London Off the Beaten Path
I have been to London a few times but on my recent visit I looked for an “off the beaten path” itinerary. Part of it was budget. London and typical sites are quite expensive but also because I was just tired of the same old London to do list. Been there done that.
Bermondsey
We stayed in the southside of London in the Bermondsey neighborhood and it was this quite a delight. Once home to Southwark’s factory and dock workers, Bermondsey has gone from faded industry to an exciting foodie haven and resurgent neighborhood of converted industrial space now in high demand for the trend conscious. Think Soho in Tribeca or Arts District in LA but better!
Being unfamiliar with this area, we chose an apartment just off Bermondsey Street. We did find great hotels and apartment hotels nearby that were three and four star properties that can be had for a range of $125-$155 per night. City Space, The Bermondsey Square Hotel, Premier Inn London Tower Bridge are just a few.
Bermondsey has both location and culture. There are two nearby underground stations, Bermondsey and London Bridge. Bermondsey serves the Jubilee Line while London Bridge serves both the Jubilee and Northern Lines. The railway station also at London Bridge serves multiple rail lines giving locals access many surrounding areas.
There are chic shops, cafes, restaurants and bars and the Tanner Street Park. One of the world’s leading contemporary art galleries White Cube Gallery has one of its two London galleries on Bermondsey Street. The Fashion and Textile Museum is located on Bermondsey Street. Nearby you have Southwark Cathedral and Borough Market the largest and oldest market in London. A little further is the Tate Modern Museum and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
Southwark Cathedral and Borough Market.
Head down Bermondsey Street to St. Thomas Street past the London Bridge Station and on to Borough High Street. Behind the market you will find your way to Southwark Cathedral. Southwark Cathedral or The Collegiate Church of St. Saviors and St Mary Overie sits on the south bank of the River Thames on what is the oldest crossing point to the City of London. For many centuries, it was the only crossing point. It started out as a small convent. In 1106 it became an Augustinian Priory. Then it was a parish church and in 1905 it became a cathedral. The Gothic architecture dates from 1220-1429 and mostly remains intact except for the naïve which was reconstructed in the 19th Century. Today it is a thriving community in Southwark.
Borough Market is the oldest and largest market in London. Opened as a food market it has a long history dating back to 1014. Despite its erratic history, it has been serving the people of Southwark for 1000 years. Ever changing with time, it has gone from a medieval market to a wholesale food market to a vibrant neighborhood institution with not only a great food market of produce, meats and fish but also a site to enjoy great culinary experiences. Restaurants and stalls surround the main market and there is no end to what you can find at the market. On any day you find locals eating lunch while enjoying live music. A great meal anytime try Fish! Restaurant for the best fish and chips and fresh fish dishes around.
Interested in taking a baking class or just enjoying good bakery? Try Bread Ahead Bakery. My favorite thing is just walking through the market and enjoying the wonderful sights and smells of the food , the sense of community and the great vibe.
Bike the Neighborhood
One of my favorite things to do when visiting a new town is to take a bike tour. It saves tremendous shoe leather and you can cover a lot of ground in a very short time. Since I had been to London a couple of times, I opted for The Secret London Bike Tour with BrakeAway Bike Tours. A three and a half-hour bike ride with a local guide cover ten kilometers of sites. I liked this company because they limit the group size to 12 riders. Many of the companies had a 20 limit and since I wasn’t sure how great the biking was in London town, I opted for the smaller group size. This tour was also a great deal. Only 24 pounds for the tour including all the equipment. Our group was two families of four, a Danish family, a German family and me. I also like the fact that they do not allow really young children on the group tours so everyone has to be pretty capable of biking. It made it a great experience.
We started at the City of London center at the site of the Original Stock Exchange site and the Bank of England. Pat our guide was extremely knowledgeable and shared a lot of great information and stories. He was also very attentive to his rider group, assuring at all times, the group was together and safe.
We rode to many sites and neighborhoods, past iconic buildings in London such as The Gherkin, The Walkie Talkie Building, and The Leadenhall Building. We traveled down to the East End and Cable Street Mural commemorating the Battle of Cable Street. We rode to St. Katherines Docks, Wapping (old canal area) and across Tower Bridge which was as much fun as it was terrifying. There is not a bike lane but Pat directed us to stay to the left and we would be fine and it was easy. The panoramic view in the end across river well worth it. I name just a few sites here as to not spoil your fun but this is a great tour and I highly recommend it. These are the nicest tour operators I have ever met. I was late arriving because I got lost, and they left a staff person to wait for me and catch me up with the group! Who does that!
After my short London stay in Southwark, I have decided that I would return. There are a lot of neighborhoods in Southwark. I have scratched the surface with Bermondsey but there are many still lot to explore “Off the Beaten Path”.
As a final note with the transportation in this area and central London you can still take a night trip to Royal Albert Hall to enjoy a last minute show or visit your favorite London ground zero sites but this area has a lot to offer on a budget.