London Off The Beaten Path Tips by Sjalen

Highgate

Lots of people make it to Highgate Cemetary but few people realise that Highgate itself is worth staying for. Since the cemetary is downhill from the village centre, people often miss it. To be ctd.

Ham House

To be ctd.

Regents Canal

A walk from Angel tube station towards Little Venice, along the Regents Canal. There are also some boat trips to Camden etc. To be ctd.

Syon House and Park

Not as "off the beaten path" as some of my other tips but definately something most first time visitors miss and many who have visited again and again does not know it exists. Syon House is the home of the Duke of Northumberland (yes, I know, never any geographical logic with that nobility) and has been for generations. Like many other manor houses, it is built in the grounds of a former abbey - in this case the Bridgettines, which of course interests me as St Bridget was Swedish. The name Syon in fact comes from Mount Zion so it was a really religious place until the famous Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII. A few years ago, It is thought that God punished the king for taking control of the church, since his coffin broke open and dogs had a go at the king's corpse as the coffin was put here overnight on its way to burial at Windsor! Birkbeck College discovered the remains of the abbey and you can follow a link to their excavations if you visit the Syon website below. The first Duke of Somerset had the house itself built on top of the huge abbey ruins in 1547-52 as the land then had been taken over by the Crown. It was in 1766 that the Duke of Northumberland title was given to the family holding it today and the first Duke had the entire estate remodelled with the help of famous architect Robert Adams and equally famous landscape designer Capability Brown. It is actually for its garden that most people seem to visit today, with several gardening events going on. Both the house and gardens have also featured in several films and TV series so if you visit and come to think of Emma, The Madness of King George or an Agatha Christie series to name a few, that could be the reason. A really idyllic place on the opposite banks of the Thames from Kew Gardens, the flightpath to Heathrow must be the only annoying thing I can think of about this place.

Website: http://www.syonhouse.co.uk/

Mortlake

Known for being the finish for the famous Oxford v. Cambridge boat race in spring, I went to watch this once and immediately liked the whole area. For a start, its location along the river Thames gives the same kind of atmosphere you find in nearby Richmond (to which it belongs administratively), Chiswick and so on, with riverside pubs such as the well-known White Hart, and many green areas. Then there are several interesting antique book shops amongst the red brick quarters. Sadly, I visited in the days of film and when I moved back to Sweden, I had lost the roll of film so you will have to live without a photo until I can return but look at the website below. Spend half a day here and discover! Go to the You can get here by train from Waterloo and you can also wander into the neighbouring Barnes where Henry Fielding and also Gustav Holst lived and where you will find the London Wetland Centre with lots of waterfowl.

Website: http://www.mortlake-online.co.uk/

Chiswick