Except for a small handful, bus routes are a big gap in my London knowledge.

If I have the time, I do love jumping on one just to see the route it takes, not just in London come to that.

Is that strange? Oh well.

I hate the Tube and avoid it unless absolutely necessary. Buses are far better – and you do get to see stuff.

My old route is probably the premier route for sight seeing, and it now has the Borismaster on it, the 24.



Starts at the Royal Free next to Hampstead Heath, a nice little place full of cafe's goes through Camden, up to the West End via Tottenham Ct, Leicester Sq, Traf Sq, past Westminster, up to Victoria and ends in Pimlico next to the river right opposite Battersea power station.



If you're every going to 'just ride a route' definitely in the top 5

I know the one.

I've taken it from Victoria to Hampstead Heath (which is at its nicest in the month May, I think, because the leaves are at their greenest then).

A great place to wander see the view from Parliament Hill after a pint at The Flask (I assume it's still open) and, for the odder ones amongst us

, maybe seek out the sources of some of London's hidden rivers.

There is an app for that too to get everyone on here frothing at the mouth once more.

Fine for app users, who I imagine prefer the tube to buses.

When I take a bus, I like to look out of the windows and enjoy the journey as a journey.

I'm guessing that app users would prefer to tippy-tap their screens way through the journey rather than look out of the window.

Or am I stereotyping?

Nothing to do with the topic but last week I bought a book "David Gentlemens London", he is a sketch artist with an architects eye, lots of very interesting ink and watercolour sketches of the sort of thing that I imagine you are looking at when you are staring out of your bus window, not the obvious tourist attractions but the varying architecture of London and its suburbs.



[urlhttp://www.davidgentleman.com/[/url

Some of his pictures put me in mind of Paul Hogarth RA (now deceased, sadly).

Are you familiar with his paintings?

Strikes me you'd like them.

Thanks for all the advice....got zones 1-6 on underground tickets due to having family railcard and all for £5-90 and getting to euston was a doddle.

Just had a look at his web site, there's some nice stuff on there, its funny how the simple lines are the most attractive.

I know we're going OT, but have you seen any of my mentions of Collioure artist Barry Blend? I'm going to be interviewing him while we're out there later this month.

Reminds me of Beryl Cook's paintings but I bet his work would be really well suited to stained glass too.

Absolutely! I've described his work as a cross between pop art and stained glass. I'm rather thrilled tht he's so excited about doing an interview. Looking forward to it!

I was a user of both phone and map whilst in London for work. I started off with the map to get my general direction but then used the phone to get directions to and from my locations. The system is an easy one to understand but to someone not familiar with it then it can seem VERY daunting.



It just takes time to get used to like everything else, whichever method is easiest for each individual, dont hate them for using their devices!

Staying at Elstree on Wembley weekend.



Obv need to get to Wembley but also into central london for a touch of sight seeing on the sat am



Do we just get a daily travel card each (zones 1-6) and can that be used on all trains/tubes/buses.



2 adults, 2 x 12 year olds and 1 x 8 year old





cheers

Quote Hutchie="Hutchie"Staying at Elstree on Wembley weekend. Obv need to get to Wembley but also into central london for a touch of sight seeing on the sat am Do we just get a daily travel card each (zones 1-6) and can that be used on all trains/tubes/buses. 2 adults, 2 x 12 year olds and 1 x 8 year old cheers'" Yep, you just need to buy a travelcard, you can buy a one day card you don't need Oyster one the one day. Prices here www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx

Quote Hutchie="Hutchie"Staying at Elstree on Wembley weekend. Obv need to get to Wembley but also into central london for a touch of sight seeing on the sat am Do we just get a daily travel card each (zones 1-6) and can that be used on all trains/tubes/buses. 2 adults, 2 x 12 year olds and 1 x 8 year old cheers'" Yep, you just need to buy a travelcard, you can buy a one day card you don't need Oyster one the one day. Prices here www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx

Get a visitors travel card, look on the tfl website.



You've not left yourself enough time to get a travel card for the kids so you'll have to get a paper travel card for the kids, it does allow unlimited travel for the duration you get it for.



Children aged under 11 can travel free on buses and trams at any time. They can also travel free on Tube, DLR and London Overground services at any time as long as they are accompanied by an adult using a valid Visitor Oyster card or ticket. Children aged under 5 travel free on the Emirates Air Line when accompanied by a fare paying adult. Children aged 5 to 15 pay child rate fares on the Emirates Air Line.



A maximum of four children under 11 can travel free with an adult who has a valid Visitor Oyster card or ticket on Tube, DLR and London Overground services.



If you’re using a Visitor Oyster card, you must touch in and touch out as normal but ask a member of staff to let your group through the side gate.



5-10 year olds pay fares on most National Rail services. They can get a 5-10 Oyster photocard to pay as they go at child rate which is cheaper than paying cash



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Pay child fares on bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overeground, National Rail and the Emirates Air Line. Children aged 11 to 15 years can get an 11-15 Oyster photocard to travel free on buses and trams and at the child pay as you go rate on Tube, DLR, London Overground and National Rail services. If you have not allowed a minimum of 4 weeks to apply, buy a child rate paper Travelcard instead

Cheers, looked at the travelcard/oyster but it costs £10 ??



Young uns under 10 so travles free but how does that work out on Tubes getting through the turnstiles, prob just best to pay the extra 3.40 for her

If you have a pass, to get the kids through just show the pass to the station assistant, he'll open the gate for you and through you go, it's as easy as that.

f you're staying in one of the hotels just off the A1 then you're actually in Borehamwood, yet the hotels call the area Elstree because of the studios and snobbishness. Anyhow, catch a 107 or 292 from your hotel to Elstree & Borehamwood station (107 showing Edgeware, 292 showing Borehamwood) then southbound to Kings Cross St Pancras, you can get off there but me personally, i would get off at West Hampstead then get the Jubilee line. This way you can get Jubilee northbound to [Wembley Park or southbound to either [Baker St for say Madam Tusards, or [Bond St to go shopping on Oxford St or [Green Park to see Buckingham Palace, or [Charing Cross for Trafalgar Sq.

I do it with one finger.

..

Ibis, just round corner from the Sainsburys RDC

Yes you're in Borehamwood, it's nextdoor to the gym i go, so if you want an early morning swim you can walk over, Literally 30 seconds walk.

The station, if you want to walk is about 15 minutes away, turn right outside the front entrance, up to Borehamwood centre, through to the opposite end.

You have the usual fast food places, KFC, McD's, Nando's couple of independents. There's practically no nightlife there which i suppose is good if you have kids. There's a crazy golf place for the kids just next to the A1 for a bit of entertainment.