Drink at the Faltering Fullback

Your author wouldn't usually go for a pub which sells itself on big screen sports, or self defines as a 'hidden gem', but there's something quite pleasant about the Faltering Fullback, covered in ivy on a backstreet in North London.


The charming front bar at the pub is immediately appealing, with lots of wood and real pub charm, and whilst the odd cavernous room out the back doesn't suit everyone, presumably that's where they put the big screen, and the interesting tiered garden has plenty of space to escape it, and wasn't packed with smokers unlike at some pubs. Add in the usual pub extras like Thai food, a quiz and regular music on a Sunday and it's a decent sort of place to while away an hour if you're in the mood.

For more, see http://thefullback.co.uk/

Eat at the Seagrass

Housed in a 19th century Manze's pie shop on Chapel Market in North London, the Seagrass is a lovely little restaurant opening Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings only & serving fresh and interesting set meals from an open kitchen for a reasonable value. The interior of the restaurant is true to its roots, and has been changed little since the closure of Manze's, with pleasant results.


Your author visited last week for dinner, and had a set three course meal for £30, which sounds like quite a lot, but the results were well worth it, especially given the bring-your-own-drink policy, and the policy of not charging for corkage. The group were especially impressed that when the dietary requirements of one of those present were not catered for, the chef went out to the shops to buy ingredients and made something off menu.

Be warned, however, that for those of questionable self-control, the BYO policy can lead to overindulgence. And if you visit with the same group, come armed with the ability to say no to amaretto.

For more, see http://www.theseagrassrestaurant.com/

Wander in Coldfall Wood

A 14 hectare area of ancient wood in Muswell Hill, Coldfall Wood was once part of a much larger wooded area, and as it was finding itself increasingly encroached upon, it was eventually purchased by Hornsey Council in 1930.


Your author grew up on the edge of a large wood some way away, and has always had an affinity for woodland, so it is always pleasing when these pockets of ancient woodland are protected in the city and Coldfall Wood remains so.

Owned by the London Borough of Harringey, the wood is also loved by the Friends of Coldfall Wood who are keen to monitor its flora, fauna and wildlife and even have plans to "regenerate" it, and whilst in your author's experience woodland tends to do that itself, it is still admirable that they care.

For more, see http://www.coldfallwoods.co.uk/

_{^Picture © Martin Addison used under a Creative Commons license^}

See the BAPS Mandir Haveli

Your author has written about the Neasden Mandir in various places, but the temple complex isn't limited only to Indian marble, and alongside the traditional temple sits a stunning intricately-carved wooden Haveli, which would certainly be worth a visit in its own right.


We are told that the Haveli is a remarkable revival of wooden craftmanship, and that the wooden carvings are unique in that such a structure has not been created anywhere in the world for a century. Your author has no way of knowing whether of not this is true, but except for one more than a hundred years old on the South Coast, this is certainly the only such construction he has seen.

For more, see http://www.mandir.org/haveli/index.htm

_{^Picture © David Sky, used under a Creative Commons License^}

Play table tennis in Queen's Park

A successor to the "Ping London" scheme of summer 2010, which saw table tennis tables installed across London thanks to a local resident, two permanent table tennis tables sit in Queen's Park, ready for use by all-comers.


The tables joined pitch-and-putt and traditional tennis courts in the well-equipped City of London-owned park, which covers 30 acres of North West London and has been maintained by the City of London corporation since 1886.

For more, see http://www.qpark.org.uk/action-groups/park-liason/

Attend Stoke Newington Literary Festival

As your author makes a break for another literary festival near the border, up in Stoke Newington they are beginning their own such event, with speakers as diverse as Maurice Glasman, Danny Wallace and The Gruffalo.


One of the most enticing meetings sees London explorers Mark Mason and Craig Taylor join together at 1pm on Sunday at the newly reopened Clissold House in what promises to be a great event.

For more, see http://www.stokenewingtonliteraryfestival.com/

_{^Picture © Hackney Plus used under Creative Commons^}

Maintain your bike with Islington Cyclists' Action Group

Your author's poor yellow bike is on its last legs, but with a little maintenance it manages to struggle on, and the great news for anyone needing to get a second opinion on their bike woes is that London has a strong network of cycle user groups full of friendly sorts who are willing to offer advice and assistance.


Tonight, as every fourth Wednesday of the month (except August and December), the Islington Cyclists' Action Group is meeting at North London's Sunnyside Community Centre for a session of bike maintenance from 7pm – 9.30pm for which a very reasonable £1 is charged. Expect the session to be full of friendly faces and an unrivalled range of tools you didn't know existed.

For more, see http://www.icag.org.uk/events/maintenance-workshop/

Eat at the Roundwood Park Cafe

Despite some rather odd happenings in the past, the cafe in the lodge in Roundwood Park, North London, is a pleasant spot for a quick cup of tea or bite to eat, and a good place to escape the sort of showers we had yesterday.


Today, the forecast looks brighter, which means the young noiseboxes might even get to use the neighbouring children's play area whilst their minders tuck into sandwiches, reasonably priced teas, and plates of delicious noodles.

For more, see http://www.brent.gov.uk/pks.nsf/Parks/LBB-61

Lunch in St George's Gardens

Billed as an oasis by the London Borough of Camden, St George's Gardens sit close to the Coram's Fields near the Foundling Museum and the Brunswick Centre, and began life as an 18th century burial ground in open fields to the North of Bloomsbury.


With entrances on Handel Street, Sidmouth Street and Heathcote Street, the Gardens are a favourite lunchtime spot for those working in the area, and feature memorials and gravestones, including the tomb of Oliver Cromwell's granddaughter.

For more, see http://www.friendsofstgeorgesgardens.org.uk/

Play pitch and putt in Queens Park

Billing itself as a 30 acre oasis in one of London's most densely populated ares Queen’s Park is a fairly compact and popular park in North West London, owned and operated by the City of London Corporation.


One unusual highlight in the park is the well-kept pitch-and-putt golf course which sits at its heart, and is open to all-comers for a small fee. When your author visited a little while ago, it seemed to be doing a roaring trade, with plenty of young families taking part.

For more, see http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Environment_and_planning/Parks_and_open_spaces/queens_park.htm

See the birds of Roundwood Park Aviary

Apparently constructed in 1956 following pressure from the Willesden & District Caged Birds Society, Roundwood Park aviary, in North West London, is home to a number of species of birds, including Cockateils, Canaries and Budgerigars.


Though the Brent Heritage website reports the aviary was once the victim of bird-theft, with budgerigars worth £50 stolen in the summer of 1963, it seems that things have calmed down somewhat since then, and when your author popped by, a small child and his mother were enjoying the simple pleasures of smiling at zebra finches.

For more, see http://www.brent-heritage.co.uk/roundwood_park.htm

Watch the Islington Milkmaids Garland

Well done to the always-on-the-ball Ianvisits, who alerts us to the revival of the Islington Milkmaids Garland tradition by all-female Morris troupe New Esperance, who will be on the streets of North London today.


The dancers start at The Compton Arms at around 11.30am, proceeding down Upper Street and dancing outside the King's Head, on Islington Green, at the Steam Passage and finishing at the Camden Head.

For those on the lookout for other traditional May Day ceremonies, the Tired of London, Tired of Life book has a particularly good one on pages 74 & 75, which will also be processing in the City of London today.

For more on the Islington Milkmaids Garland, see http://newesp.org.uk/events.html

_{^Picture © Copyright Robert Lamb and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence^}

Walk Plymmes Brook

Up in Enfield's Pymmes Park today, the Parks Outreach Team are leading an interesting-sounding walk along Pymmes Brook, tributary of the River Lea named after a local land owner called William Pymme.


The 7 ½ mile walk begins this morning at 10am and requires stout footwear and a packed lunch. Walkers will follow the Brook from Pymmes Park in Edmonton, through various parks in Enfield and Barnet, to Jacks Lake at Monken Hadley approx. For those up for a less regimented ramble it sounds like a fine wander at leisure at other times.

For more information, see http://www.enfield.gov.uk/events/start/29-04-2012/end/29-04-2012

_{^Picture © Copyright Martin Addison used under a Creative Commons Licence^}

Visit St Mary's Willesden

This weekend, your author passed a very rewarding Saturday seeing the sights of Brent, and one particular highlight was St Mary's Church, Willesden, where by chance a member of the local history society was on hand to conduct a faultless guided tour.


The site has been a place of worship since around 938 AD, when was given by King Athelstan and it is thought that a small wooden church was created, in what was then a largely rural setting on the edge of a small settlement. By the 13th century, the church had become a place of pilgrimage, and the shrine of the Black Virgin of Willesden drew people from all around until it was destroyed in 1535, burned at Chelsea on the same fire as the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham.

Some also float the theory that as a place of pilgrimage, Willesden was home to a Holy Well, though your author's enthusiastic guide, as a true historian, was reluctant to hypothesise and had never seen any proof.

A truly magical place for even godless souls like your author, St Mary's Willesden and its graveyard are full of history, and run by a dedicated team of volunteers who organise regular events. For more, see http://www.stmarywillesden.org.uk

Visit St Augustine's Kilburn

A Grade I listed building Victorian Gothic Revival church on Kilburn Park Road in North London, is a huge church, the construction of which began in 1871. The church was consecrated in 1880, with the the tower and spire not completed until nearly two decades later in 1897-1898.


The church was founded by Richard Carr Kirkpatrick, the son of an Irish landowner, and in 1870, an area of what we are told was rather swampy land was acquired, on which the church was built. The large church is today often referred to as "the Cathedral of North London", apparently due to its size and ornate designs.

For more, see http://www.saugustinekilburn.org.uk/

_{^Picture © Peter2010 used under Creative Commons^}

Walk in Perivale Wood

Though the atmosphere is still rather wintry, the first signs of life are starting to stir in Perivale Wood, a 27 acre area of ancient oak woodland beside the Grand Union Canal in North West London.


Owned and managed by the Selbourne Society, we are told that the woodland is home to an array of wildlife, including 600 species of fungi, hundreds of moths, and various molluscs, mammals and mosses, as well as trees and other plants.

For more, see www.selbornesociety.org.uk

_{^Picture © Copyright David Hawgood and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence^}

See the Map Room at the Charles Lamb

Your author passed a thoroughly enjoyable evening last week on the Londonist A-Z Pubcrawl, sampling a few of the best pubs in Angel, and beginning at the Charles Lamb on Elia Street near Angel Tube Station.


The pub is a testament to what can be achieved with love and care at a backstreet local and one particularly interesting aspect for lovers of cartography like your author is the map room, with walls adorned with a number of beautiful London maps, in fine surroundings with a friendly crowd. Not to mention good food, ale and atmosphere.

For more, see http://www.thecharleslambpub.com/

Attend the RYA Dinghy Show

The RYA Dingy Show takes place at Alexandra Palace today, bringing together thousands of amateur sailing enthusiasts to see products from 200 exhibitors, across 12,000 square metres of exhibition space.


Sure, it's a commercial exercise, but there are also talks and presentations about all aspects of dingy sailing, and it is always a real draw for sailing enthusiasts across the country. If you're one of them, your author thinks this would probably not a bad way to spend £13.

For more, see http://www.rya.org.uk/programmes/dinghyshow/Pages/RYAVolvoDinghyShow.aspx

_{^Picture © Sarah G... used under Creative Commons^}

Play crazy golf at Northwick Park

Out on the inner edge of Metroland, Northwick Park is on the border between Brent and Harrow, served by the Metropolitan Line and home to a 9 hole golf course and a smaller crazy golf course, open to the public daily.


Based around the theme of 'Mini Majors', the crazy golf course draws inspiration from famous golf holes around the world, available to play for a reasonable fee, with rocks, plants, streams, ponds, waterfalls and floodlights to allow golfing well into the evening.

For more, see http://www.northwickpark.com/adventure_golf.php

_{^Picture © jamiejohndavies used under Creative Commons^}

Eat at the Queensbury Deli

A sister establishment to fairly-standard-upmarket-North-London-pub the Queensbury, the Queensbury Deli is a fairly-standard-upmarket-North-London-cafe with a healthy patronage by Willesden Green's middle classes, and a decent place sort of place for a cup of tea and a piece of cake on a cold winters afternoon.


They also do nice sandwiches, and a range of salads and other deli items, all served with a smile, and can even produce bespoke cupcakes if that's your sort of thing. They also sell teas, cordials, wines and (in answer to any questions you might have about the possibility of noisemakers during weekday mornings) baby food.

For more, see http://www.queensburydeli.co.uk