Old Activities You May Not Realise You Can Do In London
With all the modern pastimes we have in London today, between VR experiences and all the marvellous things we can do on a smartphone, sometimes it can be refreshing to take a step back and try something older. While it may seem difficult to find this in the hi-tech sprawl of the capital, here are a few examples of some of London’s oldest activities still available in the city.
Fishing
Fishing is about as fundamental to life in our island nation as it gets, with a history going back thousands of years. Even today we have a love of fishing in the country, with TV shows like Mortimer and Whitehouse Gone Fishing claiming multiple BAFTA awards, and all the way over to casino games with the Fishin‘ Frenzy slot, a water-themed game complete with a main character wearing the same full waders as we used to see on the banks of the Thames.
While the London section of the Thames is probably best left alone now for various reasons, fishing is alive and well within London. In the central part, there are small lakes at Surrey Docks which have been popular for centuries, and further north are the reservoirs just east of Tottenham and Edmonton. Don’t forget to get a licence first, though!
Archery
There was a time in England’s past when archery, particularly using a longbow, was a requirement of every grown man in the country. Given that these bows were often taller than the men and took serious muscle to pull back, this was no easy feat, but as the country moved on and technology changed, this typical English activity was more and more forgotten.
The good news is, not only is it still practised today with a more updated version as seen in the Olympic Games, but even the more old-fashioned style is still available in London. There are a couple of archery centres in the heart of the city like 2020 Archery, and major ranges exist all around the outer boroughs. There are even Japanese-style archery schools for something a little different.
Weaving
Along with steel and ceramics, weaving was one of the cornerstones of the Industrial Revolution thanks to massive machines and constant innovations. Before that happened, weaving had been a manual job for millennia before that, going back at least as far as the Bronze Age and a common sight in English villages.
When the Industrial Revolution did come, however, it took away much of the need for manual weavers. While weaving as an art form has never entirely recovered since then, there are actually a number of weaving studios around London still offering courses and training. The most notable has to be the Handweavers Studio and Gallery, where you can learn everything up to making your own tapestry for that real mediaeval feel!
Remember that with some of these and even more obscure activities, they rely on people taking part to keep the tradition going. Look around your area and see if there is any part of this cultural preservation you can contribute to!
