London Off The Beaten Path Tips by uglyscot

The Mall, Horseguards Parade and St James Park

St James's Park is another of the green areas so important to Lonson. we had been playing the tourist for several hours when we found ourselves at Horseguards parade which was lined with Union Jacks, so crossed the road into St James's Park. People were enjoying the sunshine either sitting on park benches, in green and white striped deck-chairs or just sitting or lying on the grass. When a shower made it cooler and wet, some people packed up and left , but others stayed until the shower passed over.
We enjoyed people-watching: an Indian family enjoying time together, a Chinese girl sheltering under her umbrella, an elderly British couple with a picnic hamper, a rug and walking arm and arm out of the park when the rain started.
There is a kiosk selling food and beverages at the entrance to the park.

Marylebone area

At first sight the Marylebone area has little to offer. I wanted to know more about the area as my great grandfather was born and brought up there.
Its name comes from the Church of St Mary on the Bourne (= banks of the river Tyburn) but often mistaken for St Mary le bon. The Tyburn is a river that starts in Hamstead and now runs underground, only to reappear in Regent's Park. There was once a conduit in Stafford Place, and a stone in Marylebone Lane marks another conduit. Marylebone Lane itself twists and divides , following the course of the river , now underground.
Some famous people lived in the area like Dickens, Octavia Hill, and others were married in the churches like Vivian Leigh, Hillaire Belloc, Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett.
Join the Old Marylebone walk and see for yourself. Be prepared to hear of reformers, royal mistresses and other historical titbits. Architecture varies from neo-classical in Stafford Place and St Maryelbone church, to Georgian, and the stucco facades of Nash by Regent's Park.

Other Contact: www.londonwalks.com

ChinaTown

The first time I wandered into ChinaTown I was struck by the exotic atmosphere and the decorated arch. This time all I noticed were the number of people, the number of shops with Chinese characters proclaiming the names and business. the stall selling vegetables still had some unfamiliar products, and a man cooking on a wok was dishing out unfamiliar food, but the atmosphere was missing.

Shakespeare's Head

This pub is tucked away on Carnaby Street at the junction of Foubert's Place. The Inn sign is a head of Shakespeare, and in the window above the entrance, is a head of Shakespeare seemingly looking down on the street below. Looking carefully you notice that a hand is missing, thanks to a bomb in WWII.
I only noticed it because I was obeying Diosh's motto , Look Up.
The pub was founded by relatives of Shakespeare according to the board outside.

Beer is sold in the evenings.

A London cemetery

On Church Row in Hampstead there is a small cemetery, but in it are buried some famous persons.It is opposite the Catholic Church [St John's].Graves include those of the politician Hugh Gaitskell; actors like Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and George du Maurier; and actress Kay Kendall who died young and was married to Rex Harrison.
It is a quiet place and there is a plaque with directions to some of the better known people buried there,

Hampstead

Hampstead is in north west London. It used to be a village, and haunt of artists, writers and actors, like Constable, R.L.Stevenson and Gerald du Maurier
But it is now a district with nice houses, good restaurants and within a reasonable distance of Hampstead Heath. The area is hilly.
Off the main streets are some charming little streets or alleys. There are some expensive shops, crafts shops and an area with antique shops, as well as a Book shop where you squeeze between racks of books, climb over piles of books, a veritable cavern of books.

Bluewater Retail Park

Bluewater is one of the largest shopping centres in Britain, or even Europe. It was built in what was a chalk/limestone quarry. This makes a beautiful setting, so that when you sit for refreshment, there is a wonderful view.
The shops are the usual collection , but the drive through the countryside to reach it, makes it a good day's outing instead of tramping the hard London pavements of Oxford Street!

Other Contact: Greenhithe,Dartford, Kent