Things No-One Tells You About London

Laura Reynolds
By Laura Reynolds Last edited 83 months ago
Things No-One Tells You About London

The Square Mile isn't all glass and concrete:

Photo: Gareth Evans

London has beaches:

Ruislip beach. Photo: Matt Brown

And lakes:

Brent Reservoir. Photo: Daniel Coyle

And temples:

Photo: Andrea Pucci

There's a castle hidden in a forest on a hill:

Photo: martinbaker76

London's bus stop roofs harbour some weird secrets:

Photo: Andy Teo

You will develop an affiliation with either white or yellow, and once you have chosen, you will refuse to set foot in the other:

Photo: piotr obal

Londoners take the whole 'stand on the right' thing very seriously:

Photo: Matt Brown

There are people literally everywhere:

Photo: psyxjaw

You can't really ever get lost in central London:

Photo: champnet

You'll soon develop 'your spot' on the platform — and woe betide anyone else who tries to stand there:

Photo: Sven Loach

There are secret gardens all over the place:

Photo: Stephanie Sadler

London has some weird (and cool) toilets:

Photo: Sean Batten

You can learn kung fu from Shaolin Monks:

Photo: Shaolin Temple

There's a whole shop dedicated to Dr Who:

Photo: Matt Brown

The wittiest Londoners are employed to write on chalkboards:

Photo: Matt Brown

Often, the cool stuff is happening on the roof rather than at street level:

Frank's rooftop bar in Peckham. Photo: Ania Mendrek

You're as likely to catch a glimpse of an urban fox as you are one of London's infamous rats:

Photo: Luca Burattini

There really are as many pigeons as you'd expect — and you're not permitted to feed them (in Trafalgar Square, anyway):

Photo: John Morrill

London's also home to pelicans:

Photo: Dun.can

And parakeets:

Photo: Matt Brown

And peacocks:

Photo: Andrew Lalchan

You'll soon turn a blind eye to all but the weirdest of fancy dress (and trust us, it gets really weird):

Photo: Hilly

Off the beaten track are hundreds of alleyways waiting to be explored:

Photo: John Willoughby

Even with the best intentions, you'll never be able to see and do everything:

Photo: Chris Beckett

Last Updated 12 April 2017