LONDON

Ben6899

Rick Chasey wrote:

You're mad not to be going through Richmond park if you're heading that way.

Though you're mad for wanting to go SW from where you are anyway.

Barking, even.

il_principe

willhub wrote:

I was frustrated today, had to go to Kings Cross and the traffic is mental, I'm pretty happy with my 16-17mph average on the route what my Garmin Says as it's so stop and start and full of road works and bits of road where land mines have being set off (that's what it looks like), then traffic lights on red for 10 minutes none stop.

I'm actually tempted to get up at 4-5am on Sunday to get out on quiet roads.

http://app.strava.com/activities/25301462

That's the route I took today.

Not as mad as you might think. I was on the road by 6am a few times this summer. Means you can do 60 miles before there's much traffic, also means you can get out of London on deserted roads. Love it.

rubertoe

When I said that you are no more than 20 miles from the countryside, I mean that is those that live centrally, Most people live in the 'burbs - which for me at least means, I am 5 minutes away from the Hertfordshire countryside . It's not all that bad.

Kieran_Burns

meanredspider wrote:

Parks are all well and good and a nice facility if you're in an urban environment but my experiences of Windsor Great Park (which I'm assuming are reasonably typical of big London parks) aren't great. People using the roads (and they are roads with a 38mph speed limit) are oblivious with dogs, toddlers, small kids on scooters all on the loose across the road.

In the time-to-the-country stakes, I'm literally in it. Woods to one side, field (of sheep right now) at the back, and village sign to the other side. 13 miles to Inverness which takes 13 minutes in the car with not a single set of lights on the way. Less than 5 minutes to the sea (with dolphins and seals), snow-capped mountains in the view from the living room, skiing 40 minutes away, and a job working for a blue-chip multinational. The airport is 15 minutes away, with parking 2 minutes from the check-in desk and Gatwick 1hr20m away with 4 flights a day. And all the cycling anybody could ever want with a purpose-build MTB trail centre 5 miles away (can cycle there almost entirely off-road), plenty of cafe stops everywhere, no bikes thieves (that I've heard of) and so on. Coming from Cambridge, the only thing I miss is the culture - but that's a very small price to pay.

I want to move.

dhope

Rick Chasey wrote:

You're mad not to be going through Richmond park if you're heading that way.

Though you're mad for wanting to go SW from where you are anyway.

Indeed. If you're east then go south, not west. Richmond is nice if you're over that way, but it's not really worth 15 miles there just to go 15 miles around.

First leisurely ride with new local club last weekend...
http://app.strava.com/rides/24868159

EKE_38BPM

Kieran_Burns wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Parks are all well and good and a nice facility if you're in an urban environment but my experiences of Windsor Great Park (which I'm assuming are reasonably typical of big London parks) aren't great. People using the roads (and they are roads with a 38mph speed limit) are oblivious with dogs, toddlers, small kids on scooters all on the loose across the road.

In the time-to-the-country stakes, I'm literally in it. Woods to one side, field (of sheep right now) at the back, and village sign to the other side. 13 miles to Inverness which takes 13 minutes in the car with not a single set of lights on the way. Less than 5 minutes to the sea (with dolphins and seals), snow-capped mountains in the view from the living room, skiing 40 minutes away, and a job working for a blue-chip multinational. The airport is 15 minutes away, with parking 2 minutes from the check-in desk and Gatwick 1hr20m away with 4 flights a day. And all the cycling anybody could ever want with a purpose-build MTB trail centre 5 miles away (can cycle there almost entirely off-road), plenty of cafe stops everywhere, no bikes thieves (that I've heard of) and so on. Coming from Cambridge, the only thing I miss is the culture - but that's a very small price to pay.

I want to move.

Shake a leg then!

twist83

Nice rant LOL!!

I too live darrnnn Saarrthh in cider land. However myself and the other half frequent London quite often through work, visiting friends or just getting away for the weekend.

What you have said is true however as has been pointed out you cannot base your experience on London of rush hour tube, Harrods!!

As has been said not everything is centered around the tourist traps and when you get off the beaten path so to speak things are a lot less hectic and not everything is looking to stab/mug you. This is evident from even a non-resident like myself.

I personally love London and we are planning to live there for while (still young!) just to experience it. I love the mix of people, places to eat, drink and visit a lot of time for no money or little for London. You simply do not get that anywhere else really. It is a great place IMO, it has its downfalls however just ignore the grumpy people or smile at them and maybe they will smile back and maybe they will not. Who cares?

twist83

Also what I find baffling is that most people down this way seem to think the only thing to do in London is see a show. Each time we go we get asked if we are going to see a show and how we can afford to go up so much.

Country folk tend to think you need at least £1000 for a weekend there. When they ask what we have done and we say visited so and so (Which is free!) they look quite confused why we havent seen a show.

We can get return train tickets for a pair of people usually from between £28-40 as well or when we drive we park In Sheperds Bush for £8 a day and leave early and come back late and it takes no more than 2 hrs 30 mins to get to the car park as well.

There is a massive stigma that London is some big scary place (Which it can be!). The look of fear people down this way have on their face about it is amusing.

willhub

All I've done in London is ride the Boris Bike down the river, visit museums, Starbucks and Costa Coffee shops, oh and a Nero at Kings Cross. I've gone to the Canary Wharf Shopping center. In terms of shops I don't see any point of going in them, I can get the stuff cheaper on the internets and I can't afford anything anyway LOL.

I do want to go to the zoo though.


As for riding South, it's kind hard without going West, as far as I can tell the nearest bridge is Tower Bridge, there is the tunnel to the East of me but I don't think I'd want to go in that.

When I've exhausted London's portfolio of museums I don't know what to do, I don't want to get wrecked I'm not a big drinker of alcohol.

I'm staying in Silvertown. Here is the view:

pangolin

As you're in London go try some proper coffee!! Try Monmouth near Covent Garden for a start

Headhuunter

willhub wrote:

All I've done in London is ride the Boris Bike down the river, visit museums, Starbucks and Costa Coffee shops, oh and a Nero at Kings Cross. I've gone to the Canary Wharf Shopping center. In terms of shops I don't see any point of going in them, I can get the stuff cheaper on the internets and I can't afford anything anyway LOL.

I do want to go to the zoo though.


As for riding South, it's kind hard without going West, as far as I can tell the nearest bridge is Tower Bridge, there is the tunnel to the East of me but I don't think I'd want to go in that.

When I've exhausted London's portfolio of museums I don't know what to do, I don't want to get wrecked I'm not a big drinker of alcohol.

I'm staying in Silvertown. Here is the view:

Starbucks, Costa and Canary Wharf shopping centre??!! You can do all those things in Manchester - they're just bog standard chain places! You need to go to areas like Shoreditch and Hoxton, cycling cafes like Look Mum No Hands, cafes and pubs in places like Crystal Palace, Highgate, parks like Hampstead Heath, Greenwich Park. there are so many things to do in London which you can ONLY do in London and you go to a chain shopping centre and chain cafes?! No wonder you're bored already! Get a guidebook or something...

bobbygloss

meanredspider wrote:

Parks are all well and good and a nice facility if you're in an urban environment but my experiences of Windsor Great Park (which I'm assuming are reasonably typical of big London parks) aren't great. People using the roads (and they are roads with a 38mph speed limit) are oblivious with dogs, toddlers, small kids on scooters all on the loose across the road.

In the time-to-the-country stakes, I'm literally in it. Woods to one side, field (of sheep right now) at the back, and village sign to the other side. 13 miles to Inverness which takes 13 minutes in the car with not a single set of lights on the way. Less than 5 minutes to the sea (with dolphins and seals), snow-capped mountains in the view from the living room, skiing 40 minutes away, and a job working for a blue-chip multinational. The airport is 15 minutes away, with parking 2 minutes from the check-in desk and Gatwick 1hr20m away with 4 flights a day. And all the cycling anybody could ever want with a purpose-build MTB trail centre 5 miles away (can cycle there almost entirely off-road), plenty of cafe stops everywhere, no bikes thieves (that I've heard of) and so on. Coming from Cambridge, the only thing I miss is the culture - but that's a very small price to pay.

I might be able to beat that. I live 4 miles from a (not quite London-sized) city centre, about 100m to the left of this picture:

Lots of multi-national companies and more coming all the time. Airport has more destinations, but not so many to London. Climbing, walking, and cycling places all over. The local hills aren't very high, not much over 300m, but plenty of higher mountains within 30 mins drive. Cafe options are not great, but lots of picnic sites.

meanredspider

Bobbygloss wrote:

Lots of multi-national companies and more coming all the time. Airport has more destinations, but not so many to London. Climbing, walking, and cycling places all over. The local hills aren't very high, not much over 300m, but plenty of higher mountains within 30 mins drive. Cafe options are not great, but lots of picnic sites.

You're actually closer to me than I am to London. Speaking Norwegian is a slight challenge (I think it ranks towards the bottom of a list of commonly-spoken languages). You're short of a Loch Ness monster too - though probably make up for it in trolls or somesuch

ETA - I think I live about the perfect distance from my work & the city. A good but challenging commute but far enough to make getting kitted out for the bike worthwhile.

msmancunia

I'm on my way down for the day for work and I can't believe I'm so excited! Wish I could say the same for the Virgin rail breakfast...

Moved down 8 years ago from Manchester, intending to stay for a year, and stayed for 7 years. Took me a while to settle in, but I realised I'd started to get the Londoner's mentality when I stopped letting crowded tubes go past and just crammed on with the rest of them. I like being back in Manchester; I'm on the edge of the countryside, and the cost of living is so much better, but I had no idea just how much I'd miss London. I came home to sort out a long, complicated probate issue, renovate a house etc. When all that's done, I wouldn't rule out a move back down.

Looks like I'm one of those oddities - half north/half south!

Ben6899

We need to put a weekend list together for you, Will. I'll start the ball rolling, you can embrace or ignore; it's no skin off my nose.

1. Hampstead Heath - go for a walk.
2. The Scooter Café on Lower Marsh - go for a coffee.
3. Food for Thought in Covent Garden - go for some really nice (and cheap) vegetarian food.
4. Rapha CC in Soho - go for a coffee and watch whatever cycling related programme they have on the large screen.
5. Look Mum No Hands on Old Street - go for a coffee and buy yourself a different kind of souvenir in the form of a LMNH casquette.
6. There are some really good/nice bike shops in London - go and have a look at the shiny carbon.
7. Brick Lane Market - go and endure the crowds, but enjoy the experience.

Tourist-type things...

8. Camden Lock.
9. London Zoo.
10. London Eye.
11. The Geffrye Museum in Hoxton.
12. The Wellcome Collection on Euston Road.
13. The Natural History Museum in Knightsbridge/Kensington.


I could go on and on and write a list to keep you occupied until the end of the financial year, WITHOUT going anywhere near a show or the coffee oligarchs. I would include Knightsbridge/Kensington in that list of not going anywhere near, but #13 rules out that!

TheStone

Can't believe I'm linking to the fail, but best summary google came up with:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -1-15.html

notsoblue

Just to add to the list, if you don't mind a bit of a walk, you can visit Hyde Park, have a coffee or something to eat at the Cafe on the Lido, then walk to the Royal Albert Hall and down to the Natural History Museum. That area is pretty well serviced by Boris Bikes too.

If you're into Art, then it would be worth visiting both Tate museums, theres a riverboat that links the two, and you can buy a "Tate to Tate" ticket. I'd recommend visiting the Tate Britain first, then hopping on a boat and heading to the Tate Modern which is more central and is opposite St Pauls for which its worth paying for entry so you can climb all the way to the top for one of the best 360 views in London.

rubertoe

Go to the Southampton Arms in Kentish town/Highgate - the best pub bar none in N London - even if you dont drink - have a Pork Roll - they are amazing

Ben6899

rubertoe wrote:

Go to the Southampton Arms in Kentish town/Highgate - the best pub bar none in N London - even if you dont drink - have a Pork Roll - they are amazing

Seconded. Are you a regular? Me and Miss6899 often walk up for the live music on Sunday evenings.

phy2sll2

Ben6899 wrote:

*Lots of good suggestions*

This is fun - might even benefit us 'real' Londoners!

14. Greenwich - Market, Park, Cutty Sark (the boat and the pub) - ride down to Thames Barrier?
15. Ride up Regent's canal to Little Venice (pop into Marine Ices for an ice-cream while you're there)
16. Wander along South Bank, visit BFI, maybe go and see the LPO play (Festival Hall), if you like classical music, pull some Martyn Ashton style tricks in the skate park there...

anonymousblackfg

17. Get to Surbiton via Richmond Park and join KW for a sunday morning club run in the surrey hills
18. Haggle for a discount on a curry with friends on Brick Lane
19. Search out the Harwood Arms in Fulham for a pint and scotch egg
20. Brunch at Granger and co in Notting Hill before the walk in Hyde Park above

phy2sll2

Pfffftttt... Wheelers?

Runs for cover...

dhope

phy2sll2 wrote:

Pfffftttt... Wheelers?

Runs for cover...

Were you out last Saturday btw? Did my first ride with the Paragons

il_principe

anonymousblackfg wrote:

18. Haggle for a discount on a curry with friends on Brick Lane

F*ck that. Impossible to get a good curry on Brick Lane.

Harwood Arms is a great shout though.

vermin

Sample a sourdough pizza at Franco Manca and then cocktails at Seven (or the other way round), both in Brixton Market.

phy2sll2

dhope wrote:

phy2sll2 wrote:

Pfffftttt... Wheelers?

Runs for cover...

Were you out last Saturday btw? Did my first ride with the Paragons

Nope. I'm still recovering from a knee injury.

anonymousblackfg

Il Principe wrote:

anonymousblackfg wrote:

18. Haggle for a discount on a curry with friends on Brick Lane

F*ck that. Impossible to get a good curry on Brick Lane.

Harwood Arms is a great shout though.

The point is not to have a good quality (there are plenty of others for that), it's the experience.

As for the KW comment, try most clubs in london, if you've moved to London you just need find friendly like minded people and some nice terrain, not spend a morning staring at a Garmin!

21. Spend a saturday morning at Herne Hill Velodrome
22. A long Sunday lunch at the Engineer in Primrose Hill followed by a stroll into Camden
23. Work your way through every guest ale in the Eagle in clapham

rick_chasey

Has this just descending into who has lives the most comfortable London life with a good mixture of who knows the coolest/snobbiest/inverse snobbiest places?

I can join in.

For all this Harwood arms chat, I've never seen any of you in there and it's my local boozer.

Pub quiz is fun.

meanredspider

Rick Chasey wrote:

Has this just descending into who has lives the most comfortable London life with a good mixture of who knows the coolest/snobbiest/inverse snobbiest places?

A sort of "whisky thread" for Londoners

TheStone

Rick Chasey wrote:

who knows the coolest/snobbiest/inverse snobbiest places?

That would be the bowling club in Balham.