Location: Sidcup
Top Things to do in Sidcup
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What to do and see in Sidcup, United Kingdom (UK): The Best Places and Tips
Sidcup is a district of south-east London, England, primarily in the London Borough of Bexley. Located 11.3 miles (18.2 km) south east of Charing Cross, it borders the London Boroughs of Bromley and Greenwich. It is in the historic county of Kent. The name is thought to be derived from Cetecopp meaning "seat shaped or flat topped hill"; it had its earliest recorded use in 1254.
Restaurants in Sidcup
1. Chislehurst Caves
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 902 reviews
Reviewed By Denise Mary A
This should have been a very interesting and illuminating tour. Unfortunately, the tour that we saw lacked in coherence and facts. Anything that might have been interesting or based in fact was glossed over in favour of stories that were almost certainly not true. If the tour guide knew anything about the caves, he did a good job of covering it up. The Delivery and structure was so scatalogical that I came out of the caves none the wiser about the history. A quick Google search would yield more information than this tour. I only give this attraction two stars because of the caves themselves. A massive missed opportunity.
2. Danson Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 242 reviews
Reviewed By bishopjonathanblake - London, United Kingdom
The lungs of the area, offering broad sweep views, cosy wooded walks, cultivated Gardens, breathtaking sunrises, mist laden lakes, fish filled streams, child friendly water play and equipment areas, the old stables now pub/restaurant, a mellow stoned manor house with tea rooms, a dog friendly refreshment area, tennis, bowls and the ever changing glories of the seasons in scent, bud, mulch, moist and blossom. A perfect delight.
3. Sen Thai Massage
Overall Ratings
5 based on 33 reviews
Authentic Thai Massage therapy. The therapists are Thai and have been trained to a high level in Thailand.
Reviewed By Millk330
Don't waste your time with fancy spa places or fitness centre bolt-ons. This is the place! Great variety of treatments (not lengthly but there are Thai, Swedish, Aromatic, Stone, combinations of the above and even a double masseuse option!) Fab service, friendly and attentive masseuse, Toi, who had very obvious experience and expertise. Thai might not be for everyone and it isn't 'comfortable' at all times but my goodness do you come out feeling like a loosey goosey!! Highly highly recommend.
4. Hall Place and Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 324 reviews
Introduction Sitting on the banks of the River Cray, Hall Place is a Grade I listed Tudor country house originally built in 1537 for Sir John Champneys (a prominent merchant and one time Lord Mayor of London) and with a 17th century courtyard built by later owner Sir Robert Austen (who purchased the house in 1649). The focal point of the lower floor of the original Tudor structure is the Great Hall with its polished wood panelling and minstrel's gallery above from which courtiers with lyres and flutes would have serenaded the revellers in the banqueting hall below. Leading off from the Great Hall is the Tudor kitchen where haunches of venison and other cuts of meat would have been meticulously prepared for the delectation of the guests. This room has been painstakingly restored first by Lady Limerick (the last private resident of the house until her death in 1943) who added the mock-Tudor fireplace and then by Bexley Heritage Trust (who now manage Hall Place) so that today it looks exactly as it would have done 500 years ago and as such provides a window into a bygone age. The lower floor also boasts a chapel and an activity room where children and adults alike can quite literally touch the past via a series of interactive games designed to recreate the life and times of Hall Place in its heyday. Nearby is also the famed Hall Place turret. One of the most recognisable features of the house with its chequered white stone and flint cladding on the outside, its inside hides a far more sinister secret for it is here that the ghost of the Black Prince and Grey Lady are said to linger. The first floor of the Tudor building also contains the Great Chamber which today houses a museum exhibition which uses objects spanning a period of 10,000 years to chart Bexley's history from prehistoric times right up to the Blitz. Highlights of the display include flint tools used by the area's first primitive inhabitants and a giant woolly mammoth's tooth which was unearthed in Erith. Also of interest is the Long Gallery on the first floor which is impressive both for its commanding views of the rose beds and Queen's Beasts topiary display and for its interior design which includes Tudor designs (such as the mock-Medieval fireplace) and more modern styles (such as the floral motifs on the plaster ceiling). The Tudor house has something for everyone and when this is combined with Austen's red brick extension with its courtyard and clock tower (built in 1653), it means the house is one of the premier tourist attractions in the area. Equally as impressive as the house, are the 65 hectares of sprawling, award-winning Gardens in which it sits. These contain greenhouses (where you can see banana trees, fish and terrapins, owls and butterflies), formal Gardens (containing rose beds, herbaceous borders and the Queen's Beasts topiary display), model Gardens (which will supply inspiration to budding horticulturalists) and finally picnic areas. A recent £2 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund has also enabled the construction of a new visitor centre which houses a display on Hall Place's history as well as the new Stables Gallery where pieces of art by local artists are displayed. This grant also facilitated the construction of the Riverside Cafe where you can enjoy hot and cold snacks and refreshing beverages whilst soaking up the views of the nearby river which is brimming with wildlife all year round from Canada geese to sparkling kingfishers. In all Hall Place and its Gardens are a prized piece of local heritage which are fun for all the family! Hall Place can also be hired for weddings, conferences and other private events. In addition, Hall Place and Gardens has an exciting events and Exhibitions programme featuring open air theatre displays, Christmas Concerts, farmers' markets, craft fairs, wildlife events and much, much more. For more details please log onto our website. There is full disabled access to the house and there are wheelchairs available for free hire although the use of these needs to be pre-booked. There is also disabled parking, disabled toilets, a disabled lift and touch tours can be arranged upon request. Visiting Us If you are visiting Hall Place by car we are situated just off of Bourne Road (postcode DA5 1PQ) which lies near to the A2 and is 10 minutes from Junction 2 of the M25 and 15 minutes from Junction 1 of the M20. Free parking for coaches and cars is available. To reach us by train the nearest station is Bexley Station which is just 15 minutes walk away. If you wish to take the bus the 229, 492, 132 and B12 buses all stop nearby. Hall Place is fully accessible by foot and by bike with several footpaths and bike lanes leading to the house. If you are coming by bike you are welcome to use the bike racks located in the car park. Opening Times and Admission Fees The house, visitor centre and cafe are open everyday (save for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day) from 10:00am until 5:00pm. The last admission is 30 minutes before closing. The admission fee for the house is £8 per adult, £6 per concession and £6 per under-16 year old. A family ticket for 2 adults and up to 3 children can also be bought for £24. Admission is free for Friends of Bexley Heritage Trust, Annual Pass Holders and National Art Pass holders. National Trust members enjoy half admission price with individual tickets although not with group bookings. Guided tours of the house can also be pre-booked for a minimum of 12 people with the price being £7.50 per person. The Gardens are free and are open everyday from 9:00am till dusk. The glasshouses are open everyday from 10:00am till 5:00pm respectively. The Stables Gallery, Visitor Centre and Riverside Cafe can be accessed free of charge from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Contacting Us If you have any queries relating to hiring Hall Place for a private function, upcoming Exhibitions or anything else please contact us by logging onto our website or via the telephone.
Reviewed By Jacqueline O
Tea room, beautiful display Gardens, serene walks. This place is peaceful, quiet but vibrant in colour and has such an interesting house. You can buy plants or just walk through the grounds, admiring the beautifully laid out display Gardens. It's quite a small place and it doesn't take long to walk through it. I like to walk my dogs in the big sports park next door to it which has multiple football pitches and a sizeable stream running through it which my dogs love to paddle in when the sun is shining.
5. The Door Hinge
Overall Ratings
5 based on 31 reviews
Reviewed By sparkle001 - kent
visited the door hinge a couple of months ago..my partner likes Micro pubs and so we do like to visit different ones. My problem was with the frosted windows...i felt it was to dark...we were only people in and therefore no atmosphere....would probably give it another try tho...
6. Swanley Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 133 reviews
Reviewed By robnkel01 - Maidstone
I was looking for somewhere to take my two children, 6 and 3 yrs, on a tight budget, and needing to pass a whole day! I looked at a few reviews for this place and decided to try it out! We packed towels and swimming costumes just in case we managed to get a space in the paddling pool and made the 30 minute drive. My expectations were quite low when I appeared to be driving into a housing estate but after I parked I was very pleasantly surprised!
Parking was £3 for the whole day - £2.50 if paying by card. The play area is large and has equipment for all ages and abilities. We arrived at just after 10am and the paddling pool had plenty of space - we made good use of this for an hour before going to get drinks and ice creams - £14 for 3 ice creams, 4 drinks AND a large tube of sunscreen. We then went for a walk around the lake, very pretty, quiet and pretty idyllic, with plenty of space for the kids to run, play, take games etc. We decided to see what the prices of the boatin lake were, I was very impressed with a family pedalo for £6 for a full half hour, I am not sure that this haf hour is even enforced unless it is very busy... a blissful half hour on the lake passed and the kids enjoyed watchin the terrapins divin in and out and meetin the ducks and eese as we floated about. Next we trotted down to the new barn railway and got on board the mini steam train, at £3.50 for all of us, I was again pleasantly surprised by how reasonable it was, we enjoyed a full round trip before the kids had a go on the bouncy castle, £1.50 per child but they were not asked to get off at all, I think the time is only monitored if it is busy, which it wasn't and so they got plenty of time, I had to prize them off with a bribe!
We then made use of the paddling pool again for an hour, the sand pit beyond the pool was large and looked good, it wasn't well used today but I feel that is because it was so hot, everyone wanted to be in the water! We made good use of everything that was on offer, and spent hardly anything! A brilliant day out for us all, and the kids went t bed early as they were so shattered! My only niggle about the whole place was the toilets, the portaloos had no tissue in any of them and were a bit smelly and unflushed. The actual toilets had supplies but were a bit grim, presumably due to everyone favourin these over the portable toilets and not treatin them very well. I would definitely recommend this place, in fact I have via social media, and will definitely return - MANY TIMES!.
7. Scadbury Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 66 reviews
Open dawn-dusk every day of the year. Please note, all gates locked at dusk.
Reviewed By elwick11 - London, United Kingdom
The main entrance to this 300 acre park is in Old Perry Street where you will find a small car park for about 20 cars. There you will find a map of the site and general information. There are no toilets or cafe but a short distance from the entrance is the Sydney Arms pub. There is one marked trail and numerous side ones. The main trail is marked by 20 posts and is about two and a half miles long, it is generally in good condition but can get a bit muddy in winter or wet weather. There are some steps so the full trail would not be suitable for wheelchairs. There are seats dotted about here and there, several ponds full of wildlife, a picnic area with benches and Seating where there is an interesting feature for the children called the Living Sundial. On the trail you will pass through woodland, meadows, fields with horses grazing (part of the site is a working farm and there are inhabited buildings so some areas have limited access)
About half way round the walk you will come across the remains of an old Manor House, which is worth viewing across the moat, there have been buildings on this site since the 13th century. A lot of the people you will meet are walking their dogs, some do not clear up after their animals, watch where you put your feet. There are some wonderful old trees dotted about, look out for the Oaks with trunks 6 feet across or more.
8. The Hackney Carriage Micropub
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 50 reviews
Reviewed By DemusPod - Sidcup, United Kingdom
Sidcup residents are very lucky to have this little gem of a pub. It’s great for pre-dinner drinks, post-dinner drinks or just spend the night in there and mingle with other customers. I went there last night with my wife. There were no spare tables available so another couple us to share their table. It was nice to meet them and chat with the lovely owners, Liz and Mark. My wife had a glass of raspberry fizz. I had the Spirit of Kent pale ale which the Hackney Carriage were donating all sales to the British Legion. The drinks, service and atmosphere is always enjoyable. We look forward to going again very soon.
9. Red House
Overall Ratings
4 based on 226 reviews
Reviewed By FelixStowe10 - Cuckfield, United Kingdom
First impressions count and they weren't very good. We telephoned ahead to get on a Sunday tour but nobody answered even after 11am. Transpired that there were no tours because it was a Santa weekend. Fine, but it wouldn't have hurt to mention this on the website or a voicemail message.
Anyway we went into the house to be greeted by nobody . First room was a pop up shop with a volunteer complaining about the cold. Fair enough, it was cold but not s great start. However a volunteer rescued us and suggested we visit the drawing room upstairs before Santa moved in. Good suggestion as this is the most interesting room with a wall painting representing Morris's marriage.
It would have been helpful if we had been directed downstairs to the room with information boards but we did the remaining 2 upstairs rooms before the dining room and other room downstairs.
The garden in late November didn't offer much of interest - no complaints here, and the second hand bookshop was ok. We disappeared at this stage to get lunch elsewhere as the cafe had only soup, sausage rolls and sandwiches.
It seemed up me there was a shortage of knoledgesble volunteers, perhaps because of the Santa event, which would have helped to explain more about Morris and what life was like in those 5 years they lived here. Perhaps the trust should think about reducing the admission price in winter because there isn't that much for the average visitor to see.
10. Woodlands Farm Trust
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 45 reviews
A free to enter working city farm in Greenwich, London.
Reviewed By LeanneR102 - Sidcup, United Kingdom
Visited with my young son and 3 other mums with children ranging from 3 months to 2 years.
We all had a lovely time and was pleasantly surprised. We saw sheep, ducks, pigs and cows. There's lots of space for the prams and even though it's a little bumpy in places nothing was inaccessible. There's a lovely picnic area around a pond that was full of wildlife. We spend 3 hours here just wandering and relaxing. Will defiantly go again
