Offbeat London- Some Unusual Places to Explore

Bird Watching, Stately Home, Historic Cemetery, All Close to Centre

Dec 3, 2008

London has so many attractions that it is easy to stay in the centre. However there are dozens of unusual places less than an hour from downtown for both kids and adults.

Explore undiscovered parts of London that are easy to reach and which will introduce you to some unexpected aspects of the city.

The London Wetlands is one of the best urban sites in Europe from which to watch wildlife all year round is only a short Tube (Underground) journey from Central London. The Centre stretches for 106 acres covering lakes, marshes and ponds which every year are visited by thousands of birds and other wildlife. Visitors can get up very close to view from specially built hides.

Walking the 3.4 kilometers of pathways allows close-up viewing of beautiful wetland flowers and water plants as well as glimpses of the small water animals that live in them. There is an interactive discovery centre and adventure area for children, a lakeside cafe, and the paths are easily accessible by wheelchair.

Getting There: London Underground Tube to Hammersmith Tube Station and take the 283 bus straight there.

In 1839 London cemeteries were in bad shape. Unsanitary and over crowded they were not capable of dealing with the city’s fast growing population. Seven large cemeteries were built to deal with the problem and they were dubbed ‘The Magnificent Seven’ and Highgate was the most praised for its beauty. It became one of the most popular burial sites in the whole of England. There are winding trails between between grave sites and the abundant Victorian Gothic statuary and architcture are extraordinary. .

The cemetery is broken into two halves - West and an East. The original Highgate cemetery is the Western section; the Eastern half was added in 1854 and is best known for the tomb of Karl Marx which is topped by a huge bust of his head. Both cemeteries are worth visiting. The Eastern one is free, the Western one requires that you join a tour, tickets for which you can book online or pay upon entry.

Getting There: Take the Undergound Tube to Archway Station which is on the Northern Line (not Highgate Station) and walk up Highgate Hill to Waterlow Park (around 10 minutes).

Prince Henry’s room at No. 17 Fleet Street is one of the few houses in London which survive today from before the Great Fire of London in 1666. In 1900 it was discovered that there was a false front on the building incorporating eight carved panels. Behind this was the original 17th century half-timbered front, shorn of its bay windows but entirely preserved by the thick layers of paint which covered the whole front. The facade now appears in its original form.

Be sure to look up at the ceiling which is one of the best remaining Jacobean enriched plaster ceilings in London. The room houses an exhibition dedicated to the great diarist, Samuel Pepys, and includes a dramatic account of the Great Fire of London.

Kenwood House is located at the north west corner of Hampstead Heath. This elegant stately home was refurbished and remodelled in 1760 by the architect Robert Adam. The Library is one of the best Adam rooms in existence, It is a beautiful house with sumptuous gardens and meadows set in 112 acres of parkland. There are outdoor concerts in the summer and it’s the perfect place for a picnic. It is open all year round and there are two very good restaurants; one indoors, one outdoors.

One of the most impressive aspects of Kenwood House is its extraordinary collection of paintings. There are works by Rembrandt, Vemeer, Turner and many more. And you can enjoy all this for free. There is no admission charge.

Getting There: Nearest Underground Station Archway or Golders Green then a 210 bus

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