Visit an island with a place in rock history

Deep in the heart of Twickenham is Eel Pie Island, a small islet which is home to around 120 people.

The island was formerly home to the Eel Pie Hotel, which played host to a range of rock and roll greats during the 1960s, until it burned down in 1971. Charles Dickens also wrote Little Dorrit at the hotel.

The island is revered by those who visited in the 60s and was home to Eel Pie Studios, owned by Pete Townshend. Today the rock legacy is maintained by the band the Mystery Jets, who live there, and to a certain extent by the Eel Pie Club, a music club which is situated on the mainland nearby.

To get to the island from Central London, catch the tube of mainline railway to Richmond, then the H22 or 490 bus to Twickenham and walk from there. There are no roads of vehicles on the island and the only access is by a single footbridge. Click here for a map.

^{^Picture of Eel Pie Island Footbridge from flickr courtesy of Jim Linwood^}