I've been to London many times before and I don't recall ever feeling unsafe at all. This time I will venture to a few new places, and just want to make sure they're alright, since I have to walk 10-20 minutes at some of these areas by myself. All of these will be done during daylight hours.

I have traveled solo many times to various European countries, and I live in a big city and use public transportation, so I consider myself pretty streetsmart.

1) Walthamstow - walking from Walthamstow Central to William Morris Gallery

2) Clapton station and Hackney Central station, and area around Sutton House in Hackney

3) Bexleyheath - walking from Bexleyheath Station to Red House

4) Eltham - walking from Eltham station to Eltham Palace

no 3 and 4

I walked to Eltham and have stayed often here in a B&B and never saw any reason to feel unsafe.

Bexleyheath is i believe a very upscale area - Ted Heath, former PM lived there i believe.

The other two may be more dicey and i'll let those more in the know say

But Eltham i know very well.

1) Walthamstow - walking from Walthamstow Central to William Morris Gallery>>>>

Fine. Walthamstow is a bit grubby and down at heel but it's not a high crime area, certainly not during the day.

2) Clapton station and Hackney Central station, and area around Sutton House in Hackney>>>>

Well It's not called "The Murder Mile" for nothing. Again you'll be OK during the day if you don't stand out by flashing your money/stuff around. Don't be around after dark - really.

3) Bexleyheath - walking from Bexleyheath Station to Red House>>>

You might die of boredom, nothing else. (nb the bit that Pals on about is Old Bexley - a different place entirely)

4) Eltham - walking from Eltham station to Eltham Palace>>>>

A very well policed area, and safe as houses. Troubled by paint drinking yanks occasionally.

Chum already answered but I felt quite safe in Walthamstow - was there looking for my Grandfather's house and grave - he abandoned his 3 children here in Canada after his wife died and went back to London to re-invent himself.

Walthamstow has a big street market - it goes on for blocks and blocks.

I have done the #1 walk, and it does seem a bit grubby in spots. I went to an Internet cafe in Walthamstow that was quite grubby (and the network did not work, although they kept on claiming it did! Eventually I got my 50 pence back.)

My daughter spent a lot of time on our London trip last year in Hackney, and she felt fine there.

It's great you are getting to London again.

HI WT- Thanks for your input. I was almost considering canceling the Sutton House/Hackney bit... BTW, why was your daughter spending time in Hackney?

There are actually several buses that run from Walthamstow Central to William Morris Gallery, so I can easily just hop on one. Since it doesn't sound like it'll be a scenic walk, perhaps I should just take the bus.

I think Hackney is considered to be a very cool area, with vintage shops.

I hate to admit it, but I ended up going to Walthamstow two consecutive days, because somehow I failed to note the Morris house was shut one day per week (I think it is Monday, but double-check). One time I walked from the station and one time I took the bus. It's no big deal either way.

think Hackney is considered to be a very cool area, with vintage shops>>>

Not in this universe it ain't. It's bloody horrible.

WT- do you recall which part of Hackney your daughter was in?

What I am planning to do is:
Train to Clapton rail station
Bus from Clapton to Hackney Baths
2 min walk from bus stop to Sutton House
Walk from Sutton House to Hackney Central station (~0.5mile)
Overground rail from Hackney Central back into London

All this will take place between 2-4pm on a Sunday.

You'll be fine. But it is probably London's dodgiest area. However you are not in the demographic to get shot.

<i>However you are not in the demographic to get shot.</i>

That's good to know.
Are you implying that most violence there are gang-related and the victims know the killers?

Question for Chum
Am just watching the first episode of Silent Witness series 12. It is entitled &quot;Safe&quot; and is about gangs in London. I was wondering, if you have seen it whether you thought it was realistic. A pretty grim representation on part of London.

I asked my daughter why she liked Hackney. Her response is that it's &quot;not really a great neighborhood&quot; (meaning I assume that it probably has some seedy elements hanging around), but there are lots of interesting art galleries she liked visiting, and there are also vintage shops. I can't be more specific about what area of Hackney she was visiting exactly.

WillTravel: &quot;<i>I asked my daughter why she liked Hackney. Her response is that it's &quot;not really a great neighborhood&quot;</i>&quot; Maybe your daughter put it that way because she knew the reality would have scared you silly

It really is a nasty NASTY area. There are hip/cool galleries in lots less treacherous neighborhoods.

No, I don't think she's hiding anything from me. It's just that her opinion differs from yours. She thought of two neighborhoods she definitely considers to be worse than Hackney:
The Downtown East Side in Vancouver, and Barbes-Rochouart in Paris.

I have several friends in Hackney, and it has changed for the better in the last couple of years. There have always been some rather smart areas, eg around Victoria Park &quot;Village&quot;, where I get meat from the Ginger Pig butcher's shop and sometimes stop for tea in the lakeside Caf&eacute;. LMNT (Queensbridge Road) serves great VFM meals. There's a couple of good caf&eacute;s near Hackney Central and some authentic Turkish restaurants. I occasionally go to the Hackney Empire (a beautiful Victorian theatre) for the opera, and it does excellent pantomimes. A French friend couldn't believe her luck when a French bakery opened up at the end of her road. Columbia Road Flower Market also has lots of interesting shops, caf&eacute;s and galleries around it.

&gt;&gt;The Downtown East Side in Vancouver, and Barbes-Rochouart in Paris.&lt;&lt;

I've been to both of those and not had problems.

Are you implying that most violence there are gang-related and the victims know the killers? &gt;&gt;&gt;

Yes. Clapton Road in Hackney is called &quot;Murder Mile&quot;, not for no reason.

Really it is as bad as London gets (and pisses all over Barbes for danger). The people talking it up are doing you no favours. It's as dodgy as it comes.

As it happens, for your trip you'll be fine - but don't go wandering off the main streets.


http://property.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle1128614.ece

It sounds like the area around Clapton station is worse than Hackney Central station.

I guess I can see if there's alternative route I can take and avoid Clapton station. OTOH, since all I'm doing is get off the train at Clapton and change for a bus, that's probably okay as long as I don't go wandering.

I'm thinking of doing almost the exact same thing with my sister on a Sunday afternoon (next Sunday afternoon, in fact). I don't see any real problem with it, as long as one is aware of the area- we're taking the bus (not walking) down Clapton Road and in broad daylight at that.

Here's a good post on Trip Advisor about taking the bus to Sutton House, etc. (in case you haven't seen it):

http://tinyurl.com/3hqfcg

I'll report back and let you know how it went when I get back.