PalenqueBob

One of the most enjoyable things for me to do in London is to journey out of the tourist centre on the Tube and explore a typical neighborhood.

But sometimes just picking a name leads to some dreary place, which i don't mind, but some are better than others.

Anyway i'm drawn to the Royal Oak tube stop after reading of its name derviation, which in Royal Oak's case is from the name of an old pub when opened in 1871 (station)

The pub is now the Railway Tap and is said to contain 'much of interest to any railway enthusiast' - which is me for sure.

So i'll go anyway if just to have a pint in the tavern - but the surrounding district is also called Royal Oak and i'd like to know if its leafy suburban or more like Islington or perhaps an ethnic enclave like Finsbury Park

Anyone know anything about Royal Oak. Much thanks

GeoffHamer

I've been to Royal Oak only once or twice in order to walk alongside the Grand Union Canal. It has the main railway line into Paddington station, the elevated A40 (one of the main roads into London) and blocks of council flats. It's certainly not a leafy suburb but, like so many other parts of London, has a mixture, with pockets of gentility and poor housing.
The 'Railway Tap' is apparently now the 'Porchester' and no longer has railway memorabilia.

PalenqueBob

Geoff - thanks - i've scratched it off my list - if no railway stuff. And i have walked along the Grand Canal lots of times and don't remember it being much in this area.

Sounds like a downer so now i'm looking for another off-beat but interesting Tube station area.

GeoffHamer

The Grand Canal is in Ireland. The canal in London is the Grand Union Canal. It links London and the Thames with the Midlands and the River Trent.

PatrickLondon

Bob, you might be interested in diamondgeezer's walks and various other London hints and tips:

http://www.diamondgeezer.blogspot.com/

JudyC

Sorry to off the topic, but abbout other walks around London, have you tried Green Chain Route in southeast London? Most off from bus stops or train stations (not many from tubes), I have walked several sections, for sure they are for exploring typical neighborhood (and some historical sites).

You could order Green Chain Route Guide online, I bought mine at Greenwich Toruist Centre years ago. For details, please check: www.greenchain.com.

flanneruk

Do you know that you can divide Royal Oak pubs into those that are so named because they were on the route Charles 2 took when escaping from the aftermath of the battle of Worcester and those that are latter-day chancers?

Somewhere on the web (and in many hard-copy archives of the various Charles 2 admiration societies, as well as the Pendrill family association), there's a map of his route from Boscobel (where The Oak once was) to Shoreham on Sea, overlaid with Royal Oak pubs.

PalenqueBob

Patrick - that's a great site - i'll be perusing that for a long time

I visited Alexandra Palace years ago and thought it was exceptional - nice view from up there and wondered why not publicized more.

I think they used to do experiments by bouncing signals from Crystal Palace, similarly high on a hill all across London the Alexandra Palace, high on a hill - speed of light, radio or something

Everytime i leave Kings X by train (think Kings X) i see Alexandra Palace on its hill.

thanks for the site

JudyC - i have taken part of the Green Chain and appreciate the link (which my computer won't let me on) - i often stay in Eltham in B&B or Lee and when i went to Eltham Palace i took a part of the green chain (i think) down to a train station to the northwest.
Thanks both

and as usual to flanner for the tidbit about Royal Oak pubs.

audere_est_facere

Bob,

Are you really telling me that you stay in Lee of your own free will?

Audere - staggered and boggled.

PalenqueBob

yup - steps from the train station - B&B 20 quid a night.

Last Feb i walked from Lee to the Dome via Greenwich Park (some famous pub where the Lee Road meets the park

walked thru the park to Greenwich town - then thru the university in the old Naval Buildings and thru the one building that is a historic house now and then on the Thames Path thru lots of terrible grime and industry to the Dome

quite a walk - i probably passed you as i passed by quite a few pubs.

tod

Many thanks PatrickLondon for the DiamondGeezer Blogspot - Really very useful for someone looking to see something of London and beyond when you have 'been there done that' - thanks again!

audere_est_facere

yup Bob, that's my manor.

PalenqueBob

And at least to the casual eye Greenwich seemed a lot like Penge

audere_est_facere

In places it is - woolwich is a hole, as is Plumstead. But other bits are nice and some are simply wonderful.

I would be amazed if anyone ever used the words wonderful and penge in the same sentence.

PalenqueBob

I also used to camp at Abbey Wood in Plumstead

and at Foot's Cray Activities Centre in Mudcup... i mean Sidcup

this was when my bike touring company used to bring perplexed yanks over to England to bike thru Kent from London - their first glimpse of England was Crystal Palace (greater Penge) or Abbey Wood or Mudcup

some even went into London

audere_est_facere

Poor bastards.