Must See Sights and Landmarks in Gilwell Park Scout Activity Centre Area

"It's been the coronation church since 1066, where William the Conqueror was crowned King of England. It is, of course, a hub for tourists these days and sightseeing passes are £22 when purchased in person on the day. If you’re planning to attend it’s definitely worth booking online too — tickets bought online are £2 cheaper and entitle the holder to fast track access."

"The Westminster Abbey Museum, or The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries, sits 52 feet above the abbey floor in the 13th century triforium. Guests will take in incredible views of the abbey as they climb the Weston Tower to the museum. The secret space that houses the galleries was hidden for more than 700 years."

"This Gothic architectural masterpiece has hosted almost every coronation of English monarchs since 1066, when William the Conqueror was crowned on Christmas Day. Over 3,300 people are buried here, including at least sixteen monarchs, eight Prime Ministers, and the Unknown Warrior."

"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."

"The Shard has one of the most beautiful and photogenic views over London (if you manage to go on a sunny day, unlike the one when I went and snapped the photo below). My advice for visiting The Shard is to go enjoy the view from the cocktail bar, instead of the viewing floor. As you can imagine cocktails are expensive, however they are only a couple pounds more expensive than the entry ticket to the viewing deck."

"Given that it’s the tallest building in the United Kingdom, it’s only natural that the Shard is also one of the most incredible viewpoints in London. There are the viewing decks of the View from The Shard where you can go and take epic photos from. However I always personally recommend having drinks at the bar in the Shard instead."

"While visiting the historically important Tower of London does require a paid entrance ticket, the daily Ceremony of the Keys – the traditional ‘locking up’ of the Tower – is completely free to watch. At exactly 21:53 each evening, the Chief Yeoman Warder (or ‘Beefeater’) marches through the Tower carrying the Queen’s Keys. Escorted by four armed guards, he performs a series of specific rituals as he locks the gates to the Tower for the night before returning the keys to the Queen’s House at 10pm."

"The Tower of London is one of the top places to visit in London. The White Tower, the one bona fide castle in London, dates back to the late 11th century. Along with Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Place and St Paul’s, it should be essential for London first time visitors."

"Despite its medieval, fairy-tale appearance, Britain's most iconic bridge was actually built at the tail end of the Victorian age, first…"

"Enjoy one of the best tea experiences ever which includes not only the usual sweets and savories, but also a guided tour of some of the most famous landmarks in the city including Parliament, Notting Hill, and Trafalgar Square. Don’t worry about safety on a moving vehicle!. Hot beverages are served in secure travel mugs that are the most adorable cups you’ve ever seen, and everything is anchored to the tables. This is such a fun thing to add to your 4 day London itinerary and the best way to enjoy afternoon tea in England!"

"The Palace of Westminster (more widely known as the Houses of Parliament) is the seat of Parliament in the United Kingdom. The present building largely dates from the 19th century when it was rebuilt following a fire in a splendid example of Victorian neo-Gothic architecture. The House of Commons (elected Members of Parliament) is located to the north of the building and is decorated with green leather upholstery, and the House of Lords is located to the south and decorated with red leather upholstery."

"Big Ben & The Houses of Parliament – Iconic Big Ben is the name of the bell in the giant clock tower at the end of the Houses of Parliament, where the UK Parliament meets. This iconic sight is best viewed from the Westminster Bridge or from the south side of the Thames."

"Take a day trip to Winchester, where you can visit Winchester Cathedral (the site of Jane Austen’s grave) and Winchester Castle. You can also tour the City Mill or one of the numerous museums and science centres. Return to London for the night."

"The gable and rose window is all that’s left of the medieval palace of the powerful Bishop of Winchester who once ruled south of the river 1"

"After taking some traditional touristy selfies at Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square, do the 2-minute walk over to the fantastically funky Carnaby Street!. This artsy and eclectic street shines the spotlight on independent artisans, local vendors, and the true out of the ordinary and is a must-see on your 4 day London itinerary. Be sure while you’re here to stop into Choccywoccydoodah – one of the coolest chocolate shops in London!. Check out the wedding cake alternatives, the huge eggs, and many other items ready to be devoured by even the shyest of chocolate enthusiasts."

"Big Ben/ Elizabeth Tower is seen in countless photographs, and from Westminster Bridge you’ll find some great spots to capture pictures. You could try something different and use ND filters and a tripod to get a slightly different long exposure shot such as below. This particular location is also great to take night photographs of London with light trails from buses going past."

"Westminster Bridge is always very busy, but even on weekends you can usually get a quiet spot and moment without too many people around. I love this view of the London Eye with the River Thames and I’m sure your Instagram followers will love it too!. Click here for the exact location."

"Head north across Westminster Bridge and be sure to stop about halfway along the bridge for a perfect Instagram photo including the London Eye and County Hall. For the exact Instagram location click here."

"Old Royal Naval College This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Greenwich. It once served as a naval hospital and later as a naval college. Now, this site is being used as a filming location for many famous movies such as The King’s Speech, Patriot Games, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Avengers, and The Dark Knight Rises."

"The Old Royal Naval College is a set of buildings designed by Christopher Wren whose original purpose was to serve as a place to care for and house retired seamen. Later the large building complex was used as a naval training college and today is used for a number of functions, and many of the buildings are open to the public."

"Begun by Sir Christopher Wren in 1694 as a rest home for ancient mariners, the college became a school in 1873. It's still used for classes…"

"Patisserie Saint Anne is a cute and cosy little patisserie, based out in Hammersmith, that has over 20 years of experience in producing delicious cakes, pastries and chocolates. The bakers and pastry makers have definitely satisfied Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule and the proof is in the delicate viennoiserie they serve. Patisserie Saint Anne’s pain au chocolat and pain au raisin would give any Parisian bakery a run for its bakery with their selection of freshly baked gateaux being equally deserving of your attention."

"Since relocating to London from Paris in 2014, husband and wife team Alain and Keiko have made all their pastries, cakes, bread and tarts on-site so walking into this tiny shop always smells delicious. Patisserie Sainte-Anne has a genuinely boutique feel and the married duo work their craft with true passion. It’s usually full, and predominantly with French shoppers!"

"Baked Nation is an artisan bakery located in the city of Saint Albans. Our products are made with the highest quality ingredients giving a natural and and healthy lifestyle. We sell a variety of daily artisan breads and our specialty: Sour Dough."

"Although – or perhaps because – it stopped being cutting-edge several thousand cheap leather jackets ago, Camden Market attracts millions of visitors each year and is one of London's most popular attractions. What started out as a collection of attractive craft stalls beside Camden Lock on the Regent's Canal now extends most of the way from Camden Town tube station to Chalk Farm tube station."

"Camden Market is not a single market, but consists of several different markets within walking distance of each other. Market stalls sell just about everything including food, clothing, crafts, art, souvenirs, and more."

"Portobello Road is the jewel in Notting Hill – the world’s largest antiques market has retained its sense of charm and friendliness, even as the surrounding area has scaled the ladder of exclusivity. The market, which wends its way along the sinuous Portobello Road is actually five interconnecting markets – with separate sections for fresh produce, clothing, second hand goods, household stuff, a flea market and antiques. The antiques section, always sizable, really comes into its own on Saturdays – cementing Portobello’s position as one of the go-to Saturday markets in London."

"Located on a colourful street in Notting Hill, Portobello Road is the world’s largest antique market. The famous market has over 1,000 traders selling a huge range of amazing antiques and collectables. And for those who aren’t interested in antiques, the market (which runs Monday to Saturday) also has a variety of other traders selling clothes, jewellery, tourist nicknacks, household goods and plenty of food."

"If I haven’t yet convinced you that London is really, really into its gin – I present to you: The Distillery. This simply-named venue is basically a gin lover’s playground, offering up four enticing levels of gin-related debauchery and its own distillery producing Portobello Road gin. Amongst the fun there are multiple tasting spaces, including the oh-so-fancy Boardroom for group tastings."

"13/02/2021: Ordered Valentine’s evening tonight and we waited 2 and a half hours for the food!!. When it turned up it was DISGUSTING!!. The meat was extremely under cooked and still pink in places and the seaweed and crispy beef was not crispy and the crispy beef was again extremely under cooked !"

"Westminster’s Ma La Sichuan is a sleek restaurant that promises diners the flavours of Sichuan. With a lengthy menu on offer you’re spoilt for choice here, though their soft shell crab and siu mai (pork and prawn dumplings) are personal menu highlights. The meat is excellent quality across the board, coming through in dishes like their perfectly tender and well seasoned beef flank."