Long London Layover - help!

[dfernandez77]

I'm not actually traveling to London, I just have a long layover at Gatwick Airport (10:00am to 6:45pm 24-May-06). I am attempting to book a noon brewery tour at Fuller's or Youngs.

If I am confirmed on a tour - any London locals have a recommendation - what is the best way to get from London Gatwick Airport to:
Griffin Brewery, Chiswick Lane South, Chiswick, London W4 2QB
or
Young's, 68 High Street, Wandsworth, London SW18 4LB

If I can't get a reservation for a brewery tour, is there any other recommended activity for a few hours - like maybe a train to the London Eye?

Thanks,

[buddhu]

I'm not actually traveling to London, I just have a long layover at Gatwick Airport (10:00am to 6:45pm 24-May-06). I am attempting to book a noon brewery tour at Fuller's or Youngs.

If I am confirmed on a tour - any London locals have a recommendation - what is the best way to get from London Gatwick Airport to:
Griffin Brewery, Chiswick Lane South, Chiswick, London W4 2QB
or
Young's, 68 High Street, Wandsworth, London SW18 4LB

If I can't get a reservation for a brewery tour, is there any other recommended activity for a few hours - like maybe a train to the London Eye?

Thanks,

I recommend the Eye on a clear day. Great views of the city with many famous landmarks visible. Cost per "flight", as they call the ride, is about £13 GBP per adult and less for kids. Personally, I think it's worth it. The ride takes about half an hour.

[Redwolf]

I'm not actually traveling to London, I just have a long layover at Gatwick Airport (10:00am to 6:45pm 24-May-06). I am attempting to book a noon brewery tour at Fuller's or Youngs.

If I am confirmed on a tour - any London locals have a recommendation - what is the best way to get from London Gatwick Airport to:
Griffin Brewery, Chiswick Lane South, Chiswick, London W4 2QB
or
Young's, 68 High Street, Wandsworth, London SW18 4LB

If I can't get a reservation for a brewery tour, is there any other recommended activity for a few hours - like maybe a train to the London Eye?

Thanks,

I recommend the Eye on a clear day. Great views of the city with many famous landmarks visible. Cost per "flight", as they call the ride, is about £13 GBP per adult and less for kids. Personally, I think it's worth it. The ride takes about half an hour.

I really ended up enjoying the Eye...I got some of my best "postcard" photos from there!

There are also other interesting things in that general vicinity...including Westminster Abbey (just around the corner) and a "Duck" tour in a WWII amphibious vehicle that shows you a few of the major sites around that area (Westminster Abbey, 10 Downing Street, Lambeth Palace, etc.) and even takes you out onto the Thames!

What I don't know is how you might get there from Gatwick. It's very easy from Heathrow...you can get the Underground to Victoria Station. I'm sure there's a bus, though, or perhaps it would be worth a cab ride.

Redwolf

[mukade]

http://www.gatwickexpress.co.uk/

Mukade

[Innocent Bystander]

I've just spent an hour getting ten miles on the M40. I would be a little nervous about getting from Gatwick to London AND back between 10am and 6.45 pm.

Sorry. I'm sure it can be done. I'm just in a state of fume. I left Leicester at half-past four and was doing great time until I hit the M40. The High Wycombe roundabout was queued to the point that I gave up after an hour and went for the next exti (six miles on). It was queueing too, but not so badly.

If you are going to the London Eye, yes, sure it only take half-an-hour to go round it, but it has queues too. If you book your ticket on the Internet, it will be a LOT quicker. But if you are not at the EYE at 10 am, you will be queuing. I guarantee it.

I've been up it. what they don't tell you is it has glass floors (of course!).
And I'm nervous of heights. It was wonderful, it was just deeply unpleasant as well.

If you have a bit of spare cash, it might be worth booking a taxi. It'll cost you about £20 one way(ie £40 there & back). And they will go through gaps a bus could not.

[feadogin]

I recommend a long nap (ok, I don't deal with jet lag too well).

J.

[dfernandez77]

I recommend a long nap (ok, I don't deal with jet lag too well).

J.

Haha! I'll have plenty time to sleep on the flight over the pond, and I arrive in Co. Kerry at 11:00pm so I'll be snoozing right after arrival.

Thanks for the tips everyone. I think I'll take the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station (30 minutes) and wander around for a while.

Do you think anyone speaks English over there?

[Whistling Willie]

http://www.gatwickexpress.co.uk/

Mukade

Have used this a few times getting from Gatwick into Victoria in central London,it really is a great service,theres a train about every 15 minutes and it only takes 30 mins for the journey and it's only £14.20 for a day return
If you are going to the eye take the tube from Victoria to Westminster which only takes about 4 or 5 minutes.

[Walden]

Hmm... had a pretty good layover in Memphis... a long one in Dallas... I just hate when I'm stuck somewhere I could drive home from quicker.

[Innocent Bystander]

My wife confirms that the Gatwick Express bus service is speedy and reliable. (I've only ever driven there)

And the snarl up at High Wycombe was due to a BMW overturned. So as we agreed at work, it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good.