Bored in London for a few months, any advice?
Discussion
Bit of background, I'm 25, single, come from south Wales but have been working in the midlands for quite some time. Currently working in London, have a decent ish apartment in Kings Cross for the time I'm here, and am commuting into Westminster.
I don't have any contacts here, bar some people to occasionally go for a post work pint or two with. I've seen the main sights / museums before so I'd like some tips on any places worth visiting, things to see etc.
On my list at the moment is go for some beers in Shoreditch, pay a visit to the motorbike cafe thing (can't remember the name for the life of me), and go to Camden.
Any tips would be appreciated, I'm finding the commuting via tube and lack of ideas of things to do of an evening a little tiresome.
Edit to add, the lack of corned beef pasties in Greggs is also devastating
I don't have any contacts here, bar some people to occasionally go for a post work pint or two with. I've seen the main sights / museums before so I'd like some tips on any places worth visiting, things to see etc.
On my list at the moment is go for some beers in Shoreditch, pay a visit to the motorbike cafe thing (can't remember the name for the life of me), and go to Camden.
Any tips would be appreciated, I'm finding the commuting via tube and lack of ideas of things to do of an evening a little tiresome.
Edit to add, the lack of corned beef pasties in Greggs is also devastating
https://londonwelsh.org/
Have been to the bar a few time (ages ago). Make friends, meet their friends etc etc.
When I moved to London, I lived in a shared house. Turned out to be a great way to make acquaintances.
Have been to the bar a few time (ages ago). Make friends, meet their friends etc etc.
When I moved to London, I lived in a shared house. Turned out to be a great way to make acquaintances.
FlabbyMidgets said:
Bit of background, I'm 25, single, come from south Wales but have been working in the midlands for quite some time. Currently working in London, have a decent ish apartment in Kings Cross for the time I'm here, and am commuting into Westminster.
I don't have any contacts here, bar some people to occasionally go for a post work pint or two with. I've seen the main sights / museums before so I'd like some tips on any places worth visiting, things to see etc.
On my list at the moment is go for some beers in Shoreditch, pay a visit to the motorbike cafe thing (can't remember the name for the life of me), and go to Camden.
Any tips would be appreciated, I'm finding the commuting via tube and lack of ideas of things to do of an evening a little tiresome.
Edit to add, the lack of corned beef pasties in Greggs is also devastating
What about getting out of london for a day? You can easily jump on a train down to Brighton, head out to Essex and see the seaside. I don't have any contacts here, bar some people to occasionally go for a post work pint or two with. I've seen the main sights / museums before so I'd like some tips on any places worth visiting, things to see etc.
On my list at the moment is go for some beers in Shoreditch, pay a visit to the motorbike cafe thing (can't remember the name for the life of me), and go to Camden.
Any tips would be appreciated, I'm finding the commuting via tube and lack of ideas of things to do of an evening a little tiresome.
Edit to add, the lack of corned beef pasties in Greggs is also devastating
101 Free things to do in London.
https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/budget-lo...
Thanks for the replies.
Will check out the London Welsh, sounds interesting. Part of me wishes I went for a shared place for that reason.
Tinder is on the go, but not exactly as busy as I expected it to be sadly
Never been to Brighton so I like the sound of that. Also thanks for the list, could be interesting to see how many I can check off
Will check out the London Welsh, sounds interesting. Part of me wishes I went for a shared place for that reason.
Tinder is on the go, but not exactly as busy as I expected it to be sadly
Never been to Brighton so I like the sound of that. Also thanks for the list, could be interesting to see how many I can check off
"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life" - Samuel Johnson.
But seriously, there is loads to do.
I have spent a lot of time living in London for work, as you are, and I really got into photography. I could spend a couple of hours each day just wandering the streets with a camera in my pocket, capturing all kinds of street scenes, pictures of buildings, photos from the Tube, and so on. Maybe have a think about a hobby like that? It got me out a lot and I have pretty much walked all over the city, which is great as I know where everything is now!
When you say that 'motorbike cafe thing' are you talking about The Ace Cafe or the Bike Shed Motorcycle Club on Old Street? I highly recommend a trip to the Bike Shed Club. It has a great bar and great food as well. The shop is well worth a look.
https://bikeshedmoto.co.uk
The Ace Cafe has loads going on, and lots of meets (see the calendar on their website) but to be honest, It attracts a lot of pillocks these days, in leased Audi S3's and Golf R's, compete with 'pop and bang' maps, who spend the whole night ragging up and down the road until the police turn up, or there is a massive accident. So make of that what you will.
Other stuff do see and do off the top of my head:
London Transport Museum
Camden and Camden Market
Have a walk around some of the Canals (Little Venice etc)
Borough Market
Sky Garden (free but need tickets)
Ticket to go up The Shard
The Tower of London (pretty good for a tourist attraction)
Have a wander around the South Bank
Walk round the parks
Thames Clippers
Visit Greenwich
Canary Wharf (shops, bars, food etc, and marvel at the buildings)
Barbican
Brick Lane
Wander round Soho and Carnaby
Visit the gentlemen's arcades (Piccadilly Arcade and Burlington Arcade etc)
Columbia Road flower market.
See the street art in Shoreditch
Kew Gardens
Don't forget that London has some of the best 'real ale' boozers around, where you can often end up in conversations with interesting people. Try: The Harp, Prospect of Whitby, The Royal Oak, The Market Porter, Cheshire Cheese, The Thomas Cubitt, The Blackfiar, Horse and Groom, The Enterprise, The Ship and Shovell, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, The Coal Hole, The Old Bank of England, The Grenadier, Ye Olde Mitre, The Cross Keys, The Dog and Duck, The Coach Makers Arms, The Churchill Arms. The Duke of Sussex.
If you are single, then why not get yourself on Hinge, Tinder, Badoo etc. London is rammed with hundreds of thousands of available women, as Douglas correctly points out. A few dates here and there might be fun.
But seriously, there is loads to do.
I have spent a lot of time living in London for work, as you are, and I really got into photography. I could spend a couple of hours each day just wandering the streets with a camera in my pocket, capturing all kinds of street scenes, pictures of buildings, photos from the Tube, and so on. Maybe have a think about a hobby like that? It got me out a lot and I have pretty much walked all over the city, which is great as I know where everything is now!
When you say that 'motorbike cafe thing' are you talking about The Ace Cafe or the Bike Shed Motorcycle Club on Old Street? I highly recommend a trip to the Bike Shed Club. It has a great bar and great food as well. The shop is well worth a look.
https://bikeshedmoto.co.uk
The Ace Cafe has loads going on, and lots of meets (see the calendar on their website) but to be honest, It attracts a lot of pillocks these days, in leased Audi S3's and Golf R's, compete with 'pop and bang' maps, who spend the whole night ragging up and down the road until the police turn up, or there is a massive accident. So make of that what you will.
Other stuff do see and do off the top of my head:
London Transport Museum
Camden and Camden Market
Have a walk around some of the Canals (Little Venice etc)
Borough Market
Sky Garden (free but need tickets)
Ticket to go up The Shard
The Tower of London (pretty good for a tourist attraction)
Have a wander around the South Bank
Walk round the parks
Thames Clippers
Visit Greenwich
Canary Wharf (shops, bars, food etc, and marvel at the buildings)
Barbican
Brick Lane
Wander round Soho and Carnaby
Visit the gentlemen's arcades (Piccadilly Arcade and Burlington Arcade etc)
Columbia Road flower market.
See the street art in Shoreditch
Kew Gardens
Don't forget that London has some of the best 'real ale' boozers around, where you can often end up in conversations with interesting people. Try: The Harp, Prospect of Whitby, The Royal Oak, The Market Porter, Cheshire Cheese, The Thomas Cubitt, The Blackfiar, Horse and Groom, The Enterprise, The Ship and Shovell, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, The Coal Hole, The Old Bank of England, The Grenadier, Ye Olde Mitre, The Cross Keys, The Dog and Duck, The Coach Makers Arms, The Churchill Arms. The Duke of Sussex.
If you are single, then why not get yourself on Hinge, Tinder, Badoo etc. London is rammed with hundreds of thousands of available women, as Douglas correctly points out. A few dates here and there might be fun.
Douglas Quaid said:
Get on tinder and start shagging. There are thousands of available attractive women in London.
Another good suggestion below. I use TimeOut quite a lot for find out what is happening.bigandclever said:
Look at eventbrite, meetup, TimeOut .. there are shedloads of things to do.
Thanks Lord Marylebone
I do have a decent camera back home so I quite like that suggestion. I guess at the moment I'm looking for a reason to get out and find stuff, so that could solve that.
I was thinking of the Bike Shed, the entrance is sort of through the outside tables from what I remember. I've seen some videos of Ace Cafe and doesn't look amazing, especially in the clips I've seen when the balaclava'd scrotes turn up. Speaking of which I haven't noticed any mopeds being ridden like that, have they calmed down or just not central. I find myself careful holding my phone outside.
Good list there, thanks. Quite a few things I don't know or hadn't thought of.
Also the list of pubs is much appreciated. The ones I find myself in after work all feel very commercial. I'll map those out and see which I can factor in for my walk home. It's a shame that where I am working, despite having a higher percentage of younger people than I'm used to, doesn't seem to do much socialising out of work.
Tinder et al are on the go, weirdly I find getting a date in a small town in the midlands easier than here.
I do have a decent camera back home so I quite like that suggestion. I guess at the moment I'm looking for a reason to get out and find stuff, so that could solve that.
I was thinking of the Bike Shed, the entrance is sort of through the outside tables from what I remember. I've seen some videos of Ace Cafe and doesn't look amazing, especially in the clips I've seen when the balaclava'd scrotes turn up. Speaking of which I haven't noticed any mopeds being ridden like that, have they calmed down or just not central. I find myself careful holding my phone outside.
Good list there, thanks. Quite a few things I don't know or hadn't thought of.
Also the list of pubs is much appreciated. The ones I find myself in after work all feel very commercial. I'll map those out and see which I can factor in for my walk home. It's a shame that where I am working, despite having a higher percentage of younger people than I'm used to, doesn't seem to do much socialising out of work.
Tinder et al are on the go, weirdly I find getting a date in a small town in the midlands easier than here.
If I was in London on my tod for an extended period I'd visit every tube station and take a picture of the outside. that would take you some time (but then you might think that's an odd thing to do !).
I've also been to TV locations of things like Minder and The Sweeney (odd again you might say). And where Poirot's apartment was.
A walk up Parliament Hill is a good view.
Also Primrose Hill.
London Eye is good, you used to be able to buy a day and night ticket (and two trips was not much more than one). I don't know if they still do that deal.
The cable car (Emirates Airline) across the Thames is quite good and you can use your Oyster or whatever.
I've a couple of books on historic London pubs that I've used to find a few (equally there's websites with similar lists).
Greenwich Observatory is good, and the Royal Maritime Museum also in Greenwich are worth a look.
I also used to walk a lot when in London for work (I used to go about once a week or so a few years ago). I'd walk between our/clients offices and the station, 2 to 3 miles at a time.
There's loads of little parks as well.
So if it was me, I'd do a lot of walking and whizzing around on the tube (which, as I say, you might find a strange thing to do !)
I've also been to TV locations of things like Minder and The Sweeney (odd again you might say). And where Poirot's apartment was.
A walk up Parliament Hill is a good view.
Also Primrose Hill.
London Eye is good, you used to be able to buy a day and night ticket (and two trips was not much more than one). I don't know if they still do that deal.
The cable car (Emirates Airline) across the Thames is quite good and you can use your Oyster or whatever.
I've a couple of books on historic London pubs that I've used to find a few (equally there's websites with similar lists).
Greenwich Observatory is good, and the Royal Maritime Museum also in Greenwich are worth a look.
I also used to walk a lot when in London for work (I used to go about once a week or so a few years ago). I'd walk between our/clients offices and the station, 2 to 3 miles at a time.
There's loads of little parks as well.
So if it was me, I'd do a lot of walking and whizzing around on the tube (which, as I say, you might find a strange thing to do !)
For a single lad, the best suggestion I can give (and I wished i'd done it when I was younger). Find a salsa / bachata dance night and go and learn in the beginners class and progress from there. You will meet people, women, and get to learn to dance, and they have events all the time so you can go as and when you please.
Living in Wiltshire I seem to find a near infinite number of things I'd love to do in London every weekend/evening if I lived there.
No idea what you're into but the independent cinema scene is incredible, one of the best in the world, events, music etc. Assuming you have the disposable income and don't mind doing things alone, at least initially, I couldn't imagine ever being bored.
I'm a photographer and always make one trip in a year just to walk around with the camera, I could fill weeks doing that and nothing else!
My brother-in-law travels in once a month or so to do various walks, he's been working through the Hidden Walks books (several volumes!) and has discovered things I'm fairly sure 99% of born Londoners have no idea about.
No idea what you're into but the independent cinema scene is incredible, one of the best in the world, events, music etc. Assuming you have the disposable income and don't mind doing things alone, at least initially, I couldn't imagine ever being bored.
I'm a photographer and always make one trip in a year just to walk around with the camera, I could fill weeks doing that and nothing else!
My brother-in-law travels in once a month or so to do various walks, he's been working through the Hidden Walks books (several volumes!) and has discovered things I'm fairly sure 99% of born Londoners have no idea about.
Edited by ch37 on Tuesday 12th July 19:09
s1962a said:
For a single lad, the best suggestion I can give (and I wished i'd done it when I was younger). Find a salsa / bachata dance night and go and learn in the beginners class and progress from there. You will meet people, women, and get to learn to dance, and they have events all the time so you can go as and when you please.
Can confirm a single man who can salsa dance will have a very good time at any social as its usually about 3:1 female to male. Your only issue is it can take 30-40 hours to pick up the basics to a good standard. However, if you offer to dance with a novice at a social they will still say yes. I started learning a few years ago and its well worth it, although my wife is also learning.... LOL.Also, go for sunday lunch at Rules at least once whilst you are in the big smoke. Its old fashioned so dont expect trendy surroundings but jeez that beef is something else.
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