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Trip to London and Bristol

Trip outline:

  • Travel to London on Thursday August 22.

    • Train: 12:22 Brussel-Zuid - 13:57 London St. Pancras, EURO 129 in Standard Premier.

      Ticket on PDF in OneDrive and in app.

      • Option 1 to the station:

        • Bus 310 at 10:04, in the station at 10:14

          If that bus does not show up, there is the 630 at 10:22, in the station at 10:30 which is likely too late for the regular train option, but no other option so it is important to check if the bus is coming.

          Bus 2 seems to go only every 15 minutes and is therefore no option.

          An earlier option is the 630 at 09:52 which arrives at the station at 10:00, but that would mean leaving home around 09:37.

        • Train Leuven 10:34 track 2 to Oostende, in Brussels at 11:00

          Secondary option: Train Leuven 10:53 track 2 to Quiévrain, in Brussels at 11:22

          When early at the station: Train 10:21 on track 2 to Blankenberge, in Brussels at 10:49.

    • 5 nights in London

    • Hotel: Hub by Premier Inn Clerkenwell, standard room and added breakfast. GBP 470 including breakfast.

  • Travel from London to Bristol on Tuesday August 27

    • Train fom London Paddington at 12:30.

      Ticket in GWR app.

    • 6 nights in Bristol: Ibis Bristol Temple Meads. 463,50 GBP including breakfast, but some reduction by using reward points. New total 429,83 GBP.

  • Travel from Bristol to London on Monday September 2

    • Train from Bristol Temple Meads at 13:00, arrive ...

      Ticket in GWR app

    • 6 nights in London

    • LSE Rosebery hall, GBP 372.

  • Travel home from London on Sunday September 8

    • Train: 17:04 London St.-Pancras - 20:05 Brussel-Zuid, EURO 129 in Standard Premier

    • Connection to Leuven:

      • When very lucky: 2012 on track 14 to Hasselt, in Leuven at 20:40

      • When still lucky: 20:15 on track 8 to Leuven, in Leuven at 20:52

      • Worst case: 20:56 on track 14 to Welkenraset, in Leuven at 21:23 which wouldn't be too bad to catch a 310.

    • Busses from Leuven:

      • 20:57 bus 333 at stop at 21:07 and home around 21:20.

      • 21:36 bus 310 at stop at 21:44.

Apps used

Actual agenda

  • Day 1: Thursday August 22
    • To early to check in, so two beers at Mikkeller
    • Check-in
    • With the tube to Fetish Freak
    • Walk throubh Vauxhall, dinner in a Middle Eastern restaurant (Ilili Lebanese Grill & Meze)
    • With the bus to the Bermondsey beer mile: Bianca Road Brew Co and Cloudwater
    • Back to hotel with the bus
  • Day 2: Friday August 23
    • Walk along the Regents Canal from the end of the Angel tunnel to Kings Cross and Camden, from there to Hampstead Heath and back via the Highgate Tube Station
    • Lunch during the walk at King William IV in Hampstead
    • Punishment Block in The Lord Clyde
    • Partially reconstructed, partially recorded GPX (18km)
  • Day 3: Saturday August 24
    • Rainy weather. Shopping in Soho
    • Lunch at Poppies in Soho. A bit expensive for what it was, not nearly as good as some sources suggest.
    • Boyz and Sirs at MA1: The Bunker. Very good.
    • Dinner in Coqfighter Kings Cross. Pretty good value for money.
    • Collared @ The Underground Club
  • Day 4: Sunday August 25
    • Walk Columbia Road Flower Market and Brick Lane
    • Lunch and beers with Jörg at Pizza Union and Babel Beerhouse (area behind Kings Cross)
    • Walk to Soho. Dinner at Honest Burger Holborn, a beer at Rupert Street Bar, but all bars were very busy so returned to Exmouth Market and spent time at Mikkeler until they closed at 10pm.
  • Day 5: Monday August 26
    • Walk from Abbey Woods over Severndroog castle but continued to Woolwich rather than Charlton. Very nice walk, many sections in common with the Green Chain walk
    • Returned to the hotel as I forgot my banc card
    • Late lunch at Pilgrims. 8 cheese pizza and Camden Hell.
    • Evening in Soho. Very good burger and beer at BrewDog Soho next yo the Kings Arms, karaoke in Admiral Duncan. Back with the bus.
    • Recorded GPX of the walk (20.5km)
  • Day 6: Tuesday August 27: Transfer to Bristol
  • Day 7: Wednesday August 28: Bath
    • Bus X39 to Bath
    • Bath skyline walk
    • Strolling through the center. Bought a leather belt
    • Beet at The Grapes
    • Walk (climb) to Beckford's Tower.
    • Dinner in The Huntsman in Bath. Not what it used to be long ago, the food was rather industrial. The pie was probably industrially made, and I doubt the Tiramisu was house made.
    • Straight back with the bus to Left Handed Giant. Very good beer.
    • Recorded GPX of most of the walk through Bath
  • Day 8: Thursday August 29: Near Bath
    • Walk from Salford to Bath.
      • Nice chat on Kelston Round Hill
      • Phantastic views
      • Late lunch/early dinner at the Hare and Hounds, on a terrace with a nice view over the valley.
    • A beer at The Grapes in Bath
    • Bus to Bristol
    • Left Handed Giant brewpub
    • Recorded GPX of the walk
  • Day 9: Friday August 30: Leigh Woods etc.
    • Via the harbour to the walk through Leigh Woods etc.
      • Some paths were hard to find of closed
      • And so was the last stretch
    • Burger and drinks at Bristol Beer Factory
    • More drinks at On Point Brew Co. Cute server
    • Some sleep
    • Evening atmosphere in Bristol
      • OMG bar. Good music
      • Left Handed Giant
    • Recorded GPX of the Leigh Woods walk. All in all, it was probably close to 27km...
  • Day 10: Saturday August 31: Bristol visit
    • Walk through Bristol
    • Late lunch: cheese platter at BrewDog Baldwin Street
    • Continuing walk
    • Break at the hotel
    • Visit to BBB - Bristol Bear Bar
    • Walk through the party area.
    • End at Left Handed Giant brewpub
  • Day 11: Sunday September 1: unstable weather, thunderstorms possible
    • Walk to Clifton: cathedral, All Saints.
      • Disappointment: The Downs as I got stuck in the Forward festival
    • From there to New Bristol brewpub. Excellent sours, ate fried chicken also from another company offering the food
    • Shopping Areas, but fled to the hotel for a thunderstorm
    • Tried Sunday Carvery at the Hatchet (serve until 7pm but I was there only at 6:15pm) and they had run out of it already.
    • Some night photography
    • Conclude in Left Handed Giant brewpub.
    • Recorded GPX of the walk until the thunderstorm. The walk may have been close to 18km.
  • Day 12: Monday September 2: Transfer to London
    • Walk in shopping area Bristol, Saint Nicholas Market, harbour
    • Train to London
    • Visit to the Highland Store
    • Beer in Craft beer bar on Leather Lane
    • Beer at Mikkeller
    • Food with Kevin at The Wilmington in Clerkenwell
    • By bus to the Old Comptons.
  • Day 13: Tuesday September 3: Brent valley
    • Walk Brent River valley
    • Beer at Beerkat near Ealing Broadway station
    • Shower at Rosebery Hall
    • Dinner at The Eagle behind MA1: The Bunker
    • ClubCP night: Better than in 2023, had some action both ways
    • Beer at Mikkeller
    • Recorded GPX of the walk (22.5km)
  • Day 14: Wednesday September 4: Epping Forest
    • Walk Turkey Street Station to Theydon Bois.
    • Bagel in Theydon Bois, drinks in The Bull in Theydon Bois
    • Central line to Chancery Lane
    • Drinks in Ye Olde Mitre just before it became busy
    • Dinner: Vietnamese with Kevin in Ngon Ngon
    • King's Arms
    • Recorded GPX of the walk (19km)
  • Day 15: Thursday September 5: Rainy day
    • With the Overground to Crystal Palace station
    • Crystal Palace park
    • Walk to Nuneaton
    • Bus to Bermondsey
    • The Kernel anc Cloudwater. Poor 4G in The Kernel and password-protected WiFi
    • To Rosebery Hall to shower
    • Dinner in The Wilmington
    • Drinks at Craft Beer bar Leather Lane
    • Partially recorded, partially reconstructed GPX (15km)
  • Day 16: Friday September 6: Another grey day
    • Walk Finsbury Park to Alexandra
    • Snack in a small café near Turnpike Tube Station
    • Spanking near Turnpike Tube Station
    • Walk through central London along the Thames
    • Burger dinner in Black Bear Burger. Too expensive for what it is.
    • Punishment Block at the Lord Clyde. Went and came back by train from Deptford which may have been a good decision as there were some problems on the Overground.
    • Recorded GPX of the walk (11km)
  • Day 17: Saturday September 7:
    • Bus to Chinatown
    • Walk through London from Chinatown to Battersea Park and back to Victoria.
    • Tube to King's Cross, walk to Rosebery
    • Change clothes at Rosebery Hall. To early to shower though.
    • Beer and chicken at Mikkeler
    • Boyz and Sirs at MA1: The Bunker
    • To Bermondsey:
      • Light dinner at The Gregorian, a pub near Bermondsey station
      • Beers with Kevin at Enid Street Tavern and Bianca Road Brew. Damaged my leather shirt at the table...
  • Day 18: Sunday September 8: Back home
    • Walk through London
    • Sunday roast at The Wilmington
    • Unfortunately Mikkeller was closed to have a last drink at the ssmd place as the first, so went to Clerkenwell Tavern instead.
    • To Saint Pancras. Quick check-in but a mess in the waiting room.

Some afterthoughts

  • Did not use my leather shorts from Tysk as it was not very warm. Leather shirt used a lot though.
  • I didn't know that there is a lounge at Paddington for GWR first class customers...
  • Friday and Saturday is busy everywhere and finding a restaurant is not always easy. Sunday noon can be busy also.
  • Boyz and Sirs is a lot busier in September, and the same holds to some extent for The Lord Clyde also
  • GSM signal inside Saint Pancras station is very poor. WiFi was hard to find (EE)
  • Travel to London: the premium standard car was very empty...
  • Delays on the Eurostar when I traveled back to Brussels.
  • Korte leder broek niet gebruikt. Leder hemd heel vaak aangedaan.
  • GWR eerste klasse had een lounge in Paddington. First class was not busy at all.
  • Vrijdag en zaterdag is het overal erg druk en is een restaurant vinden niet altijd eenvoudig. Ook de zondagmiddag is druk op een aantal plaatsen.
  • Saint Pancras heeft geen goede GSM ontvangst in de wachtruimtes en ook geen wifi...
  • Boyz and Sirs was veel drukker in September. Hetzelfde gold ook wel een beetje voor The Lord Clyde.

Possible night agenda