This past week I have been fortunate enough to have spent some time in my nation’s Capital London. And what a wonderful week ! Our trip was all in aid of celebrating my baby sister’s upcoming 40th Birthday. We managed to pack quite a bit in. Here are a few photos of what we got up to in this beautiful city. 🙂

Far the best way to travel to London ( unless you have your own private plane 😉 ) is by train. You can often find relatively cheap First Class Tickets, so your journey is speedy and comfortable with plenty of food and drink included. We booked with Virgin £80 each return from Preston and had use of Virgin’s complimentary First Class Lounge at Euston. ;0).


is well worth visiting, if only for the Dinosaurs ! Like many of London’s museums it’s free and is so vast you could easily spend the whole day here. I especially liked the moving Deinonychus above. One of the best ways of getting around the city is via The London Underground and the nearest tube stops are Gloucester Road and South Kensington. Underground travel has gotten simpler with the use of contactless payment. Remember though , the money doesn’t go out of your account until a couple of days later.
Typically I hunted for Green Spaces in the city, and there are plenty. One day Wil, my brother and I bought a picnic from Harrods ( like you do) and sat down to eat it in Hyde Park. We then walked through Hyde Park, Green Park and St James’s Park , back to our hotel near Trafalgar Square. It was a nice way of seeing London and the various wildlife that makes the park its home. Look out for the Parakeets!
My sister wanted to see a show whilst we were away and which better to experience than The Lion King which plays at The Lyceum and has since 1999. Its an amazing piece of musical theatre and we loved it. Highly recommended.
Even in London it is possible to stumble upon almost secret places. Colourful Neals Yard in Covent Garden is an Instagrammers delight with its multi – coloured buildings. Its also a lovely spot for a coffee or a bite to eat. The perfect place to sit and watch the world go by.


If you are going to celebrate a special Birthday in the Capital then you might as well go the whole hog and book a luxurious Afternoon Tea in one of London’s high class hotels. 🙂 Claridges in Mayfair offers a delicious array of finger sandwiches, warm scones with Marco Polo jelly & Cornish clotted cream, a varied selection of teas and a tray of delectable cakes and desserts from £60 per person. The setting in the grand art-deco inspired foyer and the attentiveness of the friendly staff add to this sublime experience.

A must for everyone’s London trip is a river cruise down the Thames, taking in all the cities famed landmarks, old and new. We used City Cruises to plan a return jaunt to Greenwich which is definitely worth a visit.
Another way of enjoying stunning views of London is to go some place high. Very high ! Like The Shard The Sky Garden commands a spectacular vista of the city. Unlike The Shard, it is absolutely free ! You still need to book online and tickets are usually available from three weeks before you go. We enjoyed cocktails ,amazing views and an unusual garden setting from 155 metres above. 🙂
So there you have it, just a small selection of what we got up to in London town. It was a fabulously memorable holiday and a fun way to spend time with family too. Hopefully I will try and blog about some of our adventures in more detail soon.
Thanks for reading and a Very Happy Birthday to my sister Yvonne. 🙂
Happy birthday to your sister. Your London break looked wonderful. Thanks for sharing your lovely pictures 😊 x
It was lots of fun. Always great to get back up North though.x
It looks like a fabulous way to celebrate a 40th birthday. Happy birthday to Yvonne!
It really was the perfect Birthday trip. 🙂
Happy Birthday to your sister. Looks like a lovely break 🙂
Looks like you had a fab trip! I used to work just round the corner from Neal’s Yard – it really is such a pretty, unexpected space – a little pocket of colour ! Thanks for sharing your photos.
Oh lovely. It really is pretty there and so colourful. 🙂
I know! I was in awe when I found it – it felt like the Mediterranean – last time I went I sat in the sunshine outside the coffee shop and just thought ‘bliss’ !
Reblogged this on handmadehomemadeknitstitchdesign and commented:
A gorgeous selection of photos – London at it’s best !
Thanks so much for the reblogg. 🙂 x
What a lot you packed in! Will have to find you train bargain first class looks great! You take some great pictures Neil’s yard looks beautiful x
Thanks it was a proper packed trip but every penny spent was worth it. Great for a special treat! Neils yard is gorgeous.x
Looks like you squeezed a lot it and made it a special birthday celebration!
This looks like such a lovely trip, and I completely agree about the Natural History Museum – the dinosaurs are definitely the best!
Absolutely! X
Never a shortage of things to do, is there? I love Greenwich and Covent Garden, and one of these days I’ll make it to the Sky Garden. 🙂 🙂 Cheers!
I would love to explore more of Greenwich definitely!
What a lovely trip, on our list to do..
Amanda xx
I’m only just catching up on reading blog posts now. Looks like you had a terrific time in London. I took my mum to Claridge’s for her 60th birthday – what a special treat! Come back soon!x
It was wonderful at Claridges. Definitely a special treat! X