Katie Forge, Author at Secret London

Escapes Top news

The UK could soon be getting a direct ferry service to Norway for the first time in almost 20 years – and it would link this busy English city with the ‘Gateway to the Fjords’

You can often find me over on this little corner of the internet, waxing lyrical about the various vehicles that whizz us around our city. From tubes and trams to buses and bikes, my transport-related ram...

The DWP has confirmed the exact birth dates that qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment – and the state pensioner groups that are not eligible for the £300 payout

As the chilly season starts to rear its head, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed who will be eligible for the upcoming Winter Fuel Payment. The annual tax-free lump sum is given to o...

Escapes Top news

After over a decade of negotiations, airlines will officially no longer be able to charge passengers for hand luggage in Europe – here’s what you need to know about the new rules coming into effect next year

There are very few arts that I've mastered quite as finely as that of packing my hand-luggage; but the start of my holidays would admittedly be made a tad less stressful if I didn't have to scurry past th...

Food & drink Top news

London’s highest public garden is officially home to the world’s best-known rooftop bar

Now, I'm not entirely sure of the exact science behind it, but everybody knows that when you stick something up on a rooftop, it suddenly becomes a whole lot more appealing to us Londoners. And so I guess...

An incredibly rare ‘death bloom’ is due to take place at Kew Gardens soon in what is set to be a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience

Kew Gardens' first ever flowering Agave montana plant is mere moments away from bursting into bloom - and visitors are being encouraged to come and feast their eyes on what might be a 'once-in-a-lifetime'...

Escapes Top news

Ryanair has just unveiled its winter flight schedule – and a whole load of handy new routes from London have been introduced

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but winter has officially begun to clamber its way onto the horizon. The days are getting darker, the weather is getting wetter, and before we know it, drab and dreary...

Culture

You can watch world-class opera and ballet performances inside this iconic London landmark for just £5 – here’s how

With millions of people forking out for a ticket to London's legendary Royal Opera House each year, the beloved Covent Garden venue doesn't exactly fall into the 'hidden gem' category, does it? We all know...

This handy map of London reveals which tube journeys are actually faster on foot

Most Londoners will likely be fairly familiar with the (perhaps slightly irrational) feeling of outrage and betrayal that occurs upon reaching a tube station platform to be met with anything longer than a...

An abandoned airport near London is set to reopen by 2029 – and it could offer budget-friendly flights to various European destinations

When considering the capital city's international air travel offerings, it's usually Gatwick and Heathrow that instantly soar in to my mind. Well, until my bank balance promptly pulls me back down to eart...

The capital city is officially another step closer to getting a brand new London Overground line – here’s everything you need to know

The prospect of a nifty new London Overground line has been the talk of the town for the best part of two decades. But it seems as though the wheels have finally been set in motion as a rather sizeable ste...