BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 02 Jul 07 - 06:01 AM

Camden Market and Brighton, and other haunts of 'Southern Jessies', will give her entirely the wrong impression. She needs to spend a few days up here in the gritty North where the real people (and their whippets) live.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 04:45 PM

I agree. Cornwall is the most beautiful place in England. Really it's another country.   

However I think this feeling that Cornwall fans have is quite inexpressible. I don't see how you would communicate it in a day trip. Unless you took a plane. then a hire car. see The Lizard, Lands End, St Ives and the Tate at St Ives.

Could be expensive.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Cats
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 08:05 AM

Would have been easier to come to Cornwall for the day. At least it didn't rain very much!!

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 07:28 AM

My daughter was a teenager fairly recently....

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: My guru always said
Date: 01 Jul 07 - 07:26 AM

Many thanks for the offer Cats but as Liz says, time's short & it's our last day with Cassie!

Isn't it funny how when things start to go wrong, they just go from bad to worse? Normally I'd take the hint from Lady Fate and take another path, but that's difficult when you're doing stuff with other people.

Yesterday was going to be fantastic, going to & from Windsor by boat from Runnymede, but due to the vagiaries of the linked 'street-map' from the boatyard web-site we started off on the wrong side of the Thames & missed the boat by 5 minutes!! It rained almost all day of course. Could only get a space in the short stay car park so had to pay £8 for 5 hours. Richard got stuck at the scanner in Windsor security for ages. There was a 45 minute queue for the State Apartments which we decided was a bit much so skipped it. Car door was dented by a 4x4 drivers door when parked in a narrow bay of the car park. Then the round trip boat trip we decided to go for almost got delayed by 30 minutes due to lack of custom - we'd already waited 30 minutes for the scheduled departure!!

Things brightened up when we got home & warmed up in our cosy cottage and for the third night running we (Cassie & I) had our ice-cream cocktail workshop - we got pretty good at it over the past few days *grin*

Anyway, though we're starting late today we'll be off to Linda's BBQ in a few hours hopefully - after bacon sarnies & a slideshow of family early days!

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 30 Jun 07 - 08:06 AM

I think Hils said earlier in the thread that time constraints don't allow travelling much further than London. She's only staying a few days and Stratford on Avon isn't that close when you have to go round London to get there.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Cats
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 03:47 PM

Hils, bring her to Cornwall for a long weekend with the two of you. You can do Boscastle, Newquay, Padstow, the tin mines, the moors, our quaint little cottage.... Don't just restrict yourself to London and the environs. How about Stratford on Avon?
cats

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Splott Man
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 08:27 AM

Hi Villan.

I have a vested interest, the exhibits at the Lookout were supplied by the company I work for.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Splott Man
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 06:41 AM

And don't forget your own back garden!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: My guru always said
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 05:46 AM

Thanks Moses, Micca, Lis & Guest for Camden Lock, tube & map info. Might just try to get along Sunday morning, but not if it's raining badly. My right hand still isn't good at umbrellas & I've never got on with the Beasties anyway!

Lost part of yesterday with Cassie over a misunderstanding about times, but rescued her from Orpington at lunchtime. It took about 40 minutes to get there and we had a 3 1/2 hour drive home 'the pretty way' *grin* Managed to start off with a nice pint of Summer Lightning (Cassie had coke) in the Skimmington Castle at Reigate followed by a meander round Leith Hill, Coldharbour, Newlands Corner (squirty ice-cream pitstop) returning via Ranmore Common & the rear of Denbies. Then did bangers (Cassie's never seen then done without the aid of a BBQ) & mash at the cottage followed by video clips of the funniest bits of Top Gear. All topped off by listening to an Einaudi (clever piano stuff) which just has to be copied for Cassie to try at home.

Today's just started to birighten up after the rain, so it looks like a South Coast day starting off via Box Hill. The fox cubs are just starting to come out for their breakfast of bird food (they LOVE peanuts) so I'd better wake Cassie & see if she fancies a bacon sarnie! Oh the delights of England * grin*

So, we'll only have tomorrow (Saturday) to sort & of course that'll depend on the weather. Probably Windsor Castle & possibly a Thames & Hampton Court trip, we'll have to see. Hope to see some of you at Linda's BBQ on Sunday, am keeping my fingers crossed about the rain & will try to get Cassie to choose one of my cross-stich kits!

Thanks again everyone!

Richard Bridge - I had no idea you were so 'clued up' about teenagers, you've more hidden depths than I thought!

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 08:49 PM

Camden tube is always closed on Sundays because it can't cope with the numbers who would otherwise try to use it. And yes, Chalk Farm is the way to go.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 06:38 PM

English rock music! The best in the world!

And get another young lady, a bit older, to show her round a sex shop, a really raunchy one. (Swear her to secrecy first)

Teen fashion - Lilly Allen chic....

Any show at which Peaches Geldorf is DJ-ing. (not good, but look what daddy does)

Any show at which the Chemical Brothers are DJ-ing. GOOD.

A bit less culture - a bit more enjoyment.

Does she ride? Can you get her into a REAL stables, top class horses and all...

Is she into dogs? The major English dog shows are among the world's best.

C'mon guys - think FOURTEEN! Don't be so stuffy!

WLD, where are you when I need you?

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 04:23 PM

Camden Lock is between Chalk Farm and Camden Town, go north to Chalk Farm to leave, fewer crowds, fewer pickpockets and it will be open.

Actually when I took my neices of similar age to Camden Lock they weren't that interested as none of the clothes had "labels".

For museums Sir John Soanes in Lincoln Inn Fields is wonderfully eccentric, my kids loved it at that age.

Also worth going to Oxford. Park at Thornhill Park and Ride and take the bus from there. Travel upstairs, nearside for a good view of the shark in Headington, but don't warn her. It is always better as a surprise.
University Museum (and Pitt Rivers) is good for youngsters. For a boat or punt on the river it is worth getting to Magdalen (sp?) Bridge at around 11:30 with a picnic before it gets too busy.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Rasener
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 12:48 PM

Hey Splott man, used to live just by the look out. Used to have great walks through the forest there. Happy memories.
There is that great swimming pool there as well. Forgotten the name now.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 12:12 PM

Check with Transport for London for tube closures - they're also to be found in the Metro free morning newspaper that can be picked up any weekday at many locations across the Underground.

Camden Lock just after pay-day is a dangerous thing to do. You can lose more pounds there than any Cambridge or Atkins diet!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Splott Man
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 11:55 AM

If you're looking for low key things, the Lookout in Bracknell Forest is good. Hands-on science exhibits. Trails. Bike hire.
If she enjoys a walk. I second the Leith Hill thing. Box Hill and the stepping stones (the real ones, not the pub), Peter Labelliere's gravestone, and on a Sunday, thousands of bikers (with Red Molly maybe).
My pick of the London museums would be the Natural History.
If she likes theatre, is the open-air theatre still going at Polesden Lacey?

Splott Man

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Micca
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 11:30 AM

Moses, If they shut Camden Town, Chalk Farm is a bit nearer than MC and an easy walk , especially as Camden Lock Market stretches in that direction too, so, at the top of the Market you are quite close to the station!!! worth printing out a map from streetfinder See Here

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: mandotim
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 10:37 AM

How about a day trip to France? Or Borough Market? The Natural History Museum? Further afield; Alton Towers? (If you want to do the Towers, let me know and I can point you to some good B&B places nearby. I don't live far away.)
Tim

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Moses
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 08:03 AM

Hills

If you're going to Camden Lock on Sunday (weather forecast iffy) watch your timings. I don't know if it still applies but the last time I went there they shut the tube station mid-afternoon and I had to walk, laden with shopping and with very tired feet, to Mornigton Crescent (about half a mile).

Have a good time whatever you do

Christine

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: My guru always said
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 07:17 AM

And thanks for the Globe link Kevin!!! Looks like a really good evening out if it doesn't rain...

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: My guru always said
Date: 28 Jun 07 - 07:03 AM

That Fab info about the Globe Peter, many thanks!! Must admit, am not a theme park fan myself, but maybe young Cassie isn't either. She's already mentioned Windsor Castle, but we're going to need to watch the weather & make the best of any dry weather as & when we get it. So Windsor will be for a wet day I reckon. Camden Lock on a Sunday (and it's just past pay-day), that's extremely tempting!

We're just waiting for Cassie to arrive here so we can figure out what she'd like to do in the brief time available to us. Unfortunately, up North or even as far as Stratford isn't really feasible before Sunday but would have been on the itinery if there were time enough.

Thanks again to everyone for your thoughts and suggestions. Even if Cassie doesn't get to see all the places you've mentioned, I'll be making sure I get to visit them *grin*

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Rasener
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 05:33 PM

Most kids of that age love theme parks.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 05:11 PM

Greetings Hils

Camden Lock is a must - the whole area hums on Sundays. Sunday is also a good day to wander into the old alleyways of the City, when they are mostly deserted. Cross the river from there via the Millenium footbridge and you're into the rejuvented Bankside, well worth a visit even sans Cutty Sark. Or from the city you could do a trip out to Canary Wharf via either the driverless Docklands Light Railway or the river.

If you want a tourist attraction that's slightly off piste and free, have a look at the court lists at the Royal Courts and the Old Bailey - an hour or so in the public galleries can be riveting if you're lucky.

Re Shakespeare, I'm with McG 100 per cent. Make it the Globe every time. Groundling (prom) tickets cost about a fiver and are available at the door most nights. It's perfectly acceptable to wander round during the performance, and even scoff a picnic.

And that's just London... Surely to God you won't need to resort to theme parks?

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 04:39 PM

tratford - see a play as it should be performed?

Or there's the Globe Theatre on the South Bank for a more Elizabethan version.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Penny S.
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 04:21 PM

I can vouch for the GReenwich planetarium, the Maritime museum is also good, along with the market and shops around the burned hulk. I don't know if the pie and mash shop has reopened yet.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: GUEST,Noreen
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 10:46 AM

Shame she's not here for longer, eh Hils :0)

Or she might just want to hang around in the cottage watching the fox cubs ...
...and the peregrine falcon and its prey!

That sounds good to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: nutty
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 09:39 AM

How about introducing her to the 'real' England.

Bring her North.

Try YORK or DURHAM or NEWCASTLE. All have wonderful attractions and are much cheaper than the South.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Sorcha
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 09:29 AM

I got to drive (well, passenger....) around Windsor Castle! Does that count? If it took money, or much money to get in, I bypassed it.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: s&r
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 08:16 AM

Stratford - see a play as it should be performed?

Stu

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Rasener
Date: 27 Jun 07 - 07:59 AM

Not been mentioned but well worth a visit is Windsor Castle

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Richard Atkins
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 07:55 PM

Cassie here Thursday .Film of me aged Nine with her Eight year old Dad should should be interesting. Worries me though :>)

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 07:43 PM

If you're going to the Kensington Museums, the V and A shouldn't be overlooked - especially if she's interested in clothes. (Just missed the Kylie Minogue exhibition which ended a couple of weeks ago.)

And if you're going up the river, Kew Gardens, with the newly refurbished Kew Palace, might also be a place to consider visiting.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: SINSULL
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 06:52 PM

The Crown Jewels?

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 06:15 PM

If you bring her to Essex Girl's BBQ, tell her to bring her cross stitch and we can sit in a corner and compare threads!

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 06:05 PM

Liverpool - Matthew Street

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 05:43 PM

Just noticed you live in Leatherhead -- we lived in Dorking for five years and will be returning there in the future for 6 months of each year to live in our tiny end terrace incredibly overpriced house. We'll look you up.

If you all see a very tall 18 year old American boy looking lost while you are on your travels, that will be my son.....we are putting him on a plane to England tonight for a few week's 'bumming around'.....

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Sorcha
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 05:33 PM

Oh gods! Not The BBQ! I'd rather find an 18 yr old with a car!!!! LOL

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: My guru always said
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 05:07 PM

Yes indeed Kevin, the Thames Thanks! Oh, and Hampton Court's not far!! There's so much to do.....

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: My guru always said
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 05:05 PM

Fantastic suggestions, many thanks to all for advice, ideas & offers!!!

Browsing today I found that the Science Museum is doing a 'be a spy' thing & the Natural History Museum is doing an Antarctica Experience too, both of which sound like fun. The Leith Hill idea is Fab (ta pirandello) as is Wilminton (of course Mary *grin*) with Beachy Head etc!! Got some brochures today (telepathy Noreen?) and have had some other thoughts on stuff like Wild Tupperware Hunting & a squint at Stonehenge. Am definitely drawing the line at Whelks!!!!

JennyO, there a new Planetarium just started up in Greenwich which looks to be less 'waxy' than the Tussauds experience & is definitely worth a look, thanks for the idea.

Thanks too Bert for your 'must-sees', you've got some super ones in that list, and yes, it is never-ending - hopefully!

Richard's had a chat with her just now & it sounds like she's probably seen all she wants to in London, but I reckon the Jack the Ripper walk is a good one (thanks Blowz)!! She's suggested Windsor Castle & she likes the idea of Brighton (cheers Dave) so there may be a squirty ice-cream opportunity for me *grin* I wonder how much we can pack in to our short time together?

And just before we take her back to her Uncle's on Sunday in Orpington we're going to take her to Essex Girls BBQ so she can see & hear some of the friends we've met on the Folk Scene. Should round off the experience nicely!

Or she might just want to hang around in the cottage watching the fox cubs & doing cross-stitch. Hope it doesn't rain.....

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 04:59 PM

Trip down the Thames on a river bus is fun, and they go to some interesting places. (No longer the Cutty Sark, sadly)

You aren't all that far from Bodiam, of she's into romantic castles.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Scooby Doo
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 04:33 PM

Hils,
I know i am disabled but you go on line for the Eye and its really cheap if your disabled.Give Richard a stick and see what you bget off.



Scooby.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Noreen
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 04:18 PM

Hils, I would suggest you get (in advance) a stash of brochures of all sorts of things from your local tourist info office and let her browse through them in her own time when she arrives.

That will at least give you somewhere to start finding out what she would like to do, and for her to know where you are prepared to take her- she might be shy of suggesting things she would like to do.

Strolling through a large shopping centre is likely to be a good one too (unless she's already shopped out!) judging from experience with my 15 year old daughter :0)

Give me a ring if I can help.

Have a lovely time!

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Bert
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 02:29 PM

Are the cheap theatre tickets still available in Leicester Square?

All the museums in London. There's gotta be some that she'd be interested in. And don't forget the musical instrument collection in the Horniman Museum.

Must see places, Bath, Lavenham Suffolk, Fichingfield Essex, Greensted church (built in 900 something AD) Essex, Tower of London of course, Verulamium (St ALbans), Roman mosaic at Eynsford Kent, Ross on Wye.

We used to enjoy a trip down the river from the Embankment to Greenwhich.

And walking under the pedestrian tunnel at Woolwich is fun.

Sheesh it's never ending.

Update the thread when you find out what she likes.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 02:23 PM

Stratfords always a good call. lots of stuff for the tourist - as well as being the best place to see Shakespeare and there are always cheap seats. should go down well after the whelks.

not far from Alton Towers.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Rasener
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 02:10 PM

Stratford on Avon and show her a bit of culture about Willy!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Blowzabella
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 02:06 PM

The London Eye tickets are extortionate! Not sure if she'd qualify for a concessionary price, but last year adult tickets were £30 each! Lot of money for a ride on a big wheel .....

Take her down the South Bank to see Borough Market and Southwark - what about a Jack the Ripper Tour (most teenagers loved being scared witless) - Shakespeare's Globe Theatre - just to see the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben is pretty amazing.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 01:28 PM

Yes Brighton, I bet she's never tasted whelks......

The Pavilion, a dvd of Brighton Rock (Dickie Attenborough as Pinkie: I s'ppose you fink I'm gunna say I love ya, well I hate-cha!)

Seriously, I ain't got a clue what 14 year olds like. the ones round here like walking round with carrier bags full of cans of Fosters, hanging round street corners and talking on mobile phones. I suppose you get a few tins in, if all else fails.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: vectis
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 12:59 PM

Tower of London, Buck Palace, Castles.
I had a group of Canadian teens here once and they were totally overwhelmed (briefly) by stuff that was older than their country so you might have to keep moving on.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: vectis
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 12:57 PM

The long man at Wilmington, The Litlington Lipitzaner( not sure how to spell that one) Beachy Head and a cuppa at mine might be good for a short run out.

Subject: RE: BS: Advice please - young lady visiting UK
From: Micca
Date: 26 Jun 07 - 12:32 PM

Breton cap, you didnt mention the best bit, Take her to see the Music Room in the Dome!!!! 5 stars, that one