32 surprising things to do in London (one for every borough)

The UK capital, as we all know, is awash with major tourist attractions - such as the London Eye, the Tower of London, and even other places which don't contain the word "London", like Madame Tussauds.

But what of the city's less feted attractions? Here, in one pithy list, we offer an intriguing landmark, museum or enticement to travel in each of the 32 boroughs (plus the City of London, which isn't technically a borough, but is very much part of the urban jigsaw).

You'll wonder how you ever lived without the Shirley Windmill, and why on earth you waited so long to dip into Chislehurst Caves...

Barking and Dagenham: Barking Park Light Railway

This 30-hectare space engages in a spot of British whimsy via its miniature railway - a three-carriage steam-pulled delight that has been running (on and off) since the Fifties.

Barnet: RAF Museum

This joys of this excellent institution in Hendon need little explanation. Can you see Spitfires, Vickers Wellingtons and a Hawker Typhoon? Why yes, of course you can.

Bexley: Crossness Pumping Station

You can inspect the guts of London at this restored Victorian sewage works (built 1859 to 1865). The museum looks at grimy issues such as the "Great Stink of summer 1858".

Brent: Gladstone Park

Spreading to 86 acres, this recreational space has been open to Londoners since 1901. It hits a peak elevation of 65m, offering wonderful (and less known) views of the city.

Bromley: Chislehurst Caves

Carved out by the hand of man - chalk miners specifically - between the 13th and 19th centuries, this warren of intersecting tunnels flows for 22 spooky subterranean miles.

Camden: Freud Museum

The former home of the psychoanalyst occupies a leafy location in Hampstead. As well as analysing the great man's life and work, it has his collection of Egyptian antiquities.

City of London: Postman's Park

A pocket of calm in London's financial hub, the park sits on the site of the demolished medieval church St Botolph without Aldersgate. A wall of moving memorials are dedicated to Londoners who died trying to save others. It appeared in the 2004 film Closer.

Croydon: Shirley Windmill

What could be more relaxing than the sight of a slowly turning windmill. Hang on. A windmill? In London? Yes - the lovely curiositythat is Shirley Windmill dates back to 1854 (replacing an earlier structure which had been destroyed by fire). And with four sails, it is still in working order.

Tranquility can also be found on Farthing Downs, which sounds more like something from a Hardy novel than an open space within the M25. There are wildflowers and rare herbs to be found growing there, Iron Age remains, as well as grazing sheep and cattle.

Ealing: The Dolls House Museum

This one-room museum is packed to the rafters with more than 300 dolls and miniature curiosities. Entry costs a quid and it's open on Saturdays. 

Or else trace the meandering journey of one of London’s other rivers, the Brent. It rises in Barnet but heads in a south-west direction, wending its way through Ealing’s Pitshanger Park. Go to spot water voles and kingfishers. 

Enfield: Lee Valley Regional Park

Contrary to perception, Greater London's biggest park is this wonderful linear green space, which runs north along the banks of the River Lea. Great for hiking and cycling.

Greenwich: Greenwich Foot Tunnel

Ways of crossing the Thames do not come much more atmospheric than this 370-metre Victorian walkway (work began in 1899). It runs under the river at depth of 15 metres.

Hackney: Hackney City Farm

This borough has a surprising number of green spaces, but for a real escape from the urban sprawl head to little Hackney City Farm, on the southern end of Haggerston Park. Meet chickens, sheep, pigs, rabbits and a donkey, stop for coffee and take home some eggs. 

Another hidden gem in Hackney is Sutton House. "Now nestling among sprawling council estates, it was built in 1535 by Sir Ralph Sadleir, a protegé of Thomas Cromwell, and modified in the Jacobean era by a wealthy wool merchant," explains Dr Matthew Green, writing for Telegraph Travel. "As its original name Bryk Place suggests, it’s a brick mansion laid out in an E-shape over three storeys. Formerly a squat, it was saved from ruin by the National Trust, who did a superb job of restoring it to its original splendour. You can visit today and see its migraine-inducing Jacobean panelling richly decorated in emerald green, corn yellow, blood red and gold."

Hammersmith and Fulham: The Dove 

Prepare for a squeeze. The Dove own London's smallest bar, at just 4 feet 2 inches by 7 feet 10 inches (1.27 m by 2.39 m). There's a beer garden to enjoy views of the river. 

Haringey: Parkland Walk

The track was pulled up in 1972, but this 2.5-mile former rail routefrom Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace still evokes the toot of trains. It is protected as a nature reserve and attracts a steady stream of walkers and joggers. 

Harrow: Bentley Priory

This stately home was the headquarters of RAF Fighter Command and a museum remembers the Battle of Britain. A nature reserve and deer park offers somewhere for reflection. 

Havering: Rainham Hall

Built in 1729 for the seafaring merchant John Harle, this 18th century property is an outstanding example of Georgian architecture - and also boasts a lovely apple orchard.

Hillingdon: London Motor Museum

Go north-west for encounters with more than 160 classic cars. Some of them are film stars - such as one of the Batmobiles from the first big-screen Batman movie (of 1989).

Hounslow: London Museum of Water and Steam

More Victoriana at the former Kew Bridge Pumping Station. Exhibits include the Grand Junction 90 Inch steam engine - which pumped London water for 98 years.

Islington: Large Glass

The Caledonian Road has traditionally been the scruffier end of the Islington package - but this chic gallery, which revels in contemporary artworks, is helping to change that.

Kensington and Chelsea: Leighton House Museum

The former home of Victorian painter Frederic, Lord Leighton contains 81 works by the man himself - while its Arabic architectural stylings are a visual feast for cameras.

Kingston upon Thames: Spy Mission Treasure Trail

How to occupy boundlessly energetic children in this pretty corner of the city? Perhaps via this downloadable trail through the town's history. It should take about two hours. 

Lambeth: David Bowie Memorial

Found at the east end of Tunstall Road in Brixton (just opposite the Tube station), this bright mural has become a site of tribute to the Lambeth-born superstar since his death. 

Lewisham: Horniman Museum

You want quirky? The Horniman Museum is a London idiosyncrasy which has been in operation since 1901. It is chiefly known for its big collection of taxidermied animals.

Merton: Caesar's Camp

The south side of Wimbledon Common contains a couple of hidden secrets, including Cannizaro Park, with its ornamental Italian gardens and sculptures, and Caesar's Camp, the remains of an Iron Age hill fort. 

Newham: Lee Valley VeloPark

Fancy trying your hand at track cycling – in the very arena where GB snagged eight golds in 2012? It's possible. Taster sessions cost £40. 

Redbridge: Hainault Forest Country Park

You can't get much further from London while remaining within the boundaries of the capital. Hainault Forest Country Park, on the edge of some bucolic Essex countryside, features woodland, a boating lake and a farm. 

Richmond upon Thames: Ham House

Set on the river Thames near Richmond, this is a courtiers’ house par excellence, first built in the reign of James I and still being altered 150 years later. Admire the tall, severe façade, cantilevered staircase, sawn-out ceiling of the Great Hall and very fine picture gallery.

Southwark: The Old Operating Theatre Museum

This ghostly Victorian relic is part of London's original St Thomas's Hospital. Tucked into the garret of St Thomas's Church, its existence was forgotten for almost a century.

Sutton: Craggy Island 

This has nothing to do with Father Ted. Rather, it's an indoor climbing centre in one of London's southernmost boroughs. 

Another great option (in summer, of course) is Mayfield Lavender Farm, where you can wander among the purple blooms and - we’d wager - pick up a scented pillow. Crop your photographs carefully, add a filter, and pretend you’re in Provence.

Tower Hamlets: Trinity Buoy Wharf

This former workshop used to build buoys and other maritime accoutrements. Now it is alive with art studios, little cafes, and in-the-know locals supping weekend coffees.

There are plenty of other surprising options. Victoria Park has a Boating Lake, a Chinese Pagoda, an Old English Garden and a Victorian bandstand, for heaven’s sake. You’ll forget you’re in Hackney. Or walk the eerily quiet cobbled streets of Wapping, stopping for a pint at the historic Prospect of Whitby (a former haunt of Pepys and Dickens, and home to a replica gallows).

Waltham Forest: Walthamstow Village

Walthamstow Village offers an unexpected dash of tranquility. Strolling past almshouses, the timber-framed 15th-century “Ancient House”, and through the graveyard of St Mary’s, it is like being transported to the countryside. Look out for the section of neo-classical column outside the Vestry House Museum - it is all that remains of the magnificent General Post Office HQ that once stood in St Martin-le-Grand but was torn down in 1912. 

Or else head to Walthamstow Wetlands. Apparently a nature reserve of “international importance”, it’s home to lots of geese, ducks, and other wading creatures. 

Wandsworth: Putney Sculpture Trail

A simple but lovely proposition - nine representations of the human form by the British sculptor Alan Thornhill, dotted along the Thames. "Fall" shows two people embracing.

Westminster: York Watergate

Before the building of the Embankment in the 1860s, the Thames took a more northerly route through town. This "secret" marks the old line of the north river bank.