Hurray - winter’s on the way out and spring will soon be here (officially, the clocks go forward an hour on Sunday 26th March), giving us all extra daylight and, hopefully, warmer temperatures.
London is wonderful all year round but when the daffodils start peeking up and the crocuses begin to bloom, you really start to see people smiling more. And what’s better than taking a trip before the Easter bank holiday, when the airports and roads really will be jammed.
Here at La Gaffe, we’re busy welcoming visitors from all over the world to our comfortable, family-fun and family-owned guest accommodation and looking forward, as much as everyone, to the longer days, when London light stretches late into the evening, making the West End, the Royal Parks, the River Thames and Hampstead Heath even more attractive to visit than ever.
In the meantime, if you’re looking for things to do in our amazing city this month, then here are some ideas from us to make your trip even more enjoyable…
1. Barnes Music Festival - 4th to 19th March
Barnes, in south London, is beautiful - it’s close to Richmond Park (where deer run wild), full of charming local pubs, close to the river Thames and full of quirky independent stores. This alone makes for an interesting day trip there, but this March there’s an additional event on - a music festival.
The Barnes Music Festival this year is putting on more than 25 events, including performances of classical, jazz and blues music. A big family-friendly highlight will be the ‘Come and Sing’ event, where everyone has the opportunity to join in singing Handel’s Messiah. They’re running an ‘under 12 free ticket’ scheme too, which gives you an added incentive to introduce the kids to live music.
2. “The Queen and her Corgis” - 8th March onwards
Who doesn’t remember the outpouring of grief at the death of Queen Elizabeth II… the tributes, the queues, and pomp and pageantry of her funeral, which culminated in her coffin being driven to Windsor, where two of her beloved corgis were brought out to see her hearse pass before them.
The Wallace Collection, in central London’s Manchester Square, is putting on a free exhibition entitled’ The Queen and her Corgis’ (as part of its ‘Portraits of Dogs - Gainsborough to Hockney) detailing the late Queen’s love of this fearless Welsh herding breed. It will feature a number of images of her with her beloved dogs, including a photo of her dogs who were brought out to say goodbye to her on the final leg of her final journey.
A must-see exhibition for anyone who loves dogs or the Royal Family!
3. “Crafterama” at Alexander Palace - 11th-12th March
Up on a hill in north London (not too far from La Gaffe in fact) is ‘Ally Pally’ - a beautiful Grade II listed building which sits on 196 acres of parkland. It’s also a famous venue for live music gigs, exhibitions and firework displays on Guy Fawkes Night and a wonderful place to enjoy views of the city.
And over the weekend of 11-12th March, it’s hosting ‘Crafterama’ where exhibitors from all across the UK will be showing off the tools of their trades. Whether it’s beading, stamps, paper crafts, needlework or decoupage, this is a great outing for anyone who’s looking for inspiration in their next DIY project!
4. “Where’s Wally?” Fun Run - 26th March
After three years, this spectacular event is back and taking place in South London on 26th March. A big hit, pre-pandemic, it’s your chance either to run or cheer on runners as they raise money for the National Literacy Trust, in the ‘Where’s Wally” fun run at Battersea Park.
Wally, for anyone who doesn’t know, is a cartoon character who’s dressed in a very distinctive red and white outfit, and everyone who runs will be dressed in similar colours. So whether you’re interested in the 5k, 10k or even a 1k run for kids, sign up and start practising so you’re in shape by the end of the month.
5. Pop Up Vintage Fair at Hampstead Town Hall - 12th March
There’s nothing like rummaging around for a while, in London’s charity shops, in the hope of finding the perfect outfit, at a decent price! And that’s what you can do this month in our neighbourhood - only at the Hampstead pop-up vintage fair.
Held at Hampstead Town Hall (a beautiful Grade II listed building), close to Belsize Park tube, the place will be packed on all three floors, full of vendors selling clothes, jewellery, hats, handbags and a lot more beside. Entry is a nominal amount and it’s the perfect chance to pick up a new outfit for the spring…
March is also the month of Mother’s Day, the Hindu festival of Holi, International Women’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day, all of which will be celebrated across London (with way too many events to list here).
And finally, if you’re looking for a hotel near Hampstead Heath, we’re happy to welcome you to beautiful Hampstead in the leafy north of the city, where our family-owned and family-run guest accommodation is going strong after quite a few decades.
If you need a hotel in Hampstead book direct for the best rates - either go to our website or give us a call on 020 7435-8965.