#day-trips-from-london

#day-trips-from-london

The analogue experience of turning a book's paper pages almost feels new again, as cities and towns around the globe nurture this return to reading.

The Page & Overton's Brewery started in a small red brick building on Overton's Yard and slowly expanded into buildings on the other side of the yard, dominating the area for decades.

The museum, which displays Walthamstow's colourful cultural history - not to mention Britain's first ever petrol-fuelled car - closed for renovation in December 2023.

On Wednesday 22 April, the Flamsteed Astronomers will bring their smart scopes and telescopes up Shooters Hill and set up on the Castle's rooftop viewing platform.

Winchelsea Beach features a long sweep of steep shingle beach with sand and rockpools at low tide, making it an ideal spot for swimming and relaxation.

But saving up doesn't mean resigning yourself to weekends full of nothing. Especially in London. Sure, there are countless things in the city that can very easily tempt you to part with your cash, but there are also plenty of art exhibitions, cultural festivals and annual gatherings happening this weekend that are completely free of charge. Even if you're not trying to be money conscious right now, they're worth your time.

Despite its proximity to one of London's busiest tourist attractions, its back street location is remarkably quiet and peaceful. Leading off Stafford Place, it was originally, and unsurprisingly, called Stafford Mews, as it was built as stabling for houses on Buckingham Gate, facing the palace. Constructed around 1860, the stables were simple two-storey houses, built initially with stables at the ground and accommodation above.

The first floor of the iconic pub on Lower Richmond Road will be extended to create the new terrace, which will have a retractable roof and spiral staircase. The venue will also get new equipment to allow it to sell a better range of food, while it will undergo some internal reorganisation and redecoration. An artist's impression of the refurbished pub The Half Moon on Lower Richmond Road

So, on Sunday 25th January, members of the reenactment society will converge on The Mall from all across the country, some arriving already dressed in buff coats and broad-brimmed hats, others changing into period clothing on arrival. There are pikes to be shouldered, muskets checked, and a few tentative practice swings as old drill is recalled, before the ranks are set and order restored.

London is a city that rewards curiosity. Beyond the iconic landmarks, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and the London Eye, lies a quieter, more intimate version of the capital. This is the London locals know: tucked-away streets, overlooked parks, independent cafés, and historic corners that rarely make it into guidebooks. For travellers willing to stray from the obvious routes, the city offers countless hidden gems that reveal its true character.

A steam train featuring in the upcoming Harry Potter television series is scheduled to visit the Epping Ongar Railway this spring, including the Easter weekend. The nearly 80-year old steam locomotive 6989 'Wightwick Hall' will star as the Hogwarts Express in the TV series. Repainted into red livery for its television role, the locomotive is expected to operate steam-hauled services along the Epping Ongar Railway throughout April.

It is a cold, damp day in January, but the buzz at Goodwood is electric. On a 75-acre woodland encircled by flint walls, about a thousand new trees and 100,000 bulbs are taking root. Work is at full pelt on the refurbishment of two flat-roofed pavilions, originally designed for the Cass Sculpture Foundation by architect Craig Downie, and the construction of a new café, created by his studio.

Three of London's mainline terminus stations have announced more dates for the Railway 200 themed heritage tours that they were running last year. The tours will run once a month from January to March next year at London Bridge, Victoria, and Waterloo stations and will be led by Network Rail and historian-author Rachel Kolksy. They will last around two hours and involve walking around each station and the surrounding areas. The tours will cost £25 per person and dates are below. London Bridge station Tickets

The alley likely came into existence when the first Leadenhall Market, as a market for herbs, opened, with a long passage leading from the market to Gracechurch Street. The alley used to be longer and straighter, but the eastern half was cut off when a building was constructed on the site. That building was demolished in 2000, and archaeologists researched it for Roman remains in 2002.

A Valentine's date doesn't have to be anything extravagant. Sure, a fancy meal is nice and all, but St Valentine's Day is really about giving quality time to your favourite people, whether that be a partner, pals or a situationship that you're trying to turn into something a bit deeper. This year V Day falls on a Saturday, which means there's an awful lot of time to fill. But, like we said, that doesn't have to involve big spending.