Top 10 Free Things To Do and Attractions in Blackmore End

"It would be wrong to omit Hyde Park from a list of London’s most beautiful and prominent green spaces. The Grade I listed 350-acre royal park is the biggest in London, renowned as the city’s ‘green lung’, and hosts an array of major annual events, from Winter Wonderland to music festivals such as British Summer Time Hyde Park. Visit the memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales, picnic in the prepossessing Rose Garden (post lockdown), or go swimming in the Serpentine Lido, which opens from June to early September."

"If you have absolutely no knowledge of London and are unable to find England on a map, you’ve probably still heard of Hyde Park. Being the most famous of London’s parks, it’s arguably the most touristy, but you won't see anyone it's huge. Hyde Park stretches across 350 acres of royal expanse, where visitors can enjoy a spot of boating, tennis and even horse riding."

"It may not be the biggest of London’s eight royal parks, but if you’re going to talk about parks in London, then Hyde Park is a pretty good place to start. Stretching from Kensington Palace to Mayfair, the park encompasses plenty of must-see spots, including the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain and the Serpentine lake."

"The Shard is one of the tallest buildings in Europe and it is a popular tourist attraction as it offers a restaurant, bars and a viewing platform. So, many visitors head there to get one of best views in the city. When The Shard was completed in 2012 it was the tallest building in Europe, but it has now been knocked off the top spot by new skyscrapers built in Moscow."

"Designed by Architect Renzo Piano and based in Southwark, London, The Shard stands tall at 309.6 metres. Designed in neo-futuristic and modern style, it houses some of the world’s best offices, restaurants and hotel rooms. It has been open to the public since 2013."

"Options at the Shard are to go to the viewing platform on the top floor or stay in the amazing Shangri-La hotel. Both will present you with spectacular 360 views of the city. The Shard is also a good spot for sunset and blue hour pics."

"This is one of the oldest fortresses in London, built after the Norman Conquest of England, to house the new royalty who had just moved into the country and needed a nice secure palace to live in. As such, it’s a highly defensible castle, with two defensive walls and a moat, so it feels very castle-like. It’s also the home to the English Crown Jewels and has played host to notable historical events, in particular, the executions of 112 people, including Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey."

"Home to the Crown Jewels, the iconic beefeaters, and (allegedly) several spooks, the Tower of London’s history dates back nearly 1,000 years. Standing guard by Tower Bridge and the River Thames, the medieval compound has served as a royal palace, prison, and execution site. Legend has it, these royal ghosts haunt Britain to this day!"

"I got the above shot about five minutes before the below shot, and you can see how dramatically quickly the light and clouds have changed!. The other thing to keep in mind are the crowds. Attractions like the Tower of London get really busy."

"Tower Bridge is one part of the London skyline that isn’t always visible and only at certain viewpoints will you catch a glimpse. As Tower Bridge is a lot lower to the ground than the other buildings, it is easily hidden amount surrounding structures. However, that hasn’t stopped it becoming one of the key elements of the iconic image."

"Walking through one of London’s numerous parks is also an option, and so is admiring the architecture of Tower Bridge, the Gherkin, or St. Paul’s Cathedral. In the evenings, have some fish and chips in a pub or enjoy London’s multicultural dining options. You will stay in the city until the morning of Day 3."

"This ancient expanse of common land straddling a high ridge between Hampstead and Highgate is, perhaps, London’s most beloved open space. Its rolling hills and meadows, copses and glades, glittering ponds and views conjure a deep sense of the rural that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere. A summer’s picnic in the long grass, kite-flying on Parliament Hill or tobogganing down it in the snow, a splash in the bathing ponds, a Sunday ramble to emerge muddy-booted at a village pub or Kenwood (no.3) – these are sacred institutions for many, many Londoners, who would probably lay down their lives for the Heath if they had to."

"Part of what makes Hampstead Heath so special is its wild beauty — check it out in all its rugged glory here. The other part is the stunning views of the capital it boasts, which makes the heath perfect for picnics, as does its proximity to some stellar delis and bakeries. It's also a cracking choice for a weekend ramble — thesetwo take in much of the Heath."

"This is a very popular park/green area, as it’s a particularly beautiful spot in London that offers you stunning views of the city. There is a lovely lido too that your children will love swimming in before you find a spot to have the perfect picnic."

"This Stoke Newington spot has held a Green Flag award since 2006, and is deservedly popular. It's very child friendly, with a decent play area and even a small zoo (and, like Richmond park, boasts deer also). In a pre-lockdown world, the park often hosted events, from twilight walks in search of bats to football festivals to sessions discovering the edible fruit and flowers which grow in the grounds."

"It’s got tennis courts and bowling green for when you’re feeling particularly energetic, but the park itself is big enough to get a good stroll in. You can see the whole thing by walking the perimeter, looping in the Grade-II listed Clissold House and the lakes on the way. If that doesn’t earn you a picnic after, nothing does."

"Clissold Park is a great park to come and enjoy some nature in London. Easy to get to from Stoke Newington you can enjoy peaceful waters and cute, inquisitive deer within minutes of leaving central London."

"Fleet Street is the former home of London’s printing and publishing industry. It has an old-timey appearance, with tall grey buildings stacked high on either side of the street. It’s a great spot for raw street photography."

"One of London’s best views can be seen from the top of primrose hill, making the hike up well worth it. Passing through meticulously manicured gardens with beautiful flowers and fountains with a walk uphill to where the view awaits. A great place to watch the fireworks or simply get one of London’s best views, with plenty of green space for a picnic or a rest."

"While Primrose Hill isn’t a playground as such, Regent’s Park (and specifically Primrose Hill) is a wonderful place to just spread out a picnic blanket and look at the London skyline. With a toddler in tow, it’s important to bring some bubbles or other things to keep them occupied, but there is plenty of space for them to run around."

"St Mary at Hill is the old fisherman’s church, as for centuries, the fish trade was carried out at nearby Billingsgate and in the surrounding streets. So it is by Wren (1670-6), except the tower of 1780, on the site of an earlier church dating from the twelfth century. The historian Stow says that Thomas Becket was a parson there."

"The Diner serves hearty food all day long, starting with an array of eggs and sweeter treats including pancakes, burgers, hotdogs and caesar salad. Grown-ups can wash it all down with a hard shake, where creamy milkshakes get an adult twist with a shot of liquor. There are restaurants across town including ones in Spitalfields, Camden and Shoreditch."

"With 8 locations across London, you can nail your pancake craving in super quick time. These guys are taking pancakes up a notch with inspiration from all those treats that always find their way on to your desk: choose from the Jaffa pancake, the Oreo Cookie Cake or the Red Velvet Wonder. Wanna keep it plain Jane?"

"Rootin'-tootin' and big on flavour, this is cowboy food by way of central London. When you can get 20 chicken wings as a starter, you know you're ordering from the right place. The Diner does a fine line in fries, dogs, milkshakes and salads, but that's not why we're here."

"Well-known for its child-friendly atmosphere, parents can sit back and enjoy their family experience here. Just two minutes from Piccadilly Circus, the restaurant is perfect for a pre or post- theatre dinner with the children. The menu is sure to please the kids, with favourites from pizza to pasta and burgers dominating the menu."

"Inspired by Hollywood glamour, Planet Hollywood aims to make you feel like a star. The London location, in Haymarket by Piccadilly Circus, is full of memorabilia from the biggest blockbusters, including Rocky. Take in the glitzy surroundings and dine on all the American favourites from juicy burgers to Buffalo wings."

"With themed rooms, a huge cocktail bar and classic movie memorabilia, Planet Hollywood London is always a fun choice for a meal out."

"The Sunday roast is a pillar in British food culture, but surprisingly few restaurants better the home-cooked version of this national institution. The Marksman’s roast, one of the finest in the city, is worth travelling to Hackney for. But this is also a pub-restaurant to visit any day of the week — for delicious, seasonal, imaginative cooking — like cocoa beans, girolles and hen’s egg or brown crab and fennel pollen on toast — brilliantly British and refined, this should be the template for the gastropub 2.0 in London."

"Relatively fresh to brunch service on Saturdays, the offering at the universally beloved Hackney Road gastro-pub is already up with the city’s finest. In fact, it’s worth a mini-fast to make room for a leisurely, seasonal English feast perhaps encompassing a genteel cured seatrout and scrambled egg muffin; smoked haddock kedgeree with green tomato chutney, or Tamworth bacon chop with egg and truly killer hash browns. The bloody mary is banging, too."

"The terrace leading off the upstairs dining room at this East London gastropub could feel a bit like climbing out on to your flat roof, were it not for how beautiful it looks with all the greenery. A seasonal menu will be on offer - but make sure you don't miss out on their amazing buns and legendary brown butter tart."

"Plant-based pub fans rejoice – when Homerton’s Spread Eagle reopened in 2018, it did so as London’s first totally vegan pub. All its beer is vegan (no, beer is not always vegan) and so are the cocktails, where egg whites are replaced with aquafaba – chickpea water, to you and I. In the kitchen, Club Mexicana cooks up a dairy-free storm: Meriel Armitage’s highly praised plant-based concept serves tacos filled with jackfruit carnitas and some pretty convincing baja “to-fish”, as well as a superlatively crunchy Mexican fried seitan “chick’n” burger, spiced up with mustard mayo and jalapenos."

"A post shared by The Spread Eagle London (@thespreadeaglelondon) on Feb 1, 2018 at 1:42am PST. Find London’s first completely vegan pub, The Spread Eagle, in Homerton in east London. Serving up British food with a minimal-waste ethos, options include pie, mash and liquor, ploughmans and burgers, plus a Sunday roast."

"This London tavern made history last year when it became the first pub to go 100% vegan in London. That means food, drinks, interiors and all—everything is plant-based, plus, everyone is welcome, including vegans and non-vegans. Where possible, all of the food and drink is sustainably sourced and made from plants."

"A worldwide chain with a serious presence in London, Rossopomodoro has also stayed true to its Neapolitan roots. Wood-fired pizzas are made with flour from Naples and many of its pasta plates pay homage to the home city, while affogato al caffè provides the final authentic thrill. Flagship site: John Lewis Shopping Centre, 300 Oxford Street, W1A 1EX"

"Cuckoo London is located on Swallow Street right in the heart of Mayfair, just off Regent Street. The Cuckoo Club features two exclusive areas of partying over 2 floors, but the ground floor is really where the "magic happens". The clubs interior decor and ambience have been carefully crafted to ensure that it maintains a sophisticated feel to please its demanding and VIP clientele."

"CUCKOO CLUB GUESTLIST INFORMATION MUSIC House, Trance, DJ, Rock-Chic, Live CAPACITY 300 DRESS CODE Dress to Impress TUBE STATION Picadilly Circus ADDRESS Swallow Street, Mayfair, London, W1B 4EZ OPENING TIMES We-Sa 22:30-03:30 CUCKOO CLUB LONDON GUESTLIST The Cuckoo Club is the premiere party place for your night. This luxurious venue is spread to two floors […]"

"The name was enough to pique my interest, and with two lunchtime courses for £15, it’s intoxicatingly cheap too. It’s a charming bistro in Primrose Hill, with an intriguing dessert option called Absinthe Crème Brûlée…"