London can seem overwhelming, with zillions of attractions vying for your attention, and the unpredictable weather doesn’t make choosing an activity any easier. This autumn and winter, will it rain, storm, drizzle or turn out bright and sunny? It’s the UK, so who knows.
But don’t worry, we have three fantastic ideas for you, indoors and out. You may have tried one of them, but I bet you haven’t done all three. Whether you’re after something to do with friends, a date-night idea or an activity for the kids, we’ve got you covered.
The Summit
Want to see London from a different angle while getting your steps in? Head to that big building up in N22. It’s bigger than Buckingham Palace, and it’s the only palace you can walk on top of… that’s right, it’s Ally Pally. The Summit is the UK’s highest roof walk, at 130 metres above sea level. You’ll learn about the history of Alexandra Palace (the 150-year-old building was named after Princess Alexandra of Denmark, and has unfortunately burnt down twice) while enjoying the panoramic views.
Take a friend, a date or a child aged eight and above. I took my daughter a day after her eighth birthday, making her the youngest summit conqueror to date. Sunset is a great time to go. Just don’t forget gloves, and a hairband if you have long hair – it gets windy up there! Get your harness on at www.summitallypally.co.uk.
Puttshack
Prefer to stay indoors, with bright, colourful surroundings and a healthy dose of competition to banish the winter blues? Then head to Puttshack in Bank or White City for a game of crazy golf. It calls itself ‘tech-infused’ mini golf, which means each player is assigned their own ball and the screen above keeps score for you – like ten-pin bowling – so there are no pencils, scorecards or squabbles over who won.
The food and drink are great, and feel sophisticated, with dishes arriving on Denby plates and a wide range of cocktails (including low- and no-alcohol options) to choose from. There’s currently a ten-week residency with Trejo’s Tacos at the Bank venue, so there’s an extra menu of Cal-Mex (California-Mexican) favourites. Don’t miss the ‘OG Battered Fish’ taco with pineapple salsa, and save space for the New York cheesecake. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.puttshack.co.uk.
London Lions
Heard of the London Lions? No, I don’t mean Arya and Syanii, the two lions at London Zoo. I’m talking about probably the capital’s tallest sports team: the basketball side! The men’s team play at the Copper Box Arena in Stratford, while the women play their home games at NCC Hackney. The atmosphere at the Copper Box is amazing, with a live presenter, lion mascot and camera crew getting the audience fired up.
London Lions’ Deane Williams dunking (photo courtesy of London Lions)
Will you be spotted on the ‘bongo cam’ during the breaks, and will you be shouting ‘DE-FENCE!’ whenever the opposition get the ball? Very likely, to both. The men’s team compete in Super League Basketball, the top tier of British basketball, and in the EuroCup against clubs from across Europe. I saw the match against Türk Telekom Ankara recently (final score 79–61 to the Lions!) and paid just £31 for a family ticket for four. Learn to roar at www.thelondonlions.com.
