The philosopher & writer Krystin Lach-Szyrma came to Britain in 1820 as tutor to two Polish princes, as their Grand Tour took them to Enlightenment Scotl&, where they spent two years studying at Edinburgh University. After a short tour of continental Europe they returned in 1822 to England to enjoy the delights of London & observe its monuments & people. With insatiable curiosity & good humour, Lach-Szyrma recorded his impressions of London & Londoners in perceptive & readable style. Of peasant origins, Lach-Szyrma was no snob. His observations are shrewd, witty & irradiated by the enthusiasm of a Romantic. ...

The first two London Olympics offer food for thought in the run-up to London 2012, with its multi-billion pound budget during a global economic recession, new sporting arenas, Olympic villages, & high-speed rail links. When Vesuvius erupted in 1906, Italy had to pull out of hosting the Games. London stepped in & delivered new stadia without any government assistance in just two years. In 1948, still recovering from the ravages of war, London hosted the Olympics again. The entire budget for the 1948 Games was 760, 000, & they turned a profit of 29, 000. This history of the London Olympics, which concludes with a look ahead to 2012, is a timely & fascinating chronicle of the Games of another age. ...

London on Foot by Celia Woolfrey is an illustrated guide to fifteen walks distributed throughout central, south, east & west London. The distinguishing feature of this guide is that each of the fifteen walks is accompanied by an illustrated aerial view map that clearly depicts the proposed walking route. Each map is marked by a series of numbers that correspond to the descriptive text. The text provides route directions as well as background information on the areas history, buildings & attractions. Included in the guide is additional information on exploring London on foot, getting around London by other means, as well as general Tourist information. The guide is accompanied by full-colour photographs throughout. ...

Oh! I do like to be beside the seaside. An inspirational illustrated guide to 50 coastal days out, all within easy reach of London. Swap your oyster card for fresh oysters at Whistable, & trade in city parks for the wide open spaces of Camber Sands. Written by ex-Time Out editor Sarah Guy, London on Sea offers 50 fun days out on the coast with whimsical tone of voice that captures the magic of a day out on the beach. Timeless entries will feature the best walking routes, where to see breath-taking views, interesting architectural quirks & those local institutions that make each town unique. Destinations include: Southwold, Walberswick, Thorpeness, Aldeburgh, Walton-on-the-Naze, Frinton-on-Sea, Clacton-on-Sea, Southend, Leigh-on-Sea, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Sandwich, Deal, Dover, Folkestone, Hythe, Camber, Hastings, St Leonards, Bexhill, Eastbourne, Seaford, Rottingdean, Brighton, Worthing, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, East & West Wittering, Bournemouth. ...

In partnership with Santander, the sponsors of London’s cycle hire scheme, this book provides information on hiring the bikes & cycling etiquette as well as 25 h&-picked rides around London that will take you from docking station to docking station while enjoying the best of London in-between. The 25 routes are divided into the regions of North, South, East, West & Central London & for the more adventurous, a further afield section. Rides include; the sights of the Southbank, crawling Camden, by water to Chiswick House & many more. Each ride featured contains information including; distance, a profile saying whether it is flat, downhill or hilly, pick up & drop off docking stations, a list of directions, an overview map including marked out places of interest which are then described in more detail & approximate cycling time. This book will suit casual & regular cyclists alike & help you discover a fresh & healthy alternative to tubes & busses. ...

London Out of Sight is an essential handbook for the London resident & visitor seeking solace from the city`s bustling, hectic character. With a focus on green & outdoor spaces, the book explores the capital`s charming hidden squares, elegant graveyards, lush community & public gardens & parks, sleepy city squares, sprawling woods, working city farms, & idiosyncratic & hidden points of interest. London does not necessarily immediately spring to mind as a city teeming with quiet & beautiful green areas, but the bustling sprawl belies a wealth of fascinating & meditative spaces. London Out of Sight looks to highlight a number of these, with profiles comprising practical information, historical & cultural contexts & beautiful original photography. Divided by orientation, the book features such diverse inclusions as: Richmond Park in west London (particularly its wildlife & facets such as King Henry`s Mound, the Ian Dury bench & its ancient walls); Hackney, Spitalfields & Freightliners City Farms; Gunnersbury Nature Triangle; the public & historic gardens at Chiswick House (the birthplace of the English Landscape movement, & with an observatory, Ionic temple, waterfalls, a Doric column & the Inigo Jones gateway); the Geffrye Museum Gardens in Shoreditch; the community Phoenix Garden in Charing Cross; Elephant & Castle Urban Forest; the ` Magnificent Seven` city cemeteries; quiet city escapes such as St Dunstan-in-the-East; & fascinating sculpture, follies, abandoned tunnels & other idiosyncrasies such as the crumbling abbey & Paxton Tunnel in Sydenham & Dulwich Woods, the Ruined Arch in Kew, & the Crystal Palace dinosaurs. London Out of Sight is an aesthetically wonderful, informative & indispensable guide to anyone seeking out London`s quiet, green & hidden nooks & corners. ...

Iain Sinclair explores modern London through a day`s hike around the London Overground route. The completion of the full circle of London Overground provides Iain Sinclair with a new path to walk the shifting territory of the capital. With thirty-three stations & thirty-five miles to tramp
- & inevitable & unforeseen detours & false steps
- he embarks on a marathon circumnavigation at street level, tracking the necklace of garages, fish farms, bakeries, convenience cafes, cycle repair shops & Minder lock-ups which enclose inner London. ” He is incapable of writing a dull paragraph.” (Scotland on Sunday). ” Sinclair breathes wondrous life into monstrous man-made landscapes.” (Times Literary Supplement). ” If you are drawn to English that doesn`t just sing, but sings the blues & does scat & rocks the joint, try Sinclair. His sentences deliver a rush like no one else`s.” (Washington Post).

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Colin Pressdee provides the definitive guide to where to buy & eat oysters throughout London. The guide

Includes::

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Where can you walk among dinosaurs, see pink flamingos on a roof garden or cycle past deer whose ancestors were hunted by Charles 1? London's green spaces are the envy of cities the world over, providing lush areas of rest, relaxation & recreation amid the urban sprawl. They encompass the vast spread of Hyde Park in the centre of the city to characterful local spaces like Springfield Park in Hackney. This authoritative guide contains detailed reviews of London's park & gardens, & offers fascinating accounts of their history as well as practical information about opening times, sports facilities & the chances of finding a good coffee. With over 70 stunning photographs & 16 maps, this book is designed to help you enjoy a surprisingly green city. ...

Where can you walk among dinosaurs, see pink flamingos on a roof garden or cycle past deer whose ancestors were hunted by Charles 1? London`s green spaces are the envy of cities the world over, providing lush areas of rest, relaxation & recreation amid the urban sprawl. They encompass the vast spread of Hyde Park in the centre of the city to characterful local spaces like Springfield Park in Hackney. This authoritative guide contains detailed reviews of London`s park & gardens, & offers fascinating accounts of their history as well as practical information about opening times, sports facilities & the chances of finding a good coffee. With over 70 stunning photographs & 16 maps, this book is designed to help you enjoy a surprisingly green city. ...