First time to London and was wondering about travel times on the Metro. We will want to travel between So. Kensington and British Museum, Lord's Cricket Grounds, Globe theatre. I have looked at maps but have no feel for how long it takes to get from place to place. Thanks for all your advice and tips. thereyet

Ah, the Underground. I've been spoiled for life. You can't get lost on it. Well, you can, but you can always find your way back.

I think someone else on this board said there are generally three minutes between each stop. Figure more time for a change of train....walking from platform to platform will take time.

London is a *huge* city, and it will take you longer to get everywhere than you planned. But the tube makes this city very navigable. I find I enjoy being on the tube as part of the experience.

It depends where you are going as some lines and areas are more spread out. The tube (not metro) map is fantastic for navigation but is not to scale or geographically realistic, so not helpful for working out distances.

If you go to www.tfl.gov.uk (transport for London) you can put in your destinations and it will work out your best routes and give you the timings.

Thanks for the link Nona1. My bad, the Metro must be in Paris or some such place. thereyet

Every tube station platform has a chart showing estimated travel times to each of the stations on that line.

Basically, the longest trip between any of the points you've mentioned is going to be about 20 minutes by tube. Bus is more unpredictable, for obvious reasons; I wouldn't dream of taking a bus between Lords and the Globe, for instance, but by tube it's no problem.

Lord's Cricket Grounds is near the St. Johns Woods tube stop on the Jubilee line. Also short walk to the Abbey Road Beatles crossing.

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Lord's Cricket Grounds
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visiting from australia???

Nope, not Aussie. Just a big sports loving family from Ca. Unfortunately no football going on in July, no rugby for that matter. Also, the Tour de France and the Royal Henley races will be gong on while we are there. Too bad I am not much of a tennis fan or Wimbeldon would have been fun. Does anyone have any info on these other events and am I missing anything else? Is there a good Football Museum to be seen? thereyet

Hate to sound eeyoreish, but I wouldn't cross the Atlantic (or even my street) for the Henley Regatta or the Tour de France.

Rowing - which is what Henley's all about - is in there with motor racing and American "football" as perfect remedies for insomnia. Watching an endless parade of teams that mean nothing to you row a few hundred yards is bad enough. Doing it from a congested river bank, drinking warm white wine to accompany Coronation Chicken in a stifling marquee, after you've queued for hours to get to the place, makes it an experience memorable only for its horror.

Having the Tour de France here is just a stunt to make politicians feel important. Apparently, you have to pay them for the "privilege" of having this circus in your town: but then London's mayor is never as happy as when he's sqaundering our money on useless gestures.

I've not seen it: my chums watched it in Brighton a decade or so ago and said the race was just another road race of practically no interest to anyone except bike fans (of whom there were about two and a half here at the last count).

But there's apparently a whole science to managing the event, which the French gendarmes understand and it wasn't worth training our blokes in just for a day. So they swore the Frog police in as special constables, and had them front lining all the crowd control in their kepis and the rest.

That was interesting to watch, apparently. And there's a huge promotional caravan ahead of the race for brands you only ever see on French supermarket shelves, so that looks interestingly weird.

Otherwise, it's just another foreign fad, blocking the streets while we all ignore it. Expect lots of self-congratulatory loudspeaker anouncements along the route and little else. Should look intriguing afterwards on telly.

West Ham United have a football museum out in - well, wherever West Ham is. The National Football Museum is in Preston, Lancashire, for reasons to do with the ancient history of 19th century football. They aren't good enough reasons to make the 200 mile journey.

flanneruk, I got your impression of some of the more essoteric sporting events. I bet you can't wait for the olympics. As a certified athletic trainer ( work with injured athletes) some of these things are of interest. But you are right a football game would be far more interesting. Will try to look up the West Ham museum or visit the empty stadium where Chelsea plays (one of my sons favoritye teams. thereyet

You could go and see some Rugby league

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugb...es/default.stm

As a former rowing chap myself, I have to agree with flanner about its limitations as a spectator sport, and Henley in particular: it used to be possible to find a place along the towpath without having to pay to get into someone or other's marquee, but I suspect that may be more difficult nowadays.

It might be more fun to go to a local regatta in a place with some other options. Henley has a Rowing Museum. But on 30 June, there is a regatta at Richmond (you can also walk along the towpaths, visit Richmond Park or Ham House, and if you get fed up get back into London quite quickly), and on 1 July at Egham, near Windsor, and 14 and 15 July at Kingston (less to see there, though). Or you could have a day at the seaside with a stroll along the pier, the obligatory purchase of sugar false teeth, and take a glance at the local regatta, on 14 July at Eastbourne or 15 July at Shoreham.

There aren't matches all the time at Lords - it's the home of Middlesex Cricket Club, and they maybe playing away out at one of their out grounds when you're here - the fixtures haven't been announced yet.

Lords is a sight in itself - the home of world cricket, it's a pleasant place with lots of greenery etc. There is a cricket museum - but that does require some basic grounding in the game to understand IMHO.

There's also professional cricket at the Oval (the cricket is of a higher standard - but the ground isn't a patch on Lords). You don't need to boook for either - just rock up. I would recommend the shorter versions of the game (one day and 20-20) to anyone not familiar with cricket as they're easier to follow with a lot more action.

Chelsea do stadium tours if you really must. Failing that Chelsea Village is the complex that has the stadium in it together with the Shed Bar which is a Chelsea fan's bar - decorated accordingly.

West Ham are just by Upton Park Station - and the museum isn't worth the trip unless you're a die-hard hammer.

Thanks for all the insider info everyone. I will skip the Henley and West Ham museum. Might consider the tour of Chelsea stadium if my son must, have to keep him happy, and will definatly go to a 20/20 match at lords between middlesex and essex July 6th @ 5:30. Anyone care to join? I'm guessing I won't have too hard a time finding someone to help explain the game. Might have to read up a bit as well. Any chance of going home with a ball? I collect that sort of thing. thereyet

Thanks for all the insider info everyone. I will skip the Henley and West Ham museum.>>>>>

Good idea.

Might consider the tour of Chelsea stadium if my son must, have to keep him happy,>>>>

Bear in mind it is just that - a tour of an empty stadium (and the club shop - so bring credit cards). If yopu just want a taster - just go for a beer in the Shed Bar (BTW Chelsea FC aren't in Chelsea - they're in Fulham Broadway)


and will definatly go to a 20/20 match at lords between middlesex and essex July 6th @ 5:30. Anyone care to join? I'm guessing I won't have too hard a time finding someone to help explain the game. Might have to read up a bit as well.>>>>>>>>

I might well be up for going to this. Repost a bit closer to the time please.

20/20 is the easiest form of the game to follow - both sides have 20 overs (an over is six balls bowled by the same bowler in one go) to score as many runs as possible - so there's lots of big-hitting. This form of cricket is fairly easy to fathom - whoever scores the most wins.

Any chance of going home with a ball? I collect that sort of thing. Thereyet>>>>>

There is a shop at Lords that sells real and souvenir balls, and other bits and bobs. From memory it's behind the Mound Stand. The only stuff you can't buy is the MCC branded stuff - you have to be a member.

There are only two balls used in a match - so you can't get a match ball.

Before anyone else mentions this, one of many cricket commentators' bloomers relates to the time a fierce delivery that was the last-but-one before some important interval caught one the players amidships, so to speak. As he staggered groggily to his feet and winced back into position, the commentator was heard to say "Doesn't seem too badly harmed then... One ball left!"

PatrickLondon, Sounds painful! And he didn't even get to "walk it off"? thereyet

audere est facere, will post closer to the time. Thanks for the quick discription. I can't wait. thereyet

The bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey.

Audere, say it isn't so! thereyet