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13. Thames Mudlarking
The Thames has always been a site of trade and commerce; as such, its depths are littered with relics of a bygone era. The fact that it’s a tidal river means that twice a day, it offers up these fragments to its shores, allowing people to find little treasures when the tide goes out. Called mudlarking, it’s more or less the equivalent of beachcombing, but by a river. You’ll need to join a tour or apply for a permit; either way, it’s good fun and you’ll likely find bits of pottery, buttons, bullets, coins or, in my case, an entire set of teeth. The most common finds are little clay pipes, some of which date back to the 16th century.
14. Hampstead Heath
London’s not best known for it’s incredible weather but that doesn’t deter the hardy types who swim year round in the ponds at Hampstead Heath. There’s the mixed pond or a women’s only one to choose from here; the ladies’ one is well worth a dip if you fit the criteria, as it takes you right back in time to the 1920s when it was first established. The water is bracing, so wetsuits are tolerated although by no means encouraged; surrounded by greenery and nature, you’d never dream that you were in the midst of a seething metropolis. Float on your back and birdwatch – you may very well see a kingfisher.
