Top 10 Free Things To Do and Attractions in South Woodford

"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."

"Hyde Park may be nearly 7 times larger, but I’ve always been partial to St. James’s Park, flanked on the east by Buckingham Palace and on the west by Number 10 Downing Street, the British government headquarters. I’m a particular fan of the St. James’s Parks lakes as well as the wildlife it supports, which include pelicans, ducks (lots of ducks!) and foxes!"

"Despite being the home of Winter Wonderland every year, Hyde park is not short on things to do in the summer. Here you can find the Serpentine, London’s oldest boating lake, where you can rent a boat or swim in if the weather allows. As well as that, there’s a rose garden and a meadow if you want some pretty views with your picnic."

"A splendid mixture of architectural styles, Westminster Abbey is considered the finest example of Early English Gothic. It's not merely a beautiful place of worship – the Abbey is still a working church and the stage on which history unfolds. For centuries, the country's greatest have been interred here, including 17 monarchs from King Henry III (died 1272) to King George II (1760). Much of the Abbey's architecture is from the 13th century, but it was founded much earlier, in 960 AD."

"Famous for being the spot where coronations take place, Westminster Abbey is another tourist top spot. It’s a stunning, majestic building that has been around since 1090 when it was originally built. Various monarchs have ensured the upkeep of the building, guaranteeing that Westminster Abbey continues to be one of the crown jewels of London."

"If walls could talk, Westminster Abbey would have plenty to say!. The site of every coronation since 1066, this Gothic church is the final resting place for 17 monarchs, Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, Sir Laurence Olivier, and many, many others. It’s also a favourite for royal weddings—in 2011 Prince William married Kate Middleton here."

"It’s definitely a unique-looking structure, and you can see it from all over London; that’s because The Shard is a 95-story skyscraper, designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, in Southwark, London, and the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. The Shard was built with the idea of it being an architecturally stunning vertical city, and it more than lives up to that. It houses restaurants, hotels, offices, residences and more."

"The Shard may not seem like a top romantic spot for Valentine’s Day, but with all it has to offer, it may be a one-stop shop. Stay at the Shangri-La hotel, dine in the restaurants, and even take in the tallest view of the city from the building’s observation floors. Even if you don’t opt to spend more than an hour or two of your Valentine’s Day here, it can still be your base of operations for anywhere you visit in London."

"Have a luxurious stay at London’s very first elevated deluxe hotel with sweeping views of the city. It sprawls over the 34th to 52nd floor of the iconic Shard building – a masterpiece by architect Renzo Piano. With a closeness to the Tower of London and London Bridge railway and tube station, you can easily get around the city and enjoy the best attractions."

"It includes all the major attractions (e.g., Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and the National Gallery), but also includes several lesser known sites and encourages you to explore several of London’s diverse neighborhoods including Westminster, Greenwich, Kensington, and Camden. We suggest using this itinerary as a starting point for planning your 6 days in London, not as a definitive itinerary, and you can edit it to put together your own personal itinerary that reflects your own needs and interests."

"Delve into British Royal history by exploring London’s Royal historic buildings. The Tower of London sits on the bank of the Thames, right by Tower Bridge and it’s an absolute must for history lovers in London. Look around the original structure where some of the most famous (and infamous) moments in British history took place."

"The best view of Tower Bridge (in my opinion) is from the water; however, not everyone has a chance to do a Thames River Cruise. If that’s not on your itinerary, try to get a photo of Tower Bridge from afar, featuring something else iconic – perhaps City Hall?. Alternatively, a head on shot crossing the bridge is pretty incredible, too!"

"After the houses of Parliament, this bridge is London’s most well known site. There are several excellent angles to photograph this bridge from. – A very popular photo to take is traffic light trails going through the archways of the bridge."

"The newest wild-swimming spot in London is located in the most significant green space of Lewisham in South East London. Actually, it’s located in an old Georgian lake lost in 1800 when it was first created by John Cator of Beckenham Place Mansion. Now the lagoon is back to its former glory."

"Although the red brick exterior is unassuming and neat, the golden mosaic interior of Fitzrovia chapel is a jewel of the Gothic Revival. Once part of Middlesex Hospital, the chapel was built as a memorial to Major Ross MP, a former Chairman of the Board of Governors."

"Two Tree Island is a small island just southwest of Leigh-on-Sea and connected only by a bridge. With its breathtaking sights and a wealth of various wildlife to observe and explore, it’s no wonder that Two Tree Island is so popular with bird watchers and nature enthusiasts."

"This dog-friendly east London café is certainly one to add to your London vegan food roster. Not only is there a full vegan English breakfast, complete with crispy hash browns, roasted plum tomatoes and grilled sourdough dripping in creamy vegan butter, they also serve seriously generous portions, leaving even the hungriest of customers full. There’s far more than fry ups on offer, though: the spicy coconut ramen is a delightful winter warmer, served with silky tofu, shiitake mushrooms and thick udon noodles deliciously slurped up when drizzled in hot chilli oil."

"Mini Éphémère, a lemon and yuzu meringue and cream version of the Merveilleux. Finding a delicious sweet treat for less than £2 anywhere in London is rare but finding something that will put your sweet tooth into a trance in South Kensington for £1.20 is some kind of miracle. At Aux Merveilleux de Fred, the mini versions of their namesake confections are so light – and inexpensive – that you can indulge without guilt."

"For the melt-in-the-mouth pastry experience only a true French chef such as Frédéric Vaucamps can achieve, book yourself in at Aux Merveilleux de Fred. Famed for their brioches, meringues and truffles, which are must-buys, the whole menu is highly acclaimed. Do yourself a favour and get some takeaway buns to enjoy as you travel around the rest of the city – they are truly merveilleux."

"Stefan Kalmár, the Director of the ICA London states: The Institute of Contemporary Arts in London has been the model for most ICAs that exist in the world today. Since its founding in 1946, the ICA contextualises contemporary culture within the socio-political conditions of the times. The ICA was created as an institute (not a museum), for the contemporary (not just modern) and for all the arts (not just art)."

"The Institute of Contemporary Arts is an art gallery near London's Trafalgar Square. In addition to exhibits on contemporary art, the ICA includes two cinemas, a bookshop, a theatre, and a bar. Established in 1947, ICA creators wanted to create a place for artists and other creative and science folk to debate ideas without being constricted by the rules and traditions of the Royal Academy."

"Another market in one of London’s more charming residential areas, Herne Hill Market is the kind of neighbourhood food market that everyone wishes they had on their doorstep. Part farmers market, part street food market, you can feast on a tasty dish or two and then pick up some local produce to bring home to cook too Herne Hill Market. Don’t miss the mouthwatering Indonesian street food of local favourite Enak Enak."

"If you’re looking for a quieter Sunday market, Herne Hill Farmers’ Market is the perfect place for a less “touristy” market. It is located in South London and is held every Sunday. The market is very lively and is truly independent in spirit with a local village atmosphere and unique shopping."

"Spend a Sunday strolling through Herne Hill Market, which is crammed full of foodie treats, both for eating on the spot and produce to take home, plus arts and crafts, all sourced from within 100 miles of Herne Hill. A proper local neighbourhood market!"

"As their slogan, “Eat Dirty, Vegan Style” would suggest, Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner serves up American-style comfort food, such as burgers, hotdogs, buffalo wings, sandwiches, mac n cheese, fries and more!. The Reuben sandwich and the mozzarella sticks are firm fan favorites. Not only this but they’re also known for their incredible vegan milkshakes; think chocolate peanut butter, banana biscoff and chocolate peppermint cream."

"If you’re looking for over-the-top vegan junk food that will convince even the most ardent of meat-eaters, then look no further than Rudy’s Vegan Diner. The Camden Market-based diner offers all the staple US diner classics from The Dirty Burger to The Dirty Dog. Rudy’s even offer a Reuben sandwich with all the trimmings, including sauerkraut and Russian dressing."

"In a nutshell: Restautant for the vegan butcher Where is it?. 206A Upper St Islington, London N1 1RQ Why should you care?. After the launch of their vegan 'butcher' (which has proven to be very popular indeed), Rudy's have brought their vegan diner to Islington right next door."

"Give us diner nachos, served with spicy Jalapeño salsa and summery guacamole, and we're happy. Give us pulled pork, cooked for 16 hours with barbecue sauce and house slaw, and we're very happy. Give us Jamie's Insanity burger, and we're ecstatic."