Many years ago, I trained and worked as a dental nurse with King’s College London and as part of that I rotated around three hospitals -King’s (Denmark Hill), Guy’s (London Bridge), and St Thomas’s (Lambeth). Even though I spent the majority of my time at Guy’s Hospital during my two years training, I really didn’t ever properly explore London Bridge.
With this in mind, you can imagine my excitement at being recently tasked to visit London Bridge* and seek out its gems.
Armed with a budget, my husband and a baby (his first trip into London), we headed into the city to see what we could find.
Top Tip: If you’re travelling in London with a baby/children in a stroller, make sure you note which tube stations have lift access otherwise you’ll have to navigate the stairs.
The area surrounding London Bridge is chock full of some of London’s best landmarks and like any city, many visitors want to cram in as much sightseeing as they can into their stay.
During the latter months of my time working at Guy’s Hospital, the building next door was dismantled to make room for what later became The Shard, the tallest building in the UK.
Comprising of offices, restaurants, hotel rooms, and some of the best panoramic views of the city, The Shard towers above London Bridge and simply cannot not be seen to anyone visiting the area… so this is where we headed first.
Drinks with a View at Aqua Shard | The Shard
There is always a level of risk taking a baby into a luxury environment, not so much for the furnishings (even though that does need bearing in mind), but more so for the possible risk you pose to other drinkers and diners by interrupting their conversation with baby noises (and baby’s come pre-loaded with hundreds!). Fortunately Austin was on his best behavior.
Located on the 31st floor (but take the lift to the 32nd), Aqua Shard is a restaurant and bar serving contemporary British cuisine with stunning views. Although the staff didn’t seem phased at all about Austin, we still decided that making him sit quietly through lunch would be a challenge so we opted to have a drink at the atrium bar instead.
Top Tip: Try and get a table by the windows to make the most of the stunning views while you enjoy your drink(s).
A quick note: If you are travelling with a stroller, you’ll likely be directed to a different set of lifts that will take you into Aqua Shard via the kitchen. It’s not ideal but it’s okay.
Lunch by the Thames | Old Thameside Inn
After our drinks, our stomachs were rumbling so we went in search of somewhere for lunch with a more casual, laid-back vibe that we are more accustomed to.
A short walk along the Thames from London Bridge, we stumbled upon the Golden Hinde, the first English ship to circumnavigate the globe between 1577-1580, captained by Sir Francis Drake. We didn’t go aboard but just next to it is the Old Thameside Inn serving British food and drink but is most notable for being a specialty pie house. Perfick!
A quick note: There is no baby changing (that I saw advertised) in the Old Thameside Inn. But the ladies toilets were clean and I still managed to change Austin while we were there.
Sweet Treats at Borough Market
Conscious that we didn’t want to be on the tube during rush hour with Austin, before we made our way home we ventured into Borough Market quickly to hunt out some sweet treats.
Borough Market is one of London’s oldest food markets, full of freshly made delicious sweet and savory street food and drink from a variety of cultures and cuisines. Walking past the many stalls, we couldn’t resist purchasing some fudge from Whirld, and cake from Artisan Foods. You can view a full list of Borough Market traders here.
A Quick Note: Most of the traders have the option to pay by both cash and card.
Summary
Overall our afternoon exploring London Bridge was really enjoyable. I have been to London many times, living there also for a couple of years as I have explained briefly above and here.
However, this was my first trip with a baby and even though it was an anxious experience for me, we didn’t encounter any problems with where we took him. London Bridge offers a lot to its visitors, much of it can be achieved on foot for little cost, with some of the larger sights such as the Tower of London and Tower Bridge a stones throw away.
Where are your favourite places to visit in London?
Until next time x
*Post in collaboration with Hotels.com who kindly gifted me the money for my day trip. All views are honest and my own.
