London

Deep below the streets of London exist 40 or so 'ghost' tube stations - abandoned for various reasons over the years. Perhaps the most famous is Down Street, whose bricked up platform can just about be seen from Piccadilly line trains running from Hyde Park Corner to Green Park. The station building, decked out in red tiles, is still visible at street level. 

London also has hidden rivers such as the river Tyburn which originally started at Hampstead and met the Thames at Vauxhall. It now flows through a sewer but can still be seen running through the basement of Gray's Antique shop - www.graysantiques.com ].

Covent Garden hides a secret too. Excavations revealed the site of the lost Saxon town of Lundenwic - a merchant habitat that succeeded Roman Londinium until, in the 850s, it was ravished by the Vikings. Next time you're in Covent Garden look towards the Royal Opera House. It is here, excavations suggest, that the heart of Lundenwic beat, with crowds of people milling around what was a very organised town.

Everyone knows London's iconic Marble Arch. But is it really as solid as it looks? Inside are 3 secret observation rooms, used by the police until the 1950s, including one famous occasion in 1855 when Police emerged from the Arch to take rioters by surprise.

Piccadilly is famous for its neon night shows while Soho to the North is also a big user of electricity and requires its own sub-station. Every wondered what that mock Tudor garden house is doing in the centre of Soho Square? It houses Soho's very own sub-station.

Winston Churchill was recently voted by Brits as their favourite Britain. But the great man apparently didn't want a statue erected in his honour as birds would use it as a convenience. His largest monument in London is said to have electricity running through it to scare off the pigeons.

The oldest Catholic church in England resides in London. St. Etheldreda's was constructed in 1290 during the reign of Edward 1. Take the tube to Chancery Lane: www.stetheldreda.com ].

If you want to see a real spring filled Roman bath, famous as the place where Dicken's David Copperfield took a dip, then take the tube to Temple. Viewing is by appointment only - tel:0207-641-5264 email: romanbath@nationaltrust.org.uk - 5 Strand Lane WC2R 2NA.

White's club, founded in 1693 to sell hot chocolate, (quite a luxury at the time) is a true London gentleman's club. In 1811 a bow window was constructed and set into the middle of the club's façade, the front door being moved to the left. This became the window seat reserved for only the club's most distinguished patrons. Famous

members include Prince Charles and David Cameron. Take the tube to Green Park. 37-38 St. James Street.

London has many derelict sites too including the Marshall Street Baths - a Sicilian marble lined pool with bronze fountain last open to the public in 1997: www.derelictlondon.com