the 4pm Sun Nov-Mar Tudors decamped to Greenwich. Incorporated into the ¨¨dEltham, Motting- mansion, the restored Great Medieval Hall contains one ham of the finest hammer-beam roofs in England. The eight hectares of gardens include a rockery and moat. Visitors view the mansion’s 20 rooms on a self-paced tour with an entertaining handheld multimedia guide.
vegetarian, French crêpes, dim sum, Mexi- 281 can burritos and lots more. 1000L copper vats at one end and a high ceiling lit with natural sunlight, the Old GODDARDS AT GREENWICH BRITISH £ Brewery is a cafe serving lovely bistro fare by day and a restaurant serving a choice se- Map p445 (www.goddardsatgreenwich.co.uk; lection of fine dishes carefully sourced from 22 King William Walk, SE10; dishes £3.30-7.30; the best seasonal ingredients by night. h10am-7pm Sun-Thu, to 8pm Fri & Sat; dDLR Cutty Sark) If you’re keen to try that arche- It’s a pub throughout the day, run by typal English dish, pie ‘n’ mash (minced the Meantime Brewery and selling its own beef, steak and kidney or even chicken in draught Imperial Pale Ale (brewed on-site), pastry with mashed potatoes), do so at this along with a range of more than 70 beers. Greenwich institution, which always at- INSIDE MODERN EUROPEAN £££ tracts a motley crowd. Jellied eels, mushy Map p445 (%020-8265 5060; www.insiderestau- peas and ‘liquor’ (a green sauce made from rant.co.uk; 19 Greenwich South St, SE10; mains £15- parsley and vinegar) are optional extras. 23, 2/3-course set menu £20/25; hnoon-2.30pm Tue-Fri, to 3pm Sat & Sun, 6-10pm Tue-Sat; dDLR CHINESE £ Greenwich) With white walls, modern art and TAI WON MEIN Map p445 (39 Greenwich Church St, SE10; mains linen tablecloths, Inside is a relaxed kind of £3.90-6.20; h11.30am-11pm; v; dDLR Cutty Sark) This great snack spot – the Cantonese place and one of Greenwich’s best restau- rants. The fine food hits the mark, ranging moniker just means ‘Big Bowl of Noodles’ tastily and relatively affordably from smoked – serves epic portions of carbohydrate-rich noodles to those overcoming Greenwich’s haddock and chive fish cakes to roast Bar- bary duck and sticky toffee pudding. titanic sights. BLACK VANILLA ICE CREAM £ 5 Kennington, Elephant & Castle & Camberwell Map p445 (www.black-vanilla.com; 5 College Approach, SE10; cakes & ice creams £1.50-4; hnoon-7pm Tue-Sun; dDLR Cutty Sark) If you want to picnic on something sweet in DRAGON CASTLE CHINESE ££ Greenwich & South London Eating Greenwich Park, stop at this wonderful Map p444 (%020-7277 3388; www.dragon-castle. com; 100 Walworth Rd, SE17; mains £9.80-26.80; gelateria serving delightful (if pricey) ice hnoon-11pm; v; tElephant & Castle) It’s hard cream and mountains of cupcakes. There’s comfortable seating up the side staircase. to imagine that one of the best non-chain Chinese restaurants in London is hidden here in deepest, darkest Kennington. The oRIVINGTON GRILL BRITISH ££ duck, pork and seafood (deep-fried crispy Map p445 (%020-8293 9270; www.rivingtongreen- oysters, crab with black bean) are renowned, wich.co.uk; 178 Greenwich High Rd, SE10; mains £9.50-15.75; hnoon-11pm Mon-Fri, from 10am Sat but come for the dim sum (noon to 4.30pm), especially at lively weekend lunchtime. & Sun; dGreenwich) This younger sister of the trendy bar and grill in Hoxton is every bit as stylish, with seating on two levels overlook- ANGELS & GYPSIES SPANISH ££ ing a lovely long bar. The menu is very much (%020-7703 5984; www.angelsandgypsies.com; 29-33 Camberwell Church St, SE5; tapas £4.50- ‘British now’, with truffled cauliflower, mac 12.50; h7-11am & 6-10.30pm Mon-Fri, 8am-3.30pm ‘n’ cheese and luxury pies rubbing shoulders with half a Devon Red with liver and onion & 6-11pm Sat, 8am-4pm & 6-10.30pm Sun; dDen- mark Hill, tOval, then g36, 185 or 436) This res- stuffing. You’ll get a warm welcome. taurant is run by a half-English, half-Spanish The full English breakfast (£11.25) at weekends is awesome. brother duo who seem to stick to their moth- er’s way of doing things at breakfast and brunch (full English from £9) and their fa- OLD BREWERY MODERN BRITISH ££ ther’s in the evening, when dinner is all about Map p445 (%020-3327 1280; www.oldbrewery- tapas, with every product lovingly sourced greenwich.com; Pepys Bldg, Old Royal Naval Col- lege, SE10; mains cafe £7.50-13.95, restaurant from Spain (ham from Salamanca, the chilli sauce a family recipe from Galicia etc). £12.50-22.95; hcafe 10am-5pm, restaurant 6-11pm; c; dDLR Cutty Sark) A working brew- ery within the grounds of the Old Royal KENNINGTON TANDOORI INDIAN ££ Naval College, with splendidly burnished Map p444 (%020-7735 9247; www.kenning- tontandoori.com; 313 Kennington Rd, SE11; mains
282 ROSIE’S DELI CAFÉ CAFE £ £6.95-14.95; hnoon-11pm; v; tKennington) This very stylish (think 1930s hurled into Map p442 (www.rosiesdelicafe.com; 14e Market our very own century) local curry house is Row, SW9; mains £4.50-7; h9.30am-5.30pm apparently a favourite of MPs from across Mon-Sat; tBrixton) Park yourself on one the river, including a certain former prime of the mismatched wooden chairs at this minister. Particularly good are the biryani much-loved Brixton cafe run by cook and dishes and the choice of vegetarian ones author Rosie Lovell for a wholesome treat. (£6.95 to £9.95) is impressive. Quiches, wraps, ciabattas, sandwiches such as Reubens and pies emerge from her kitch- LOBSTER POT SEAFOOD £££ en, and the cakes and biscuits are fantastic. Map p444 (%020-7582 5556; www.lobsterpotres- taurant.co.uk; 3 Kennington Lane, SE11; mains HONEST BURGERS BURGERS ££ £20.50-39.50; hnoon-2.30pm & 7-10.30pm Map p442 (www.honestburgers.co.uk; unit 12, Tue-Sat; tElephant & Castle) This charming Brixton Village, SW9; mains £8.50-11.50; hnoon- French-owned (well, Breton-owned) res- 4pm Mon, to 10.30pm Tue-Thu, 11.30am-10.30pm taurant, hidden just south of Elephant & Fri & Sat, 11.30am-10pm Sun; tBrixton) This Castle, reels in diners hook, line and sinker minichain deserves plaudits for its juicy with finely prepared fish and seafood dish- and tender burgers and glorious rosemary- es à la française (think lashings of butter seasoned triple-cooked chips. It’s well worth and garlic). An eight-course tasting menu the wait for a table, which you could well with/without lobster is £54.50/49.50. have to do (it’s tiny, seats around 30 and there are no bookings). 5 Brixton NAUGHTY PIGLETS BISTRO ££ Map p442 (%020-7274 7796; www.naughtypig- oFRANCO MANCA lets.co.uk; 28 Brixton Water Lane, SW2; mains £8- PIZZERIA £ 17; hnoon-2.30pm Thu, to 3pm Fri & Sat, to 4pm Map p442 (www.francomanca.co.uk; 4 Market Sun, 6-10pm Tue-Sat; tBrixton) This wonder- Row, SW9; pizzas £4.50-6.95; hnoon-5pm Mon, Greenwich & South London Eating to 11pm Tue-Sat, to 10.30pm Sun; tBrixton) The ful Anglo-French bistro all but defines the new Brixton, a district forever reinventing Brixton branch of a chain with a difference, itself. Expect such inventive starters as Franco Manca is a perennial local favourite. Beat the queues by arriving early, avoiding dashi, clams and chives and mains such as lamb leg with pistachio. Naughty Piglets lunch hours and Saturday, and delight in (something to do with gastronomic greed) some fine, fine pizza. The restaurant only uses its own sourdough, fired up in a wood- is small – just 30 covers – so book ahead or treat yourself to a less-rammed lunch. burning brick oven. CHAMPAGNE + FROMAGE FRENCH £ 5 Battersea & Wandsworth Map p442 (%020-7095 8504; www.champagne plusfromage.co.uk; unit 10-11, Brixton Village, SW9; dishes £5.50-10; h11am-11pm Tue-Sat, to 9pm Sun; tBrixton) This charming little French shop and bistro in Brixton Village SANTA MARIA DEL SUR SOUTH AMERICAN ££ serves everything from charcuterie and Map p442 (%020-7622 2088; www.santama- cheese plates (from £6.50) to duck confit riadelsur.co.uk; 129 Queenstown Rd, SW8; mains (£10). It’s also a shop, a fromagerie and will £14.50-26.50; hnoon-3pm & 6pm-midnight; deliver champagne to your door. dQueenstown Rd or Battersea Park) Catering to carnivores with succulent grilled meats MAMA LAN CHINESE £ and sausages (and some token veggie dish- es). Go for one of the parrilladas (mixed Map p442 (www.mamalan.co.uk; unit 18, Brixton grill, £47.50 to £61.80 for two) to share and Village, SW9; dishes £4-9; hnoon-4pm Mon, to finish your meal with delicious pancakes 10.30pm Tue-Sun; tBrixton) For authentic, and dulce de leche and a coffee with cream handmade Beijing street food – dumplings, and cinnamon. Booking is advised. noodles, salads and snacks – this cute-as- a-button eatery in Brixton Village is the oCHEZ BRUCE business. We can’t get enough of its beef- FRENCH £££ noodle soup, and and pork and Chinese-leaf (%020-8672 0114; www.chezbruce.co.uk; 2 Belle- vue Rd, SW17; 3-course menu lunch £29.50-35, din- dumplings! ner £47.50; hnoon-2.30pm Mon-Fri, to 3pm Sat &
283 Prince St Glaisher StDeptford Green #5 River Thames Evelyn Rd É Norman Rd #6 Stowage Bardsley La Mary Anne Gds Albury#7St Creek Rd Greenwich & DEPTFORD #8 Greenwich DLR Deptford Church St #4 Copperas St '€#£#9 Deptford Deptford High St £# #3 Ha'penny Hatch New #2 ich High Rd Cross #1 £# Greenw GREENWICH Egerton Dr New Cross Rd &~ e# 0 0 400 m £# 0.2 miles Deptford Bridge 22Neighbourhood Walk the Russian tsar’s four-month stay in 1698, Deptford in Depth when he came to Deptford to learn more about new developments in shipbuilding. START DEPTFORD BRIDGE DLR & RAILWAY STATION From the western end of Glaisher St END DEPTFORD RAILWAY STATION walk south along Deptford Green to the LENGTH 1.5 MILES, THREE HOURS late-17th-century 6St Nicholas Church, This walk explores edgy Deptford, just west of Greenwich, once an important and which contains a memorial to playwright wealthy dockyard and shipbuilding centre, Christopher Marlowe, who was murdered in and now a district in transition, with galleries Deptford in a tavern brawl at the age of 29 in and art centres squeezing in between pie ‘n’ 1593 and may be buried here. The skull and mash shops, and pubs turning into bars. crossbones over the lychgate entrance may have inspired the Jolly Roger pirate flag. From the station walk up Deptford Running off Deptford Green, delightful Church St and turn right into 1Creek 7Albury St is lined with Georgian build- side, a street running parallel to Deptford Creek that’s lined with galleries and artist ings that once housed Deptford’s naval of- studios with regularly changing art exhibi- ficers, including (it is said) Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton. Notice the exquisite wood tions, including 2Art Hub Gallery and carvings decorating many of the doorways. 3Cockpit Arts. A short distance north is the plastic-clad 4Laban Theatre (p286). To the south is the baroque 8St Paul’s The turf-covered mounds in front conceal Church, built in 1730. debris cleared from the site. Walk over to Deptford High St and, if the Follow Copperas St to the creek then day is right, land in the centre of 9Dept- head north over Creek Rd to join Glaisher St. Just beyond the new footbridge is a ford Market, a colourful market held three days a week. Deptford railway station is just 5statue of Peter the Great recalling north.
284 oCUTTY SARK TAVERN PUB Sun, 6.30-10pm Mon-Thu, to 10.30pm Fri & Sat, to 9.30pm Sun; dWandsworth Common) Though Map p445 (www.cuttysarktavern.co.uk; 4-6 Bal- Michelin-starred, Chez Bruce still insists last Quay, SE10; h11am-11pm Mon-Sat, noon- on a winning local feel that accommodates 10.30pm Sun; dDLR Cutty Sark) Housed in a all comers. The rustic exterior, beside leafy delightful bow-windowed, wood-beamed Wandsworth Common, belies a crisp modern Georgian building directly on the Thames, interior. The wine list is an all-star cast, and the Cutty Sark is one of the few independent the food sublime. Bookings are essential. pubs left in Greenwich. Half a dozen cask- conditioned ales on tap line the bar, with an 5 Vauxhaul inviting riverside sitting-out area opposite. It’s a 10-minute walk from the DLR station. oBRUNSWICK HOUSE MODERN BRITISH ££ TRAFALGAR TAVERN PUB Map p444 (%020-7720 2926; www.brunswick- house.com; 30 Wandsworth Rd, SW8; mains £14- Map p445 (%020-8858 2909; www.trafalgartav- 18.60, 2/3-course lunch menu £16/19; hnoon- ern.co.uk; 6 Park Row, SE10; hnoon-11pm Mon-Sat, 3pm & 6-10.30pm Mon-Sat, noon-4pm Sun; W; to 10.30pm Sun; dDLR Cutty Sark) This elegant tVauxhall) This boutique cafe, housed in a tavern with big windows overlooking the lone Georgian house marooned between Thames is steeped in history. Dickens ap- high-rises and a roundabout and sharing parently knocked back a few here – and used space with an architectural salvage com- it as the setting for the wedding breakfast pany, serves modern British fare that’s as scene in Our Mutual Friend – and prime simple and elegantly executed as the over- ministers Gladstone and Disraeli used to sized posters on the walls, the assorted dine on the pub’s celebrated whitebait. lanterns and the vintage furniture. The weekday lunch menu is also available from GREENWICH UNION PUB 6pm to 7pm. Map p445 (www.greenwichunion.com; 56 Royal Hill, COUNTER VAUXHALL ARCHES BRASSERIE ££ SE10; hnoon-11pm Mon-Fri, 11am-11pm Sat & Sun; Map p444 (%020-3693 9600; www.counterres- dDLR Greenwich) The award-winning Union taurants.com; Arch 50, 7-11 South Lambeth Pl, G re e nwi c h & So u th Lo n d o n D r i n k i n g & N i gh t l i fe plies six or seven Meantime microbrewery SW8; mains £10-19; h7am-midnight Mon-Thu, to beers, including raspberry and wheat vari- 1am Fri, 8am-1am Sat, 8am-midnight Sun) This eties, and a strong list of ales, plus bottled cavernous new kid under the arches at international brews. It’s a handsome place, Vauxhall has something for everyone: bar, with duffed-up leather armchairs and a wel- brasserie, cafe and breakfast nook. Food coming long, narrow aspect that leading to is correct if predictable (steak, chicken, a conservatory and beer garden at the rear. pasta), but the place comes into its own at weekend brunch when the demanding 6 Kennington & Elephant denizens of the nearby gay clubs hold court. & Castle 6 DRINKING & CORSICA STUDIOS CLUB NIGHTLIFE Map p444 (www.corsicastudios.com; 4/5 Elephant When it comes to nightlife, South Rd, SE17; admission £6-17.50; hhours vary; tEle- London has everything from historic phant & Castle) Places like Corsica Studios have boozers to flagship nightclubs – and given the once-rough Elephant & Castle area everything in between. an edge. This not-for-profit, underground club is a well-known venue for electronic mu- sic. It’s a small, intimate space with excellent sound and a mix of gigs and club nights till 3am weekdays and 6am weekends. 6 Greenwich MINISTRY OF SOUND CLUB The drinking in Greenwich is top-notch, a Map p444 (www.ministryofsound.com; 103 Gaunt mix of superb, historic old pubs and trendy St, SE1; admission £16-22; h10pm-6.30am Fri- microbreweries. A must after a day’s sight- Sun; tElephant & Castle) This legendary club- seeing, even if you’re not staying in the area. cum-enormous-global-brand (four bars, four dance floors) lost some ‘edge’ in the early noughties but, after pumping in top DJs, the
285G re e nwi c h & So u th Lo n d o n D r i n k i n g & N i gh t l i fe DANSON HOUSE & RED HOUSE A couple of historic houses in Bexleyheath, once a village in Kent and now a typical southeast London suburb, are well worth exploring. Red House (NT; %020-8304 9878; www.nationaltrust.org.uk/red-house; 13 Red House Lane, Bexleyheath, Kent DA6; adult/child £7.20/3.60, gardens only £2.20/1.20; h11am-5pm Wed-Sun mid-Feb–Oct, 11am-5pm Fri-Sun Nov–late Dec; dBexleyheath, then 15min walk south) From the outside, Red House is reminiscent of a gingerbread house wrought in stone. It was built in 1859 by Victorian designer William Morris – of Morris wallpaper fame. The nine rooms open to the public, including two bedrooms only recently ac- cessible after being shut up for more than a century, bear all the elements of the Arts and Crafts Movement to which Morris adhered – Gothic art here, some religious sym- bolism there, an art nouveau–like sunburst over there. Furniture by Morris and the house’s designer, Philip Webb, are on display, as are stained glass, paintings and murals (some only recently revealed under the wallpa- per) by Edward Burne-Jones. The one-time kitchen has been converted into a lovely cafe. Entry before 1.30pm is by guided tour only. The surrounding gardens were designed by Morris ‘to clothe’ the house. Don’t miss the well with a conical roof, inspired by a traditional oast house used for drying hops. Danson House (%01322-526 574; www.dansonhouse.org.uk; Danson Park, Bexleyheath, Kent DA6; adult/child £8/free; hnoon-5pm Sun-Fri Apr-Oct; dBexleyheath, then 20min walk southwest) This Palladian villa was built by John Boyd, an East India Company director, in 1766. It was saved from demolition in 1995 and painstakingly renovated over the next decade based on mid-19th-century watercolours by Sarah Johnston. Highlights include the dining room’s reliefs and 17 wall paintings celebrating love and romance; the chinoiserie salon; the library, with a fair few ‘decorative’ books; the music room, with its functioning organ; the dizzying spiral staircase; and the original Victorian kitchens. The English-style garden and surrounding park are a delight and the tearoom in the one-time breakfast room serves wholesome, delicious food. Ministry has firmly rejoined the top club Caribbean vibe than any other pub in the ranks. Fridays is the Gallery trance night, area, thanks to the spicy Jamaican menu while Saturday sessions offer the crème de la and regular live jazz. The patio outback is crème of house, electro and techno DJs. fringed with palm trees, while the interior is all shabby Victorian splendour. 6 Brixton PLAN B CLUB Map p442 (www.planb-london.com; 418 Brixton Rd, SW9; admission £6-17.50; h10pm-5am Fri & Sat; MARKET HOUSE PUB tBrixton) This small venue, with its minimal- Map p442 (www.market-house.co.uk; 443 Cold- ist warehouse-like interior, is a point on the harbour Lane, SW9; h3-11pm Mon-Wed, to mid- night Thu, to 3am Fri, 1pm-4am Sat, 1-11pm Sun; Brixton nightlife map with a shaken-up roll call of hip hop, R&B, house and electro acts. tBrixton) Brixton used to be known for its grotty pubs and rough music venues, so the designer-wallpapered, vintage-furnished, DOGSTAR BAR cocktail-serving Market House is some- Map p442 (http://dogstarbrixton.com; 389 Cold- harbour Lane, SW9; h4-11pm Tue & Wed, to 2am thing of a departure for the area – and a Thu, to 4am Fri & Sat, noon-10pm Sun; tBrixton) roaring success at that. The late (and free) opening hours on the weekend music nights Downstairs, this long-running local institu- tion has a cavernous DJ and live-music bar, are especially popular with locals. mobbed by a young South London crowd. EFFRA HALL TAVERN PUB The main bar is as casual as you’d expect from a converted pub – comfortable sofas, Map p442 (38a Kellett Rd, SW2; h5-11pm Mon- big wooden tables – so dressing to kill is not Fri, 11am-11pm Sat, noon-10pm Sun; tBrixton) This slightly run-down old boozer brings obligatory. Dogstar Comedy on Thursday. you closer to the heart of the Brixton Afro-
286 6 Battersea & midnight Mon-Thu, 9pm-3am Fri, to 2am Sat, 3pm- Wandsworth midnight Sun; tVauxhall) Rough around the edges to say the least, the Royal Vauxhall LOST ANGEL BAR Tavern is the perfect antidote to the gleaming new wave of uppity gay venues now crowd- Map p442 (www.lostangel.co.uk; 339 Battersea ing Vauxhall’s gay village. Saturday’s Duckie, Park Rd, SW11; entry weekends £5; h5-11pm Tue & tagged ‘London’s Authentic Honky Tonk’, is Wed, to midnight Thu, 4pm-2am Fri, noon-2am Sat, the club’s signature queer performance night. noon-11pm Sun; dWandsworth Rd, Battersea Park or Queenstown Rd) New home of the much- missed Lost Society on Wandsworth Rd, this 3 ENTERTAINMENT fantastic bar-cum-restaurant is dedicated to delightful decadence and aristocratic glitz. oO2 ACADEMY BRIXTON LIVE MUSIC There’s a garden at the back where many a Map p442 (www.o2academybrixton.co.uk; 211 Stockwell Rd, SW9; hdoors open 7pm most nights; summer drinking session goes on. DJs and tBrixton) It’s hard to have a bad night at the burlesque shows take over on weekends. Brixton Academy, even if you leave with MASON’S ARMS PUB your soles sticky with beer, as this cavern- Map p442 (www.masons-arms-battersea.co.uk; 169 ous former-5000-capacity art-deco theatre Battersea Park Rd, SW8; hnoon-11pm; W; dBat- tersea Park) This lovely boozer is a favourite of always thrums with bonhomie. There’s a properly raked floor for good views, as well Battersea residents for its winning combina- as plenty of bars and an excellent mixed bill tion of relaxed atmosphere, beer garden on of established and emerging talent. sunny days (and open fire for winter blues) and fantastic food (mains £10.50 to £19.50). COMEDY UP THE CREEK Map p445 (www.up-the-creek.com; 302 Creek Rd, SE10; admission £5-15; h7-11pm Thu & Sun, to 2am 6 Vauxhall Fri & Sat; dDLR Cutty Sark) Bizarrely enough, G re e nwi c h & So u th Lo n d o n E n t er ta i n me n t the hecklers can be funnier than the acts at The opening hours of Vauxhall’s gay clubs this great club. Mischief, rowdiness and ex- can be something of a moving target because cellent comedy are the norm, with the Black- of club nights. Check the venues’ websites or out open-mic night on Thursdays (www. gay listings for the latest information. the-blackout.co.uk, £5) and Sunday specials (www.sundayspecial.co.uk, £7). There’s an FIRE LONDON GAY after-party disco on Fridays and Saturdays. Map p444 (www.firelondon.net; 39 Parry St, SW8; entry £5-15; h11pm-10am Thu-Sat; tVauxhall) O2 ARENA LIVE MUSIC Regularly hosting the best gay club nights (www.theo2.co.uk; Peninsula Sq, SE10; tNorth in London, Fire is an expansive, smart space Greenwich) One of the city’s major concert under Vauxhall’s railway arches. Its best- venues, hosting all the biggies – the Roll- known bill is the infamous 12-hour Sunday ing Stones, Paul Simon and Sting, Barbra all-nighter, Orange. Its outdoor garden is a Streisand, Prince and many others – inside rare thing on the clubbing scene – good to the 20,000-capacity arena. It’s also a popu- watch the sunrise! lar venue for sporting events. The smaller Indigo at the O2 seats 2350. EAGLE GAY (www.eaglelondon.com/; 349 Kennington Lane, LABAN THEATRE DANCE Vauxhall, SE11; h9pm-2am Mon-Wed, to 3am Thur Map p445 (www.trinitylaban.ac.uk; Creekside, & Fri, to 4am Sat, 8pm-3am Sun; tVauxhall) This fantastic place is a haven of alternative queer SE8; admission £6-15; dDLR Greenwich) Home of the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music goings-on in muscle-bound Vauxhall. Open and Dance, the Laban Theatre is the larg- nightly with a different feel throughout the est and best-equipped contemporary dance week with Men Inc every Friday and the leg- school in Europe and presents student endary Horse Meat Disco on Sunday. dance performances, graduation shows and regular shows by the resident troupe, RVT GAY Transitions Dance Company. Its stunning Map p444 (Royal Vauxhall Tavern; www.rvt.org. £23-million home was designed by Herzog uk; 372 Kennington Lane, SE11; entry £5-8; h7pm- & de Meuron, designers of the Tate Modern.
287 ORIGINAL CROSSINGS There are two ways to cross the Thames without boarding a boat or stepping on a bridge. Reached through glass-topped domes on either side of the river, the 370m-long Greenwich Foot Tunnel (Cutty Sark Gardens, SE10; h24hr; dDLR Cutty Sark) F built in 1902 runs under the Thames from the Isle of Dogs to Greenwich. There are lifts – and about 100 stairs – on both sides. Further downstream is London’s airborne river-crossing option, the Emirates Air Line (p385) cable car. It runs between the O2 Arena and the Excel exhibition centre in Royal Docks and affords great views of Greenwich, Canary Wharf, and the Docklands. 7 SHOPPING ARTY GLOBE GIFTS, SOUVENIRS MARKET Map p445 (www.artyglobe.com; 15 Greenwich GREENWICH MARKET Market, SE10; h11am-6pm; dDLR Cutty Sark) Map p445 (www.greenwichmarketlondon.com; The unique fisheye-view drawings of vari- College Approach, SE10; h10am-5.30pm; dDLR Cutty Sark) Greenwich may be one of the ous areas of London (and other cities, in- cluding New York, Paris and Berlin) by smallest of London’s ubiquitous markets, architect Hartwig Braun are works of art but it holds its own in quality. On Tues- days, Wednesdays, Fridays and weekends, and appear on the shopping bags, place mats, notebooks, coasters, mugs and jig- stallholders tend to be small, independent saws available in this tiny shop. They make artists, offering original prints, wholesome beauty products, funky jewellery and ac- excellent gifts. cessories, cool fashion pieces and so on. On BRIXTON MARKET MARKET Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, there are Map p442 (www.brixtonmarket.net; Electric Ave & also vintage, antiques and collectables. Granville Arcade; h8am-6pm Mon, Tue & Thu-Sat, to 3pm Wed; tBrixton) A heady, cosmopolitan CASBAH RECORDS MUSIC blend of silks, wigs, knock-off fashion, ha- G re e nwi c h & So u th Lo n d o n S hopp i n g Map p445 (www.casbahrecords.co.uk; 320-322 lal butchers and the occasional Christian Creek Rd, SE10; h10.30am-6pm; dDLR Cutty Sark) Funky meeting ground of old vinyl preacher on Electric Ave. Tilapia fish, pig’s trotters, yams, mangoes, okra, plantains (Bowie, Rolling Stones, vintage soul) as well and Jamaican bullah (gingerbread) cakes as CDs, DVDs and memorabilia. are just some of the exotic products on sale. RETROBATES VINTAGE VINTAGE 20 STOREY GIFTS Map p445 (330-332 Creek Rd, SE10; h10.30am- Map p442 (www.20storey.com; 2a Market Row, 6pm Mon-Fri, to 6.30pm Sat & Sun; dDLR Cutty Sark) Each piece is individual at this lovely SW9; h10am-6pm Mon-Sat, from 11am Sun; tBrix- ton) A shop with a sense of humour, 20 Storey vintage shop, where glass cabinets are is your essential stop for funky mugs, great crammed with costume jewellery, old per- fume bottles and straw hats, while gor- cards, gadgets, posters and original books. geous jackets and blazers intermingle on the clothes racks. The men’s offering is unusually good for a vintage shop. 2 SPORTS & ACTIVITIES NAUTICALIA GIFTS, SOUVENIRS UP AT THE O2 ADVENTURE SPORTS Map p445 (www.nauticalia.com; 25 Nelson Rd, SE10; h10am-6pm; dDLR Cutty Sark) If it’s (www.theo2.co.uk/upattheo2; O2, Greenwich Pen- insula, SE10; weekdays/weekends from £28/35; ‘salty’, this ‘first shop in the world’ (it’s just hhours vary; tNorth Greenwich) London isn’t over the meridian at 00’00.4’ W, so can thus make that claim) will stock it – from bells exactly your thrill-seeking destination, but this ascent of the O2 dome is definitely not and barometers to silly captain’s hats. It’ll for the faint-hearted. Equipped with climb- have just the souvenir to take home from World Heritage–listed Maritime Greenwich. ing suit and a harness, you’ll scale the fa- mous white dome to arrive at a viewing platform perched 52m above the Thames
28 8 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Richmond, Kew & Hampton Court RICHMOND | KEW | PUTNEY | BARNES | CHISWICK | TWICKENHAM | WIMBLEDON Neighbourhood Top Five 1 Listening out for pol- 3 Turning your back on 5 Exploring London’s tergeists along the galler- urban London to discover ies and vaults of majestic a pristine pocket of wilder- wild side, roaming at will ness at the London Wet- around Richmond Park Hampton Court Palace (p296). (p290) before getting lost land Centre (p297). in the maze. 4 Sinking a pint of beer at 2 Plunging into the the historic riverside White luxuriant green expanses, Cross pub (p301) while wooded thickets and tropi- trying to avoid being cut off cal foliage of Kew Gardens by the high tide. (p294). Syon 11111 Park Thames River 2# Kew Rd 11111 1 km 0.5 miles Kew 11111Clif ford Ave Gardens D3# 1.8 miles e#1 1 1 1 1 01 1 1 1 1 01 1 1 1 1 Fulha1m 1 1 1 1 Cem1eter1y 1 1 1 11111 11111 Lower Richmon1d1R1d 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Twickenham Rd Sh een Rd River Thame4#s RICHMOND 1Rich1mon1d & 1 1E1as1t S1h1een Rd 1 C1em1etery St Margarets Rd Kings 111 Queens Rd111 1# 5 miles Petersham Rd 111 111 D 1 1 1 Richmond Park 5# Sawyer's Hill Duchess' Wood For more detail of this area see Map p446A
Explore: Richmond, Kew & 289Richmond, Kew & Hampton Court Hampton Court Lonely Planet’s If anywhere in London could be described as a village, Top Tip Richmond – with its delightful green, riverside vistas and handsome architecture – is it. But the entire southwest A manageable section of the from Putney to Twickenham is a refreshing alternative fantastic Thames Path is to central London’s urban density. When the weather is the 4 miles between Putney fine, few London diversions can top time spent upriver by Bridge and Barnes Foot- the Thames – whether exploring the major sights, walk- bridge. Taking around 90 ing along the riverbank or poking your head into a his- minutes, most of the walk is toric waterside pub. And if you really warm to the charms very rural and at times you of London’s green southwest, you’ll also find a few lovely will only be accompanied hotels to look after you. by birdsong and the gentle swish of the river. From You might not find yourself coming here to shop, but the footbridge, Chiswick bring your wallet as there’s no shortage of fine dining, train station is about 0.75 and you’ll find pubs aplenty. But it’s exploration that miles to the northwest. For should top your agenda, whether it be getting lost in the more details, see the River maze at splendid Hampton Court Palace, finding end- Thames Alliance’s Visit less botanic discoveries at Kew Gardens or walking the Thames site (www.visit- wilds of Richmond Park. thames.co.uk). Local Life 5 Best Places to Eat ¨Hang-outs Get into the riverside pub lunch mood joining locals quaffing beer at the City Barge (p302) or ¨¨Glasshouse (p301) White Cross (p301). ¨¨Gelateria Danieli (p300) ¨Greenery Londoners from all over town bolt down to ¨¨Chez Lindsay (p300) Richmond Park (p296) and Kew Gardens (p294) for ¨¨Orange Pekoe (p301) weekend great escapes. ¨River Views Join locals jogging by the river, walking For reviews, see p300 A their dogs or catching some sunshine north and south of Richmond Bridge (p296). 6 Best Places to Drink Getting There & Away ¨¨White Cross (p301) ¨Train & Underground Both Kew Gardens and Richmond are on the District Line and London ¨¨White Hart (p302) Overground; Richmond train station can be reached from Clapham Junction. Trains run to Hampton Court ¨¨City Barge (p302) station from Waterloo. East Putney, Putney Bridge, Fulham Broadway and Chiswick Park are on the ¨¨London Apprentice District Line. (p302) ¨Boat Services run several times daily from Westminster Pier to Kew and on to Hampton Court For reviews, see p301 A Palace (boats sometimes stop at Richmond). 1 Best Guided Tours ¨¨Kew Explorer (p295) ¨¨Hampton Court Palace (p290) ¨¨Richmond Park (p296) ¨¨Strawberry Hill (p299) For reviews, see p296 A
HAMPTON COURT PALACE London’s most spectacular Tudor palace, this 16th- DON’T MISS... TONY C FRENCH / GETTY IMAGES © century icon concocts an imposing sense of history, ¨¨Great Hall from the huge kitchens and grand living quarters to the spectacular gardens, complete with a 300-year- ¨¨Chapel Royal old maze. ¨¨William III’s Apart- History of the Palace ments Hampton Court Palace was built by Cardinal Thomas Wol- ¨¨Gardens and maze sey in 1515 but was coaxed from him by Henry VIII just be- fore Wolsey (as chancellor) fell from favour. It was already ¨¨Cumberland Art one of the most sophisticated palaces in Europe when, in Gallery ¨¨Henry VIII’s Crown the 17th century, Sir Christopher Wren was commissioned to build an extension. The result is a beautiful blend of Tu- dor and ‘restrained baroque’ architecture. PRACTICALITIES ¨¨www.hrp.org.uk/ HamptonCourtPalace Entering the Palace ¨¨adult/child/family £17.50/8.75/43.80 Passing through the magnificent main gate, you arrive first in the Base Court and beyond that Clock Court, named after its 16th-century astronomical clock. The panelled ¨¨h10am-6pm Apr-Oct, rooms and arched doorways in the Young Henry VIII’s to 4.30pm Nov-Mar Story upstairs from Base Court provide a rewarding intro- duction: note the Tudor graffiti on the fireplace. Off Base ¨¨fHampton Court Pal- Court to the right as you enter and acquired by Charles ace, dHampton Court I in 1629, Andrea Magenta’s nine-painting series The Tri- umphs of Caesar portray Julius Caesar returning to Rome in a triumphant procession. Henry VIII’s Apartments The stairs inside Anne Boleyn’s Gateway lead up to Henry VIII’s Apartments, including the stunning Great Hall. The Horn Room, hung with impressive antlers, leads to the Great Watching Chamber where guards controlled access to the king. Henry VIII’s dazzling gemstone-e ncrusted crown has been re-created – the original was melted down by Oliver
291 Cromwell – and sits in the Royal Pew (open 10am to VISIT BY BOAT Ri c h m o n d, K e w & H a m p to n C o u rt H amp t on C o u r t Pa l ac e 4pm Monday to Saturday and 12.30pm to 1.30pm Sunday), which overlooks the beautiful Chapel Royal Between April and (still a place of worship after 450 years). September, the palace can be reached by boat Tudor Kitchens & Great Wine Cellar on the 22-mile route along the Thames from Also dating from Henry’s day are the delightful Tu- Westminster Pier in dor kitchens, once used to rustle up meals for a royal central London (via Kew household of some 1200 people. Don’t miss the Great and Richmond), but can Wine Cellar, which handled the 300 barrels each of take up to four hours ale and wine consumed here annually in the mid- (depending on the tide). 16th century. Boats (single adult/child £15/7.50) are run by Cumberland Art Gallery Westminster Passen- ger Services Associa- The restored and recently opened Cumberland Suite tion (www.wpsa.co.uk). off Clock Court is the venue for a staggering collec- tion of art works from the Royal Collection, including Hampton Court Rembrandt’s Self-portrait in a Flat Cap (1642) and Sir Palace presses up Anthony van Dyck’s Charles I on Horseback (c 1635–6). against 445-hectare Bushy Park (www. William III’s & Mary II’s Apartments royalparks.gov.uk), a semiwild expanse A tour of William III’s Apartments, completed by with herds of red and Wren in 1702, takes you up the grand King’s Stair- fallow deer. case. Highlights include the King’s Presence Chamber, dominated by a throne backed with HAUNTED scarlet hangings. During a devastating fire in 1986 HAMPTON COURT which gutted an entire wing of the palace, staff were ready to cut the huge portrait of William III from With a history this old its frame with knives, if necessary. The sumptu- and as eventful, a para- ous King’s Great Bedchamber, with a bed topped normal dimension is with ostrich plumes, and the King’s Closet (where surely mandatory. Ar- His Majesty’s toilet has a velvet seat) should not be rested for adultery and missed. Restored and reopened in 2014, the unique detained in the palace Chocolate Kitchens were built for William and in 1542, Henry’s fifth Mary in around 1689. wife, Catherine Howard, was dragged screaming William’s wife Mary II had her own apartments, down a gallery at the accessible via the fabulous Queen’s Staircase (dec- palace by her guards orated by William Kent). after an escape bid. Her ghost is said to do Georgian Private Apartments a repeat performance, uttering ‘unearthly The Georgian Rooms were used by George II and shrieks’ in the Haunted Queen Caroline on the court’s last visit to the pal- Gallery leading to the ace in 1737. Do not miss the fabulous Tudor Wolsey Royal Pew (she must be Closet with its early-16th-century ceiling and paint- a tireless ghost as she ed panels, commissioned by Henry VIII. also haunts the Tower of London). Garden & Maze Beyond the palace are the stunning gardens; keep an eye out for the Real Tennis Court, dating from the 1620s. Originally created for William and Mary, the Kitchen Garden is a magnificent, recently opened re-creation. No one should leave Hampton Court without los- ing themselves in the 800m-long maze (adult/child/ family £4/2.50/12; h10am-5.15pm Apr-Oct, to 3.45pm Nov- Mar), also accessible to those not entering the palace.
Hampton Court As soon as he had his royal hands upon the pal- Palace ace from Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Henry VIII A DAY AT THE PALACE began expanding the Tudor architecture 1, With so much to explore and seemingly infinite adding the Great Hall 2, the exquisite Chapel gardens, it can be tricky knowing where to begin. Royal 3, the opulent Great Watching Chamber It helps to understand how the palace has grown and the gigantic kitchens 4. By 1540 it had over the centuries and how successive royal oc- cupants embellished Hampton Court to suit their become one of the grandest and most sophis- purposes and to reflect the style of the time. ticated palaces in Europe. James I kept things ticking over, while Charles I added a new tennis court and did some serious art-collecting, including pieces that can be seen in the newly opened Cumberland Art Gallery 5. VISITBRITAIN / GETTY IMAGES © Tudor Kitchens These vast kitchens were the engine room of the palace. With a staff of 200 people, there were six spit-rack-equipped replaces, with roast meat always on the menu (to the tune of 8200 sheep and 1240 oxen per year). 4 7 The Maze Main Base Entrance Court Around 150m north of the main bulding Created from hornbeam and yew and planted in 1 Anne Boleyn's around 1700, the maze covers a third of an acre Gateway within the famous palace gardens. A must-see conclusion to Hampton Court, the maze takes the average visitor about 20 minutes to reach the centre. Tudor Architecture Dating to 1515, the heart of the palace serves as one of the nest examples of Tudor archi- tecture in the nation. Cardinal Thomas Wolsey was responsible for transforming what was originally a grand medieval manor house into a stunning Tudor palace. North Direction CHRIS MELLOR / GETTY IMAGES © OPEN FOR INSPECTION The palace was opened to the public by Queen Victoria in 1838.
After the Civil War, puritanical Oliver Crom- TOP TIPS well warmed to his own regal proclivities, spending weekends in the comfort of the » Ask one of the red-tunic-garbed former Queen’s bedroom and selling off warders for anecdotes and information. Charles I’s art collection. In the late 17th » Tag along with a themed tour led by cos- century, William and Mary employed Sir tumed historians or join a Salacious Gossip Christopher Wren for baroque extensions, Tour for scandalous royal stories. chiefly the William III Apartments, reached » Grab one of the audio tours from the Information Centre. by the King’s Staircase 6. William III also commissioned the world-famous maze 7. The Great Hall DAMIAN HARPER © This grand dining hall is the dening room of the palace, displaying what is considered England’s nest hammer-beam roof, 16th-century Flemish tapestries telling the story of Abraham, and some exquisite stained-glass windows. 2 Chapel Court Garden Clock 5 Chapel Royal Court 3 The blue-and-gold vaulted ceiling was originally intended for Christ Church, Oxford, but was Fountain installed here instead; the 18th-century oak Court reredos was carved by Grinling Gibbons. Books on display include a 1611 1st edition of the King 6 James Bible, printed by Robert Barker. The King’s Staircase One of ve rooms at the palace painted by Anto- nio Verrio and a suitably bombastic prelude to the King’s Apartments, the overblown King’s Staircase adulates William III by elevating him above a cohort of Roman emperors. Cumberland Art Gallery DAMIAN HARPER © The former Cumberland Suite, designed by William Kent, has been restored to accommodate a choice selection of some of the nest works from the Royal Collection.
KEW GARDENS A staggering 24% of London is a green patchwork DON’T MISS... MARK THOMAS / DESIGN PICS / GETTY IMAGES © of domestic gardens, sprouting some 2.5 million trees. Throw in London’s abundant parkland, and you ¨¨Palm House have one of the greenest cities on the planet. The ¨¨Temperate House 121-hectare gardens at Kew are the finest product of ¨¨Rhizotron and the British botanical imagination and really should not Xstrata Treetop be missed. No worries if you don’t know your quiver Walkway tree from your alang-alang, a visit to Kew is a journey ¨¨Princess of Wales of discovery for all. Conservatory ¨¨Chinese Pagoda Botanical Collection PRACTICALITIES As well as being a public garden, Kew is a preeminent re- search centre, maintaining its reputation as the most ex- ¨¨Map p446, C2 haustive botanical collection in the world. ¨¨www.kew.org ¨¨Kew Rd Palm House ¨¨adult/child £15/3.50 ¨¨h10am-6.30pm Assuming you come by tube and enter via Victoria Gate, Apr-Aug, earlier closing you’ll come almost immediately to the enormous and Sep-Mar elaborate 700-glass-paned Palm House, a domed hothouse ¨¨fKew Pier, dKew of metal and curved sheets of glass dating from 1848, en- Bridge, tKew Gardens veloping a splendid display of exotic tropical greenery; an aerial walkway offers a parrot’s-eye view of the lush vegeta- tion. Just northwest of the Palm House stands the tiny and irresistibly steamy Waterlily House (Map p446; hMar-Dec), sheltering the gigantic Victoria cruziana waterlily, whose vast pads can support the weight of a small adult. Chinese Pagoda Kew’s 49.5m-tall eight-sided Chinese Pagoda (1762), designed by William Chambers (the architect of Somerset House), is one of the gardens’ architectural icons. During WWII, the pagoda withstood the blast from a stick of Luftwaffe bombs exploding nearby, and was
295 also secretly employed by the Ministry of Defence to VISITING THE Ri c h m o n d, K e w & H a m p to n C o u rt K e w G a r d e ns test bomb trajectories (which involved cutting holes GARDENS in each floor!). Unfortunately, the pagoda is not usu- ally open to be climbed. Spring is a spectacular season to visit, but any Temperate House time of the year is fine. Most visitors arrive Built in 1860 and closed for vital restoration work by tube or train, but until 2018, the beautiful Temperate House in the from April to October, southeast of Kew Gardens (north of the pagoda) is boats run by the West- the world’s largest surviving Victorian glasshouse, minster Passenger covering 4880 sq metres. Services Association (Map p416; %020-7930 Rhizotron & Xstrata Treetop 2062; www.wpsa.co.uk; Walkway return adult/child £18/9; tWestminster) sail In the Arboretum – a short walk from Temperate from Westminster Pier House – this fascinating walkway first takes you un- to Kew Pier. For eats, derground and then 18m up in the air into the tree there’s a restaurant canopy (a big hit with kids). in the 18th-century Orangery, the Pavilion Kew Palace restaurant, a cafe by Victoria Gate and the Built in 1631 and the smallest of the royal palaces, adorable red-brick Kew Palace (www.hrp.org.uk/kew- White Peaks Cafe palace; h10.30am-5.30pm Apr-Sep), in the northwest of (mains £3.95-8.50). the gardens, is a former royal residence once known Kids can explore the as Dutch House. It was the favourite home of George fun-filled Treehouse III and his family; his wife, Queen Charlotte, died Towers (an outdoor here in 1818 (you can see the very chair in which play area) and Climb- she expired). Don’t miss the recently restored Royal ers and Creepers (an Kitchens next door. interactive botanical zone). Popular summer Other Highlights concerts bring music to Kew (visit the website Several long vistas (Cedar Vista, Syon Vista and for more info). Pagoda Vista) are channelled by trees from vantage points within Kew Gardens. The idyllic, thatched The angular Princess Queen Charlotte’s Cottage (Map p446; h11am-4pm of Wales Conserva- Sat & Sun Apr-Sep) in the southwest of the gardens tory houses plants in was popular with ‘mad’ George III and his wife; the 10 different climatic carpets of bluebells around here are a drawcard in zones – everything spring. The Marianne North Gallery displays the from a desert to a botanical paintings of Marianne North, an indomi- mangrove swamp. table traveller who roamed the continents from 1871 Look out for stone to 1885, painting plants along the way. The Orangery plants, which resem- near Kew Palace contains a restaurant, cafe and shop. ble pebbles (to deter grazing animals), Getting Around carnivorous plants, gigantic waterlilies, If you want a good overview of the gardens, jump cacti and a collection aboard the Kew Explorer (adult/child £4.50/1.50), of tropical orchids. which allows you to hop on and off at stops along the way.
296 Georgian tea rooms can garnish your visit with warm scones and clotted cream from 1 SIGHTS 9am to 5.30pm. 1 Richmond & Kew GARDENS The pastoral vista from Richmond Hill (Map p446) has inspired painters and poets Ri c h m o n d, K e w & H a m p to n C o u rt S igh t s KEW GARDENS for centuries and still beguiles. It’s the only See p294. view (which includes St Paul’s Cathedral 10 miles away) in the country to be protected RICHMOND PARK PARK by an act of Parliament. Map p446 (h7am-dusk; tRichmond) At almost RICHMOND GREEN PARK 1000 hectares (the largest urban parkland in Europe), this park offers everything from Map p446 (dRichmond, tRichmond) A short walk west of the Quadrant, where you’ll formal gardens and ancient oaks to unsur- emerge from the tube, is Richmond Green passed views of central London 12 miles away. It’s easy to flee the several roads slic- with its mansions and delightful pubs. Cross the green diagonally for the attractive ing up the rambling wilderness, making the remains of Richmond Palace (Map p446) – park perfect for a quiet walk or a picnic with the kids, even in summer when Richmond’s the main entrance and red-brick gatehouse – built in 1501. Henry VII’s arms are visible riverside heaves. Coming from Richmond, above the main gate: he built the Tudor ad- it’s easiest to enter via Richmond Gate or from Petersham Rd. ditions to the edifice, although the palace had been in use as a royal residence since Herds of more than 600 red and fallow 1125. Elizabeth I died here in 1603. deer basking under the trees are part of its magic, but they can be less than docile in rutting season (September and October) HAM HOUSE HISTORIC BUILDING and when the does bear young (May to July), Map p446 (%020-8940 1950; www.nationaltrust. org.uk; Ham St, Ham, TW10; whole property adult/ so keep your distance (more than 50m) dur- child/family £10/5/25, garden adult/child/family ing these times. Birdwatchers will love the diverse habitats, from neat gardens to £4/2/10.20; hhouse noon-4pm Sat-Thu late Mar– mid-Nov, gardens 11am-4pm Sat-Thu Jan–mid-Feb woodland and assorted ponds. Floral fans & Nov–mid-Dec, 11am-5pm Sat-Thu mid-Feb–Oct; should visit Isabella Plantation, a stunning 16-hectare woodland garden created after g371, dRichmond, tRichmond) Known as ‘Hampton Court in miniature’, much haunt- WWII, in April and May when the rhodo- ed Ham House was built in 1610 and became dendrons, azaleas and camellias bloom. Set in a beautiful 13-hectare garden and home to the first Earl of Dysart, unluck- ily employed as ‘whipping boy’ to Charles affording great views of the city from the I. Inside it’s grandly furnished; the Great back terrace, Pembroke Lodge (Map p446; www.pembroke-lodge.co.uk; TW10; h9am-5.30pm Staircase is a magnificent example of Stuart woodworking. Look out for ceiling paintings Apr-Oct, to just before dusk Nov-Mar) was the by Antonio Verrio, a miniature of Elizabeth I childhood home of Bertrand Russell. The by Nicholas Hilliard and works by Constable THAMES AT RICHMOND The stretch of the river from Twickenham Bridge to Petersham and Ham is one of the prettiest in London. The action is mostly around five-span Richmond Bridge (Map p446), built in 1777. It’s London’s oldest surviving crossing, only widened for traffic in 1937. Just before it, along one of the loveliest parts of the Thames, is tiny Corporation Island, colonised by flocks of feral parakeets. The gorgeous walk to Petersham can be crowded in nice weather; best to cut across pastoral Petersham Meadows (Map p446; dRichmond, tRichmond) – where cows still graze – and continue to Richmond Park for peace and quiet. There are several companies near Richmond Bridge, includ- ing Richmond Bridge Boathouses (Map p446; %020-8948 8270; www.richmondbridge- boathouses.co.uk; adult/child £7/3.50; dRichmond, tRichmond) that offer skiff hire. Alternatively, walk north from Twickenham Bridge, alongside the Old Deer Park, past the two obelisks and climb onto Richmond Lock (Map p446; dRichmond, St Margarets, tRichmond) and footbridge, dating from 1894.
297 LONDON WETLAND CENTRE One of Europe’s largest inland wetland projects, this DON’T MISS... Ri c h m o n d, K e w & H a m p to n C o u rt S igh t s 43-hectare centre was transformed from four Victorian reservoirs in 2000 and attracts some 140 species of ¨¨Peacock Tower bird, as well as frogs, butterflies, dragonflies and lizards, ¨¨Headley Discovery plus a thriving colony of watervoles. Hide ¨¨Otter Feeding From the visitor centre and glass-fronted observatory, ¨¨Daily Tours meandering paths and boardwalks lead visitors around the grounds, penetrating the reed bed, marsh, fen and watery PRACTICALITIES habitats of its many residents and transients, including black swans, ducks, Bewick’s swans, geese, red-crested ¨¨%020-8409 4400 pochards, sand martins, coots and the rarer bitterns, ¨¨www.wwt.org.uk herons and kingfishers. Don’t miss the Peacock Tower, ¨¨Queen Elizabeth’s a three-storey hide – and magnet for serious birders – on Walk, SW13 the main lake’s eastern edge; other hides are sprinkled ¨¨adult/child/family around the reserve, including the Headley Discovery £12.75/7/35.55 Hide in the west. The wetland is also well-populated with ¨¨h9.30am-6pm Apr- eight different species of bats that feed on the abundant Oct, to 5pm Nov-Mar moths. A short walk north of the entrance, the wetland’s ¨¨dBarnes, tHammer- family of sleek-coated otters are fed daily at 11am and smith then g283 (Duck 2pm (Monday to Friday). Free daily tours, which are led by Bus), 33, 72 or 209 knowledgable and enthusiastic staff members, are highly recommended. They depart at 11.30am and 2.30pm daily. Binoculars can be hired from the shop. and Reynolds. The grounds slope down to 1 Chiswick the Thames and lovely 17th-century formal gardens await exploration. CHISWICK HOUSE HISTORIC BUILDING The garden ticket also allows you access (%020-8995 0508; www.chgt.org.uk; Burlington to the below-stairs rooms. Special house Lane, Chiswick Park, W4; adult/child £6.10/3.70, tours run between December and March, gardens free; hgardens 7am-dusk, house 10am- while nocturnal after-hours ghost tours 6pm Sun-Wed Apr-Sep, to 5pm Oct; W; dChis- (£22) delve into Ham House’s paranormal wick, tTurnham Green) Designed by the third dimensions. Just opposite the Thames and Earl of Burlington (1694–1753) – fired up accessible by small ferry is Marble Hill Park with passion for all things Roman after and its splendid mansion (p298). his grand tour of Italy – this stunner of a 1 Putney & Barnes neo-Palladian pavillion with an octagonal dome and colonnaded portico is a delight. The almost overpoweringly grand interior includes the coffered dome of the Upper Tri- PUTNEY & BARNES NEIGHBOURHOOD Called Putelei in the Domesday Book of bunal – left ungilded, the walls below are 1086, Putney is most famous as the starting decorated with eight enormous paintings. point of the annual Oxford and Cambridge Admire the stunningly painted ceiling Boat Race (www.theboatrace.org). Barnes is (by William Kent) of the Blue Velvet Room less well known and more ‘villagey’ in feel. and look out for carvings of the pagan veg- The best way to approach Putney is to fol- etative deity, the Green Man, in the marble low the signs from Putney Bridge tube sta- fireplaces of the Green Velvet Room. tion for the footbridge (which runs parallel Lord Burlington also planned the house’s to the rail track), admiring the gorgeous original gardens, now Chiswick Park, sur- riverside houses, with their gardens front- rounding the house, but they have been much ing the Thames, and thereby avoiding the altered since his time. Children will love them tatty High St until the last minute. – look out for the stone sphinxes near the
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