Take a peek at this video of Eltham Palace for a sneak preview!

Why Visit Eltham Palace?

Few historic buildings in London pay testament to the passage of time quite as blatantly as Eltham Palace. There’s been an important house on these grounds since Saxon times, and you can still see the medieval hall of 1475, complete with its stunning hammerbeam ceiling in all its glory. 

So far, pretty standard – until you explore the maximalist Art Deco grandeur of the rest of the palace.

For all its history and position as the preferred palace of many historic monarchs from Edward II right up to Henry VIII, until he decided that he liked the palace at Greenwich better, Eltham Palace fell into disrepair, appearing in history under the various guises of a farm, artist’s muse and gentleman’s residence. 

Art Deco Regeneration 

In 1933, the palace was leased by Stephen and Virginia Courtauld – wealthy socialites who set about transforming and extending the palace to create the jaw-dropping Art Deco interiors you can find today. 

They restored the medieval hall, supplementing that building with a much larger series of 1930s structures that together form the palace we see today. Relatively bland on the outside, it’s the interiors – complete with domed roofs and intricate marquetry, that attest the Courtauld vision. 

The couple even built a small jungle-decorated room for their pet lemur Mahjongg (who, incidentally wasn’t very popular with guests due to his habit of nipping them at the ankles under the dining table). It all verges on bonkers and is all the better for it. 

The Gardens at Eltham Palace

Just as striking as the interior of the palace, the gardens at Eltham Palace are worth the trip alone. The Courtaulds took the scope of the existing gardens and set on a project of extending and improving them. 

Weaving mature plants and trees into a new layout with a number of formal and informal  gardens, a larger moat, and other (now lost) features including a swimming pool and tennis courts. 

After the Courtaulds 

Sadly, the Courtaulds didn’t spend long in the finished product – by 1944, tired of the bombing that plagued the palace, the Courtaulds had sold the remainder of the lease to the Army Education Corps who used it as a base until 1992. 

The site has been owned and managed by English Heritage since 1995. 

Practical Information and Map 

Address: Court Yard, London SE9 5QE

Opening Times: Gardens: 10:00 – 17:00. House: 11:00 – 17:00

Website

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If there’s one thing that the past few years have taught me, it’s the pure joy of a simple staycation.

How far do you take it though? 

It’s one thing to staycation (and no, I don’t want to hear about how much you hate the word) in a remote rural retreat in Wales, and quite another to staycation in your own city. 

Does it even count as a break if the journey takes less than an hour? Let’s not have an existential crisis over it, but these are important questions. 

That’s exactly what I was trying to find out when I spent the night at The Laslett in Notting Hill over the bank holiday weekend. 

The Laslett, Notting Hill Review

The hotel was a delight, the perfect base for exploring Notting Hill and the surrounds. Formed from a series of five vast townhouses, it’s spacious without being soulless, with thoughtful decor that strikes the right balance between being stylish, comfortable and practical. 

Location 

Notting Hill needs no introduction – one of West London’s most expensive postcodes, it’s a good choice for those looking to stay in striking distance of central London but want a neighbourhood feel. 

The Laslett is located down a quiet side street near Notting Hill Gate station – so very easy to get to. It’s only a few minutes’ walk to Kensington Gardens and the famous Portobello Road, is also minutes away. 

Style 

The Laslett totally nails it on the style front. 

From the grand porticoed entrance painted an impossibly crisp white to the rooms, adorned with statement art and old Penguin Classics (I spied an old favourite the Kraken Wakes in my room), everything in The Laslett conveys a sense of understated luxe. 

The two leisure rooms – The Henderson Bar and The Library are the kind of rooms you wish you could transport home, piece by piece. Tactile velvet banquettes in jewel hues are accentuated by mood lighting – and more art of course. In the daytime, they’re flooded with light, before taking on a moodier aspect after dark.

Rooms 

If there’s one thing you can count on in the kind of large Victorian townhouses in which The Laslett is located, it’s a sense of grandeur and space – two things the hotel has in abundance. 

Rooms are on the generous side anyway, but made to feel even more so when paired with the building’s tall ceilings. I’ve touched on the decor (reminder: totally fabulous), livened up by quirky touches like giant feathers and more practical ones like the Marshall radio propped on the desk. Much of the furniture is by British designers including bespoke benches by Pinch and lighting by Simon Day at Nocturne Workshop. 

I stayed in a Master Bedroom Suite, the largest category, but even the smaller rooms are generous at 22-33 square metres for the Master Bedroom Double and 19-22 square metres for the Double Bedroom. There’s no differentiation in the style and quality of the decor between the different room categories, so you can rest assured that smaller categories feel just as luxurious. 

The only small hiccough in my room was that the hot water tap on the bath didn’t work, forcing you to use the shower head to fill the bath. That workaround did work though, so it’s a small point. 

Service and Amenities 

As a boutique hotel, The Laslett keeps it simple on the amenities front. 

There’s a small pop up ‘Little Shop of Curiosities by Jerome Dodd’, West London’s eclectic antique curator. Add to that The Library, The Henderson Bar and that’s about it. They also offer a cute picnic hamper service for you to take to Kensington Gardens – a nice touch. 

The staff are excellent – friendly, informative and genuine without being overbearing, plus always on hand to dish out recommendations for things to do and cool spots in the local area. 

Food & Drink 

Breakfast is served either in the Library, the Henderson Bar, or, if you’re lucky with the weather, on the hotel’s sleek tiled terrace. The menu emphasises seasonal ingredients, cooked simply and done well – my smoked salmon with scrambled eggs was cooked to perfection and the Organic Cru Cafe Coffee certainly put a spring in my step that morning. 

The cocktail menu is short but sweet – but the bartender was quick to tell me he could make something to order if I wanted (I did) and the ensuing margarita was exactly right. 

There’s also all day dining – served either in your room or in the downstairs areas. 

Oh, and the answer to can you have a staycation in your hometown? For sure. Just make sure you leave the laptop at home. 

Practical Information and Map

Address: 8 Pembridge Gardens, London W2 4DU

Telephone: 020 7792 6688

Check Rates and Availability: On Booking.com I Direct with the Hotel

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You may not know it, but London in the 1920s gave birth to a rather curious architectural subset of the Art Deco movement – Egyptian Revival Architecture. 

The world had gone gaga over the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 and this obsession manifested itself in some quirky and wonderful buildings including Museum House on Shaftesbury Avenue

Few buildings remain, but luckily, the most impressive example, Carreras Cigarette Factory can still be found on a busy road in Mornington Crescent. 

The History of Carreras Cigarette Factory

Designed by Marcus Evelyn and O.H Collins and AG Porri – the theme was a canny choice, intended to capture the fashion of the time and as a backdrop for Carrera’s distinctive black cat logo. No surprises that it’s often nicknamed The Black Cat Factory. 

Carreras Cigarette Factory really took the Egyptian theme to the max – with onyx cats and elegant pillars very much at odds with the Georgian architecture surrounding it. 

The first construction in London to use pre-stressed concrete, at the time it was built it was actually the biggest reinforced concrete factory in the UK and the world’s largest cigarette factory too. The building was completed in 1928, and named the Arcadia Works Building and Carreras were so pleased with it, they put it on the back of their cigarette cards.

On a less savoury note, rumour has it that Hitler had also earmarked it as a potential UK HQ – along with the University of Oxford – thanks to its eye-catching design.

Like many London buildings, the tale of Carreras is no simple one. Fierce criticism led to it being largely homogenised in the sixties when it was being turned into office space – the pillars were squared up and the Egyptianising decorations were removed. The original bronze cats were sent to Carreras other factories and the building was left looking somewhat sorry for itself.

Decades later, it was then partially restored in 1998 – 1999, though many of the details you see today (including those iconic cats) are replicas rather than the originals. 

These days it’s plain old office blocks inside (which you can’t access) but you can have a good nose around from the outside.

Practical Information and Map

Address: Greater London House, Hampstead Rd, London NW1 7FB

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This is the very spot where the Great Fire eventually burned itself out – during a five day rampage that saw it burn The City of London and approximately 70,000 homes within it, to cinders.  

The Golden Boy of Pye Corner is the other monument to the Great Fire of London – not the one erected by Sir Christopher Wren, but its smaller and less obtrusive alternative. 

A Monument to The Fire of London

The Golden Boy monument was put in place to stop the decades of misinformation and rumour that had swirled around the question of what actually caused the fire. 

The first suspect was an unhinged Frenchman called Robert Hubert who confessed to starting the fire… only for authorities to find out after he’d been executed that he hadn’t arrived in the country until two days after it started. Next was the Catholics, who were blamed for setting the city alight as part of a Papist plot to bring down London. 

William Lilly, an astrologer who’d predicted the fire in a pamphlet entitled Monarchy or No Monarchy published 15 years prior, narrowly escaped his condemned execution by an earnest plea to a special committee in the Commons on the basis that he had no idea of when the fire would happen. 

Finally, the fire was traced to the bakery on Pudding Lane – and thus the fat lad Golden Boy was erected near Farringdon and caste in gilded bronze as a reminder that gluttony was the true cause of the fire. 

Read the inscription “This Boy is in Memory Put up for the late FIRE of LONDON Occasion’d by the Sin of Gluttony.” – you’ll no doubt remember it the next time you reach for that second cupcake.

The more eagle-eyed among you will no doubt have noticed that the building its housed in looks a lot more modern than the monument – the boy used to reside in the front of a pub called the Fortune of War in the same location, but that was pulled down in 1910 and he was remounted on the building that replaced it.

Interestingly, as the longer plaque closer to ground level points out, The Fortune of War was also a popular spot for body snatchers in the 19th century – the snatchers would bring the bodies to the pub and the surgeons from St Bart’s Hospital across the road would come and purchase them for research. Cheery associations all around then.

Golden Boy of Pye Corner: Practical Information and Map 

Address: Giltspur St, Farringdon, London EC1A 9DD 

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The depot is only open for a select number of open days each year, so nab your tickets fast when they’re released.

What is the London Transport Museum Depot? 

Part storage facility, part jaunt through the history of the various iterations of the city’s monstrous transport network – the depot contains the 90% of the collection that TfL don’t have out at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden. 

320,000 exhibits may not sound like much, but when you start adding in tens of double and single decker buses, trams and tube carriages, you start to see how every inch of this 6,000 square metre space feels like it’s bursting at the seams in the best way possible. 

The exhibits themselves span every transport-related item imaginable: underground signs sporting the distinctive font, posters by leading artists like Man Ray, Harry Beck’s recognisable tube map – along with rather dismayingly large electricity transformers and signal boxes that will no doubt get transportation geeks (it me) rather hot under the collar. 

Depot tours are hugely informative – drawing on the vast knowledge of the curators and volunteers that run them to create an experience that will lure in even those with the most fleeting interest in the subject. 

Ever wondered what trains looked like on the Metropolitan Line in the 30s? Now’s your chance to find out. 

Practical Information & Map

The depot normally only opens to the public for special open days – but for the first time it’s open for a summer season 19-23 and 26-30 August. Book ahead. 

Address: 118-120 Gunnersbury Ln, Acton Town, London W3 9BQ

Website

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On the face of it, it looks like the other gas lamps dotted around the area, but the Patent Sewer Ventilating Lamp is anything but. 

The Story of the Gas Destructor Lamp

To understand the lamp, you need to cast your mind back to the 19th century, when London was a noxious place with unsavoury sanitation habits that gave rise to The Great Stink of 1858. 

The illustrious minds of Victorian society put their heads together, seeking a solution to the city’s festering problem – and, spearheaded by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, came up with the sewage system that’s largely still in use in the city today. 

One particular issue remained. As it sludged and slurried through the pipes, the sewage emitted noxious fumes that smelt rather disgusting and gave rise to a real fear that the methane gases in the sewers could cause them to explode.

To fix the problem, holes were drilled to allow the gases to escape. The issue was… they smelled totally awful. So a bright young inventor, Joseph Webb, came up with the idea of creating a lamp that would burn off the gases and illuminate the street.

The column of the lamp is hollow, so gases from the sewers can ascend from the sewer to the lamp to be burnt off – no noxious fumes and with the added benefit of lighting the streets at the same time.

The first version of the lamp was intended to solely be powered by the methane in the sewers, but it proved too unreliable and the lamps kept going out. 

Webb then modified the design so they could be operated both by the sewer gas and the standard gas network, and thus the Patent Sewer Ventilating lamps were installed across the city. 

Thanks to changes in the plumbing system, the ventilating lamps became obsolete over time. They were removed, one by one and now the Carting Lane – aptly nicknamed Farting Lane by the cheeky locals – lamp is the sole remaining one in existence.

London Sewer Lamp: Map

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During a normal summer, parks are the playground in which we enjoy basking in the sun, the spots where we festival hard, picnic and spend lazy days enjoying the greenery. 

Over the past few years, it’s become clear that parks are the glue holding us all together – they were the places where we saw the first people outside of our household and the backdrop to so many social meetups. 

Regular readers will know that South London is my stomping ground – the area where I grew up and know like the back of my hand. So when it came to picking the best parks in South London, I was rigorous and ruthless in my choices. 

Just because something is a green space, doesn’t make it a park and we’re not just going to regurgitate the same 5 spots literally everyone has heard of. Yawn.

These 23 spots vary from vast green spaces to pretty floral gardens – there’s even a cemetery turned nature reserve in there too. We’ve split the guide between South East and South West London to help you find ones nearby.

Now, let’s just hope for a summer of sunny weather and we’re good to go!

Best Parks in South East London

Crystal Palace Park 

Crystal Palace

Let’s start with a biggie. Crystal Palace Park is one of the best-known parks in South London… and for good reason. Created as a Victorian pleasure ground to house the long destroyed Crystal Palace it’s still a hub of London life. 

This isn’t just your average park – mooch around and you will see the former site of the Crystal Palace, Italian gardens, a maze, skate park, athletics club and, of course, those famous dinosaurs. 

Which dinosaurs you ask? The full-size models are positioned in lifelike postures around one of the park’s many lakes, naturally. 

Address: Thicket Rd, London SE19 2GA

Greenwich Park

Greenwich

Boasting gorgeous views over to Canary Wharf and home to its own herd of free-roaming deer, it’s no wonder that Greenwich Park is a south London fave. 

It’s one of London’s Royal Parks, thanks to Greenwich’s widespread royal connections – in fact, it’s the oldest enclosed Royal Park in the UK, providing a backdrop for the rather cheeky flirtations between Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII. 

Luckily for us the park came out of it unscathed, though the same cannot be said for Boleyn. No need to dwell on that.

Today, it boasts tree-lined pathways the ‘Grammers go gaga for during blossom season and a scented herb garden you should pop into during the summer months. 

Address: Greenwich, London SE10 8QY

Dulwich Park 

Dulwich 

It’s hard to believe that the leafy, well-landscaped environs of Dulwich Park used to be farmland, but it’s true. Prior to the park’s creation in 1890, it and the surrounding areas were farmland and meadows. 

Today it’s one of the prettiest parks in the south. It’s manicured without being too formal and with a number of different gardens including a dry garden and a winter garden for you to take a peek at. 

Want to do more than just mooch around? There’s a boating lake with pedalos and rowing boats and the tennis courts are free to use. 

Address: College Rd, Dulwich, London SE21

One Tree Hill

Honor Oak Park

Not a park per se, but rather a nature reserve tucked in the midst of Honor Oak Park, One Tree Hill is one of South London’s prettiest hidden gems.

The woodland nature reserve is the perfect spot for a quiet walk among the trees – there are a number of paths (some steep, some not) from which to choose. 

The name’s misleading. There are many, many trees, but one noted for rumours of providing Elizabeth I with shelter as she made a journey through what was then The Great North Wood. 

One Tree Hill’s high position and hilly aspect means it also just so happens to boast some of the best views of central London. 

Address: 69 Honor Oak Rise, London SE23 3RA

Nunhead Cemetery 

Nunhead

Another leftfield entry, Nunhead Cemetery is one of our favourite spots – a place where history and nature merge to create one of the most unusual outdoor spaces in South London.

Yes, it’s a cemetery, so if you get freaked out by the sight of graves, this one’s not for you… For everyone else, it’s a rare sight – a spot where woodland has reclaimed the vast part of the cemetery. 

It says everything that a large part of Nunhead Cemetery is officially a nature reserve. Expect ivy creeping over statues, dappled light from the dense canopy and small paths that meander throughout it all. 

Address: Linden Grove, London SE15 3LP

Lloyd Park 

Croydon

Lloyd Park is one of the most bucolic parks in south east London, but somehow one of its least known. 

Maybe it’s the Croydon location – perched on the outskirts of South London just at the tipping point before it becomes full-blown suburbia. 

That location is a boon and translates to 114 acres of rolling parkland, meadow and woodland for you to explore. Formerly part of the grounds of the Coombe Estate, it’s a part-landscaped, part wild playground for adults and children alike. 

Even on the busiest days, you’re guaranteed to find ample space to chill in solitude.  

Address: Coombe Road, Croydon, CR0 5BT

Brockwell Park 

Herne Hill 

Brockwell Park may not be well-known outside of the surrounding areas – a shame as this is a beaut of a park and one of the more unconventional ones you’ll find in South London. 

It was created largely by the champion efforts of MP Thomas Bristowe, who sadly died moments after the park’s opening ceremony in 1892. His efforts have been richly rewarded: today the park sits at the heart of local life. 

There’s certainly no shortage of things to do – start with the walled formal garden, BMX track, tennis courts and everyone’s favourite London lido. The green-fingered among you might also want to try your hand at growing some produce in the community greenhouse. 

Address: Brockwell Park Gardens, London SE24 9BJ

Peckham Rye 

Combining Peckham Rye Park and Peckham Rye Common – a visit to Peckham Rye will put 113 acres of grassland, ornamental gardens, lakes and woodland at your fingertips. 

Facilities-wise, there are a number of children’s adventure playgrounds, joined by a bowling green, skate park and community gardens – not to mention a gorgeous ornamental garden, Sexby Garden, that’s filled with a variety of roses and shrubs. 

Address: 34 Straker’s Rd, London SE15 3UA

Beckenham Place Park 

Beckenham 

London’s newest green space was transformed from a golf course to a brand new park last year, complete with a 283-metre long swimming lake that quickly saw it become the talk of the town. 

Beckenham Place Park may be new but it’s already become one of south London’s go-to open air spaces, thanks to the combination of woodlands, meadows and gardens. 

It’s a beautiful spot with a rural feel that makes it difficult to believe you’re less than 9 miles from the centre of town. Plus they hold some brilliant festivals (including the cool Hospitality festival pictured above) in the park each summer.

Address: Beckenham Hill Rd, Beckenham BR3 5BS

Burgess Park 

Camberwell 

Burgess Park is one of the younger parks in South London having been created between the 1950s and 1980s. It’s got an interesting story behind it – with whole areas, including residential buildings, churches and canals removed piecemeal for the park’s creation.

The result is one of London’s biggest parks, combining open grass areas with ornamental gardens and allotments – there’s even a specified barbecue area too. 

Address: Albany Rd, London SE5 0AL

Southwark Park 

Rotherhithe 

Nestled in the area of Rotherhithe, Southwark Park is a Green Flag award-winning park dating back to 1869. It was restored in the early noughties and today is one of the nicest (not to mention little visited) parks in south east London. 

Aside from the normal grassy areas and lakes, the park is also home to two galleries, the Lake Gallery and Dilston Gallery (closed at the time of writing), each presenting innovative programmes of works by local artists. 

Address: Gomm Rd, London SE16 2TX

Kelsey Park 

Beckenham

It’s no surprise that the leafy neighbourhood of Beckenham boasts more than its fair share of parks – this is suburbia after all. 

The former landscaped gardens of the Kelsey Manor Estate retain much of their prior glory, with extensive ornamental gardens and a series of large lakes providing the backdrop to your summer antics. 

Address: Manor Way, Beckenham BR3 3LS

Horminan Museum Gardens 

Forest Hill 

Although it’s not necessarily a park per se, the gardens of Forest Hill’s much-loved Horniman Museum are a lovely spot to spend some time basking in the sunshine. 

The gardens are well-looked after, with sunken and display gardens that date back to the 1930s and an unusual grasslands garden among other attractions. 

The gardens also sport a rather cracking view over to central London. 

Address: 100 London Rd, Forest Hill, London SE23 3PQ

Sydenham Hill Woods 

Sydenham 

Standing in the middle of Sydenham Hill Woods, it’s not hard to believe that this was once a part of the Great North Wood that stretched all the way from Deptford to South Norwood. 

In fact, Sydenham Hill Woods forms one part of the largest remaining tract of the great wood and is still one of the nicest woodlands in London. 

What it lacks in open spaces, it more than makes up for with woodland walkways, the most famous of which, Cox’s Walk is an 18th-century oak-lined path crossing the wood.

Address:  Crescent Wood Road, Sydenham Hill, SE26 6LS

Telegraph Hill Park 

Lewisham

We love a park with a good view and they don’t come much better than the view at Telegraph Hill Park. From the peak of the hill you can see right across a segment of London that includes London’s cityscape of skyscrapers and even Westminster with Big Ben just a tiny tower in the distance. 

The park itself is not very big, but it is very nice. There’s tennis and basketball courts if you’re looking for a place to play some sport. They’ve also got an ornamental garden and a small pond that are lovely to walk around. 

To top it off, during the summer months they run a refreshment kiosk. Perhaps they know the only thing that could improve that view is an ice cream to eat while you take it in. 

Address: 12 Montague Ave, London SE4 1YP

Best Parks in South West London 

Battersea Park 

Battersea

When it comes to London’s parks, we have a lot to thank the Victorians for… that’s never more true than in the case of Battersea Park.

The park was opened in 1858 to give the working class residents of the surrounding areas somewhere green to escape to and the same stands today (excepting those residents have become increasingly well-heeled as time has passed). 

The 200 acres of parkland somehow manages to squeeze in a range of gardens, playgrounds and a boating lake into its grounds. 

Sure, there’s a vaguely terrifying Go Ape facility, but you can enjoy much more sedate pleasures by taking a turn around the water gardens, check out the Peace Pagoda (pictured) or cycling along the designated paths. 

Address: Battersea, London SW11 4NJ

Tooting Commons

Tooting 

No, there’s not an errant “s” in the title – there are actually two adjacent commons in Tooting, Tooting Bec Common and Tooting Graveney Common separated by Dr Johnson Avenue. 

Two commons = a lot of space to enjoy the great outdoors. 

The commons provide a natural habitat for a variety of wildlife species including mallard ducks, mute swans and dragonflies, while the lake is home to a number of wildlife birds and fish. 

The Lido is the largest freshwater swimming pool by surface area in the UK, and has been used by locals since it opened in 1906. Anyone can pay to take a dip during the summer months, but it’s exclusive to members of the South London Swimming Club in the winter.

Address: Tooting Bec Road SW17 8JU

Clapham Common 

Clapham

Probably the best-known common in South London, the triangular green centre of Clapham is an oasis of quiet in a busy area. 

It’s been uncultivated ever since the time of the Domesday Book – today, people sunbathe and children play where horses would have raced and sheeps grazed in earlier times. 

In normal years, the common hosts a number of outdoor cinemas, music festivals and fairs. It’s not clear how many will be held this year, but its position as one of south west London’s nicest outdoor spots will continue unchanged. 

Address: Windmill Drive, Clapham, SW4 9DE

Wandsworth Common 

Wandsworth

There is no shortage of commons in South West London – Wandsworth Common isn’t far from its Clapham or Tooting counterparts.

Still, it brings a lot to the table – including three cricket pitches and a bowling green (a hint to the posher aspects of the surrounding area where former prime minister David Lloyd George used to live).

Aside from that, there’s a great fitness trail and the Lady Allen Adventure Playground designed as an accessible and fun space for disabled children. 

Address: Trinity Rd, London SW18 3RT

Wimbledon Common 

Wimbledon

Although it’s technically three commons, Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath, and Putney Lower Common, most people just stick to calling this large swathe of grassland Wimbledon Common. 

London’s largest common is the perfect place to womble around (yes, the 70s show of pro-recycling spec wearing raccoons is set on the common) – unlike in days of yore when it had something of a reputation as a duelling hotspot. 

Next door, the floral gardens of Cannizaro Park in Wimbledon are well worth popping in to spend some time in too. 

Address: Windmill Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 5NR

Streatham Common & Rookery

Streatham

Just around the corner from the much larger Tooting Commons, Streatham Common combines a wide stretch of grass with sloped woodland all in one space on the outskirts of Streatham. 

While the main part of the common is pretty standard fare, walk across the road from the upper eastern stretch for a surprise in the form of The Rookery. 

What were the gardens of a large manor house has been transformed into an oasis of floral landscaping, with a number of formal gardens including a White Garden and walled kitchen garden.

Address: Streatham High Road, London 

Richmond Park 

Richmond 

Probably one of the better known of all south London’s parks, Richmond Park is a big hit. That’s largely to do with its size – it’s massive – but also because of the herds of wild deer that run free on the grounds. 

They’re there because the park used to be the hunting grounds of the English royal family way back when (the 15th century to be precise). 

The royals have also left their mark on the park in the form of King Henry’s Mound – a hill with an extraordinary royal past, and one of the finest views of London. 

Practical Tips

• Depending on the weather you may want to take wellington boots or at least sturdy shoes. The parks can get wet and muddy – your designer heels may look good strutting on the streets of Soho but they’ll be no use here. 
• Check the websites of each park for their opening times. Some will be open 24/7, others shut their gates at night. 
• If you go to one of the parks that has wild deer, don’t feed them. They don’t do well off human food so just leave them to eat their grass. Getting close enough to feed them can also put you at risk – these are wild animals afterall, and not small ones at that.

Map of the Best Parks in South London

Looking for more outdoor London inspiration? Check these out…

• The Best Parks in London
• Spectacular Walks in London
• Cool Hikes Near London
• Unmissable Parks in North London

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Code red people. There’s a Harry Potter themed bar in London and you need to visit!

I’d heard rumours about The Cauldron, London’s answer to Professor Snape’s potion room popping up around town.

There were whispers of a magical molecular cocktail bar where you don your wizarding (or witching) robes and spend a few hours creating your own boozy brews.

Now, it’s no secret that I am a huge Harry Potter fan. As in spend weekends hunting out Harry Potter filming locations in London, whizzing over to the Warner Brothers Studios and The House of Minalima kind of huge.

I’m guessing that if you’re reading this, you’re also a pretty big fan of the tales of the Boy who Lived – so I’ll let you in on a little secret…

Book your tickets to the The Cauldron bar pronto – because you are going to have a blast.

Wait? There’s a Harry Potter Bar in London?

Yes! The Cauldron is a Harry Potter-themed cocktail bar in London. It’s popped up in a few destinations – the current one is in Stoke Newington.

Read Next: Harry Potter Self-Guided Walking Tour of London

Let’s Rewind a Moment. What Exactly are Harry Potter Cocktails?

Well, you know how in the books and the movies, Hogwarts students are always mixing up magical potions? Harry Potter cocktails are like those potions but in highly drinkable form.

I won’t tell you the specifics because that will spoil all the fun but you pick your two cocktails (you won’t recognise most of the ingredients but that’s kind of the point), then you’re given all the ingredients and equipment that you need to chop, squeeze and mix your way to cocktail nirvana.

Is it Magical? Like, REALLY Magical?

Err, yes again. The Cauldron have got this absolutely dialled when it comes to creating an immersive experience. You book a two hour slot, rock up and let the magic begin.

Obviously I was incredibly excited as I descended the stairs, newly-acquired wand in hand into the potions room where all of the fun happens.

You’re seated, talked through the format (well, you’re supposed to be, our initial host wasn’t the greatest but he was quickly replaced with someone a bit more magical) and given a welcome cocktail to start the experience. After that, you choose the cocktails you want to make – receive the ingredients and then off you go!

Now, you might be thinking “How realistic can a magical cocktail making class be, seeing as magic doesn’t actually exist?”

First of all. I can’t believe that you don’t believe in magic (rude).

Second of all, if (and this is a big if) The Cauldron doesn’t actually have real magic at its fingertips, it’s done a pretty good job of creating the illusion of it. From whirring cocktail mixing activated by the touch of a wand to fizzing and smoking potions – it’s really rather brilliant.

All that’s left for you to do is book your spot and work your magic – you’ll surprise yourself with just how good a potions master you actually are.

Practical Tips & Map

Is The Cauldron Worth the Money?

Yes, The Cauldron is worth the money. It’s a really cool experience and doesn’t end up being more expensive than most other cocktail bars in London anyway.

OK, I’m Totally Sold – How do I Book?

Head to the website, pick your slot and off you go! Be aware that prices vary depending on when you go (peak or off peak) so if you want to save your pennies (or is that galleons), go for an off-peak slot.

Tickets

Tickets for The Cauldron cost £35.99 for adults, £23.99 for children and £32.39 for students

Address: 79 Stoke Newington Rd, London N16 8AD, UK

Website

It’s probs a good time to say that while The Cauldron is clearly inspired by the world of Harry Potter, it’s not officially a Harry Potter bar and isn’t affiliated with JK Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing or Warner Brothers Studios. And there’s no actual magic. It’s just really clever tech.

Looking for More Harry Potter Guides? Read These

• Self-Guided Harry Potter Walking Tour
• What’s it Like Visiting the Warner Bros Studios?
• Harry Potter Filming Locations in London

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Look for it you should – this quiet oasis of peace and floral blooms is one of South London’s hidden gems. 

What’s So Special about Streatham’s Rookery? 

What if I told you you could find the vestiges of a private garden that used to belong to a fashionable 18th century spa escape in Streatham of all places, would you be curious? You should be. 

That’s exactly what you get at Streatham’s secret rookery – situated on the remains of one of South London’s most fashionable mineral springs. 

The manor house is long gone, but the garden was replanted in the early 20th century as an Old English Garden, complete with a woodland walk, white garden and grass terraces – all of which survive today. 

Make your way to the top of Streatham Common, leaving behind the rather bland expanse of grass of the lower common. You’re aiming for the top right of the common, past the point where the common proper turns into woodland, turning the corner to reveal what you’re here for – Streatham Rookery. 

History of The Rookery

Now, beautiful as Streatham Rookery is, it’s also got a lot of history to it. 

As I mentioned, it was the former site of a fashionable spa, Streatham Spa – built in the 18th century to accommodate the large number of visitors who came to take the waters. 

Though it’s difficult to believe it today, there were a number of spas in London, fed by mineral springs discovered in different parts of the city.

When the Rookery was put up for sale in 1910, a local committee raised the money to purchase the property and gifted it to the London County Council in 1912 who made it a part of Streatham Common. They demolished the house and relandscaped the gardens, laying out the Old English Garden in the former kitchen garden before opening the site to the public in 1913. 

It’s remained largely unchanged ever since. The gardens may cover a relatively small space but what they lack in size, they make up for in variety – alongside the Old English Garden, there’s a rock garden and White Garden that is said to have inspired the one at Sissinghurst. 

In fact, the White Garden (which was originally laid out for a Victorian wedding) was so popular that it was often visited by Queen Mary, consort of George V.

The Rookery Cafe 

There’s a small but well-received cafe just inside the entrance to The Rookery serving tasty breakfasts, coffees and lunches. It’s a lovely local spot that has become a real neighbourhood hub.  

Planning Your Visit

Address

Covington Way, Streatham, London SW16 3BX

Opening Hours

Vary depending on the season. 10am – 9pm weekdays and 7.30am – 9pm weekends during the summer months. 

Map

Read More Streatham & Hidden London Guides

• The Streatham Area Guide
• The Secret Memorial Dedicated to Heroic Londoners
• Have You Visited Brixton’s Windmill?
• Nunhead Cemetery: Part Cemetery, Part Nature Reserve – The History of South London’s Gem
• The True Tale Behind the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs

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We have a confession to make. 

Until recently, we’d been labouring under the misunderstanding that any reference to One Tree Hill was to that shoddy TV programme you couldn’t escape from a few years ago…it was only when we were researching a piece on the best views in London that we came across this, far more interesting One Tree Hill. 

Intrigued, we started to read more, and finally went to visit.

It’s a beautiful spot – the panorama of London’s contemporary skyline framed by leafy trees really does make it one of the best views of the city.

Did we also mention there are a number of other historical sites within the park, each with their story to tell?

Highlights of Your Visit to One Tree Hill 

The View

Is this the best viewing point in London? It’s a close contender, that’s for sure. 

Not that many people know about One Tree Hill. 

That meant that there were only a smattering of people when we visited a couple of days ago – most of them more concerned with walking their dog or recovering from the arduous run to the top of the hill than soaking in the view. 

And what a view… 

Sorry to diss spots like Hampstead Heath and Primrose Hill in the North but this is way better, it just is.

Framed by the canopy of the trees below and to the sides, it feels like a real-life trompe l’oeil – as if someone’s painted the scenery, thinking as much about the presentation and the composition, then hung it up for all of us to appreciate. 

You can see pretty much all of the highlights of the London skyline – The Shard, of course, and the cluster of The Walkie Talkie, Cheese Grater and Heron Tower etc etc in The City. St Paul’s, for centuries the tallest building in London, is there, and you can peep at The London Eye, BT Tower and a lot more besides.

Move position and Canary Wharf reveals itself, providing yet more eye candy for your viewing delectation. 

The Oak of Honour 

Despite the name, One Tree Hill is filled with many trees (it’s a wood after all)… but there’s only one that counts. The Oak of Honour. 

The Oak of Honour marks the boundary of the ancient Honour of Gloucester in the Norman times. This Oak, important because of its positioning at the top of the summit, was deemed so consequential that it gave the area, Honor Oak Park, its name.

Elizabeth I was said to have rested and picnicked under the oak in 1602 – the tree you see today is the third successive one from that oak and was planted in 1905. 

The Bandstand & Beacon

At the summit of the hill, you’ll find an octagonal viewing platform. Handy as it is for making the most of the view, it was built in WWI to mount a gun for countering Zeppelin attacks. 

That gun was replaced by a Seat of Peace after the war – now also gone – after which it became known as The Bandstand. 

Today, it’s just the concrete base left, well situated for you to clamber up onto and take in the views.

There’s also a tall beacon next to The Bandstand. Used to celebrate George V’s Silver Jubilee in 1935, it was last lit during the Queen’s coronation in 1953.

The Ecology 

Being a woodland there’s plenty for enthusiasts of nature to enjoy up here too. The best part of that comes in the form of the varied trees that really muddle with the name One Tree Hill. 

That’s because on this hill you’ll actually find quite a diverse range of trees. Most of what you’ll find are species of ash tree and sycamore. There are many wild cherry trees growing in the area also. 

Perhaps the most interesting tree you’ll find on one tree hill (other than the Oak of Honour that is) are the London Planes. Now that might not come as much of a surprise seeing as we are in London, but it’s more the story of how they got there that’s interesting. 

The London planes were put there when the area was cultivated into a park in the early 20th century. That park has since overgrown and become the woodland of one tree hill. The trees that were put there by people nearly 100 years ago have become part of the natural ecology of the place. Pretty amazing right?

A Brief History of One Tree Hill

Much of One Tree Hill’s history is unknown (or rather, unproven) but we do know that it once formed a part of the Great North Wood, which stretched from Deptford to South Norwood. What we call One Tree Hill today was owned by the Abbots of Bermondsey until Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and it became the property of the Crown. 

Other parts of the park’s history are less clear. 

There’s the tale of how the Roman troops watched Boudicca’s army from the summit, their early warning enabling them to defeat the attack. 

Another one riddles that highwaymen used the hill as a lookout for potential victims, among them Dick Turpin. 

Then there’s the Elizabeth I story we referred to in the Oak of Honour section. The story comes up in several sources, although most were written over a century after the supposed event.

The original tree was replaced by another, which was struck by lightning. It’s now the third tree you’ll find, surrounded by a hexagonal railing and with a small plaque retelling the Elizabeth story, today. 

Later, by the 18th Century, One Tree Hill was used as a beacon point in the Napoleonic Wars. During the same century, the East India Company built a semaphore station atop the hill in order to signal the arrival of their ships in the Channel. 

People had been used to accessing the hill, using it as a shortcut at their leisure. There was considerable discontent when the hill was enclosed by a fence at the behest of the Honor Oak and Forest Hill Golf Club rented the land in 1896.

The disgruntlement fulminated in mass protests in 1897 and the creation of the Enclosure of Honor HIll Protest Committee who negotiated with the local councils until Camberwell Borough Council purchased the land for public use and reopened the park in 1905. 

That was largely it for a century. The 20th century was largely uneventful for One Tree Hill, with the exception that the site was used as a gun base for shooting down zeppelins in WWI. In the year 2000 a Millennium Grant enabled the tree canopy to be lowered so visitors could see the views once more. 

Practical Information and Tips

Address: 69 Honor Oak Rise, London SE23 3RA

Getting There: The nearest station is Honor Oak Park, you can also access it by local bus. It’s also on the wonderful Green Chain Walk – a 50 mile walk through South London’s greenest spaces.

Opening Hours: One Tree Hill is open 24/7.

• If you want to make the most of this incredible view, we recommend going there early in the morning. Not only does the morning light make London look especially beautiful, but there will be less people there to disrupt your enjoyment. 
• The busiest time at One Tree Hill is usually around midday.

Map

Read More Hidden London Guides

• Exploring London’s Hidden Gems
• The Secret London Park that Used to Be a Spa
• These Weird Dinosaurs Have a Very Weird History
• The South London Cemetery That’s Turned into a Nature Reserve

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