Jimmy’s guide to London.
Sightseeing
Brixton is only 15 minutes by bus from the apartment and I highly recommend this self guided audio tour which you can download to your phone..
I love doing this tour with visitors. Its like walking around in your own personalised movie.
Brixton is an extremely energetic place full of music, art, markets, poets, radicals and preachers.
Im not allowed to add a link here so you will have to just do an internet search for "Brixton audio guide with Novelist Alex Wheatle" The website is called GuideGo.(Or just ask me for the link)
Also there is a brilliant film about the Alex Wheatle by oscar winning director Steve MQueen who directed 12 Years a Slave amongst many other great films.
You can watch it for free on BBC iPlayer if you are my guest because I pay the BBC license fee .Do an internet search for "BBC IPlayer Small Axe Series 1: Alex Wheatle"Or again just ask me for the link.
You can beam it to the TV from your device using the Chromecast. Ask me if you need help doing that.
133 molta ag muintir na háite
Brixton Station
Brixton RoadBrixton is only 15 minutes by bus from the apartment and I highly recommend this self guided audio tour which you can download to your phone..
I love doing this tour with visitors. Its like walking around in your own personalised movie.
Brixton is an extremely energetic place full of music, art, markets, poets, radicals and preachers.
Im not allowed to add a link here so you will have to just do an internet search for "Brixton audio guide with Novelist Alex Wheatle" The website is called GuideGo.(Or just ask me for the link)
Also there is a brilliant film about the Alex Wheatle by oscar winning director Steve MQueen who directed 12 Years a Slave amongst many other great films.
You can watch it for free on BBC iPlayer if you are my guest because I pay the BBC license fee .Do an internet search for "BBC IPlayer Small Axe Series 1: Alex Wheatle"Or again just ask me for the link.
You can beam it to the TV from your device using the Chromecast. Ask me if you need help doing that.
ALL TICKETS £4.99 EVERY DAY. Take the family to a movie without breaking the bank
Peckhamplex is 45 minutes from the apartment. First get the 50 bus from Thornton Avenue (Stop P) to Clapham North then get an overground train to Peckham Rye from Clapham High Street station.
213 molta ag muintir na háite
Peckhamplex
95A Rye LnALL TICKETS £4.99 EVERY DAY. Take the family to a movie without breaking the bank
Peckhamplex is 45 minutes from the apartment. First get the 50 bus from Thornton Avenue (Stop P) to Clapham North then get an overground train to Peckham Rye from Clapham High Street station.
Largest outdoor pool in the UK.
100 yards (91.44 m) long and 33 yards (30.18 m) wide.
Check the website before going there though because it is not open all year round and also be aware that on really hot days people have to queue for hours to get in. Also it is not heated so is not for the faint hearted when the weather is cold.
Its a 20 minute walk through Tooting Common to get there. A nice walk in the park.
129 molta ag muintir na háite
Tooting Bec Lido
Tooting Bec RoadLargest outdoor pool in the UK.
100 yards (91.44 m) long and 33 yards (30.18 m) wide.
Check the website before going there though because it is not open all year round and also be aware that on really hot days people have to queue for hours to get in. Also it is not heated so is not for the faint hearted when the weather is cold.
Its a 20 minute walk through Tooting Common to get there. A nice walk in the park.
Free entrance and you will see some of the best paintings ever made .
Don't miss the Rembrandt room, the Arnolfini Portrait
by Jan van Eyck, Leonardo Da Vinci's drawing of Madonna and child and the Sunflowers by Van Gogh
From the apartment - Get the Northern line to Charing Cross. It takes about 45 minutes.
796 molta ag muintir na háite
An Náisiúnta Gailearaí
Trafalgar SquareFree entrance and you will see some of the best paintings ever made .
Don't miss the Rembrandt room, the Arnolfini Portrait
by Jan van Eyck, Leonardo Da Vinci's drawing of Madonna and child and the Sunflowers by Van Gogh
From the apartment - Get the Northern line to Charing Cross. It takes about 45 minutes.
Free entry.
It's worth the journey to see the full size plaster cast of Michelangelo's David alone.
Staggering to think that this place was originally set up by Prince Albert in 1852 to be an Art and design college.
They acquired the objects so that British students could learn arts and crafts by copying from objects from around the world.
It is now the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts, and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects.
It's less than an hour by public transport. Get the train or tube to Victoria from Balham then get the District and Circle line to South Kensington
1694 molta ag muintir na háite
Músaem Victoria agus Albert
Cromwell RoadFree entry.
It's worth the journey to see the full size plaster cast of Michelangelo's David alone.
Staggering to think that this place was originally set up by Prince Albert in 1852 to be an Art and design college.
They acquired the objects so that British students could learn arts and crafts by copying from objects from around the world.
It is now the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts, and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects.
It's less than an hour by public transport. Get the train or tube to Victoria from Balham then get the District and Circle line to South Kensington
You need to see this place even though it will be a bitter sweet experience for visitors from countries that want their stuff back.
It has so many amazing things stolen by the British in the empire days.
The British museum is the second largest museum in the world after the Louvre in Paris.
From the apartment you can get there in less than an hour by getting the Northern Line from Balham or by going on the 59 bus.
1546 molta ag muintir na háite
Músaem na Breataine
Great Russell StreetYou need to see this place even though it will be a bitter sweet experience for visitors from countries that want their stuff back.
It has so many amazing things stolen by the British in the empire days.
The British museum is the second largest museum in the world after the Louvre in Paris.
From the apartment you can get there in less than an hour by getting the Northern Line from Balham or by going on the 59 bus.
Every body wants to go to the top of the Shard and so they should. I don't doubt for a minute that its well worth the £20 per person ticket price.
However there is another really tall building in London which you can go to the top of for free but you must book in advance.
It is 160 metres tall, often referred to the Walkie Talkie building because of its unusual shape and it has a lovely garden at the top.
Search for the Sky Garden website for more information and booking info
300 molta ag muintir na háite
Sky Garden
Every body wants to go to the top of the Shard and so they should. I don't doubt for a minute that its well worth the £20 per person ticket price.
However there is another really tall building in London which you can go to the top of for free but you must book in advance.
It is 160 metres tall, often referred to the Walkie Talkie building because of its unusual shape and it has a lovely garden at the top.
Search for the Sky Garden website for more information and booking info
A cable car over the Thames. 90 metres in the air.
£5 per person.
You need an hour to get there from the apartment.
First get the Northern Line from Balham to London Bridge and then get the Jubilee Line to North Greenwich.
115 molta ag muintir na háite
Emirates Greenwich Peninsula station
Edmund Halley WayA cable car over the Thames. 90 metres in the air.
£5 per person.
You need an hour to get there from the apartment.
First get the Northern Line from Balham to London Bridge and then get the Jubilee Line to North Greenwich.
There are lots of river cruises for tourists on the river Thames but there is one service that is actually part of the public transport network and only costs the price of a tube fair.
You can pay with Oyster card, contactless or through the Uber app. Thames Clipper also have their own ticketing app.
Some really great places where you can board or disembark from the boats are Battersea Power Station, London Bridge City Pier, Greenwich and many more.
Uber Boat by Thames Clippers - London Bridge City Pier
London Bridge WalkThere are lots of river cruises for tourists on the river Thames but there is one service that is actually part of the public transport network and only costs the price of a tube fair.
You can pay with Oyster card, contactless or through the Uber app. Thames Clipper also have their own ticketing app.
Some really great places where you can board or disembark from the boats are Battersea Power Station, London Bridge City Pier, Greenwich and many more.
Bar on top of a multi-storey car park. Lovely views of London.
It's been design by really innovative architects.
Check the online for opening dates before going as it is only open in the summer time.
45 minutes from the apartment. First get the 50 bus from Thornton Avenue (Stop P) towards Stockwell to Clapham North then get an overground train to Peckham Rye from Clapham High Street station.
257 molta ag muintir na háite
Frank's Cafe
95A Rye LnBar on top of a multi-storey car park. Lovely views of London.
It's been design by really innovative architects.
Check the online for opening dates before going as it is only open in the summer time.
45 minutes from the apartment. First get the 50 bus from Thornton Avenue (Stop P) towards Stockwell to Clapham North then get an overground train to Peckham Rye from Clapham High Street station.
Food scene
Hildreth Street is in Balham. Lots of trendy people go here at the weekends and you see them eating brunch outside. Its pedestrianised and there is a lot of alfresco dining. It's become a favourite for foodies.
A bit too fancy for people like me who are on a budget but I know a lot of people really love it this place. It would be handy to have breakfast here before heading into central London where good quality food would be even more expensive.
Its a 20 minute walk from the apartment or 12 minutes by bus.
Hildreth Street
Hildreth StreetHildreth Street is in Balham. Lots of trendy people go here at the weekends and you see them eating brunch outside. Its pedestrianised and there is a lot of alfresco dining. It's become a favourite for foodies.
A bit too fancy for people like me who are on a budget but I know a lot of people really love it this place. It would be handy to have breakfast here before heading into central London where good quality food would be even more expensive.
Its a 20 minute walk from the apartment or 12 minutes by bus.
The Real Jerk UK
89 Streatham HillLovely Jamaican cuisine. Happy atmosphere
12 minute walk from the apartment
These people are amazing because they can cook anything - not just Chinese food they also do Italian and British dishes. I love Chinese food but my children only like simpler dishes like egg on toast and this cafe has everything covered!
25 minute walk from the apartment or slightly less by bus. Its close to Balham tube so would be a good place to eat before going into tourist spots in central London where good food is often more expensive.
Spicy Noodle Cafe London
189A Balham High RdThese people are amazing because they can cook anything - not just Chinese food they also do Italian and British dishes. I love Chinese food but my children only like simpler dishes like egg on toast and this cafe has everything covered!
25 minute walk from the apartment or slightly less by bus. Its close to Balham tube so would be a good place to eat before going into tourist spots in central London where good food is often more expensive.
Traditional fish and chips in Streatham Hill. On Friday evenings people queue down the street to get fish and chips here.
12 minute walk from the apartment
22 molta ag muintir na háite
Kennedy's Fish & Chips Streatham
5 Leigham Ct RdTraditional fish and chips in Streatham Hill. On Friday evenings people queue down the street to get fish and chips here.
12 minute walk from the apartment
You can't go wrong with Nando's
They do one thing and one thing really well. Grilled chicken.
25 minute walk from the apartment
37 molta ag muintir na háite
Nando's
Fulham RoadYou can't go wrong with Nando's
They do one thing and one thing really well. Grilled chicken.
25 minute walk from the apartment
Not glamorous but very reliable and inexpensive. It's a family favourite of ours. Here you can expect traditional English pub food.
My children absolutely love the main courses here and adore the chocolate cake for desert but they sometimes get irritated because there is often people nearby using bad language.
25 minute walk from the apartment or 15 minute bus ride on the 255 or 50 bus.
The Holland Tringham
107-109 Streatham High RoadNot glamorous but very reliable and inexpensive. It's a family favourite of ours. Here you can expect traditional English pub food.
My children absolutely love the main courses here and adore the chocolate cake for desert but they sometimes get irritated because there is often people nearby using bad language.
25 minute walk from the apartment or 15 minute bus ride on the 255 or 50 bus.
Neighbourhoods
Quite fancy nowadays.
20 minutes walk from the apartment.
Lots of bars and restaurants and has good transport links for getting to the rest of London and beyond.
36 molta ag muintir na háite
Balham
Quite fancy nowadays.
20 minutes walk from the apartment.
Lots of bars and restaurants and has good transport links for getting to the rest of London and beyond.
Not as fancy as Balham but is up and coming. It is in the opposite direction from the apartment. Has some nice bars and restaurants. I personally think it has more character than Balham, the main downside being is that it has no tube station but theres literally a bus nearly every minute to Brixton which is in the Victoria line which is really fast.(15 minutes to Oxford Circus)
Streatham Hill is 12 minutes walk from the apartment.
10 molta ag muintir na háite
Streatham Hill
Not as fancy as Balham but is up and coming. It is in the opposite direction from the apartment. Has some nice bars and restaurants. I personally think it has more character than Balham, the main downside being is that it has no tube station but theres literally a bus nearly every minute to Brixton which is in the Victoria line which is really fast.(15 minutes to Oxford Circus)
Streatham Hill is 12 minutes walk from the apartment.
Comhairle faoin gcathair
Taisteal timpeall
How to meet artists
There is a couple of free apps that tell you when and where you can go to art openings at art gallery's. These are free party's full of artists who are usually really friendly and approachable. They are usually between 6pm and 8pm and could be any evening of the week. One of the apps is called ArtRabbit and the other is called SeeSaw
Taisteal timpeall
Download the Citymapper app
Every time I step outside my front door I press the bus icon. It tells me how many minutes it is until every bus in the area will arrive.
I use it to pick the bus stop with the current shortest waiting time. After the bus I use it to track the next train.
If I'm going somewhere new in London I just type in the address and it tells me every possible way to get there on public transport.
It's also the best app for up to date information on delays and disruptions to the public transport services.
This app will save you so much travel time. I don't know how I managed without it.