On this particular jaunt, I was joined by Peter – a companion who was recommended to me via Doingsomething.co.uk – a site for sociable Londoners looking to break the ice with an urban adventure  – and we met on York Road before setting off on the 75 minute trip.

As we passed notable landmarks such as Cleopatra’s needle (which is rumoured to be cursed), Waterloo Bridge (aka the Lady’s Bridge as it was built by an all-female workforce), our tour guide Luke shared plenty of quirky facts – and it was quite interesting finding out how the Sweeney Todd stories came about while driving past Fleet Street, discovering you can get a certificate if you climb up and down all 311 steps of the Monument building and learning that when Charlie Chaplin was 12, he checked his mum  into an insane asylum, now the site of the Imperial War Museum.

The fun part, of course, when driving in a vehicle that hailed back to World War 2 and could swim (like a duck!) as good as it drives  – and as we descended into the Thames off the Embankment, it was incredible to see how close we were to the river, while getting another incredible view of the capita, and passing sights like the M16 building (pictured below).

Peter and I agreed it was great fun all around and almost ended too soon – always a sign of a great experience.  So for more info, visit www.londonducktours.co.uk 

This experience was courtesy of Doingsomething.co.uk –  The new site that’s taking the awkward out of online dating

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For those not already in the know, Hidden City is a text-message-based game that allows players to explore the quirkier parts of their local surroundings. Each hunt has a number of clues, which send you on a trail through various locations as you text in the right answers. You can take part with friends or group off into multiple teams, depending on how competitive you all are. There’s also the added joy of being timed throughout, which somehow immediately propels you into a sense of urgency.

At first, the texts fly back and forth between our mysterious phone friend and ourselves. Soon, the gap between texts is more extensive, as we huff and puff our way over Waterloo Bridge, make a few incorrect detours up some stairs and through some gardens, before ending up near Nelson’s Column. A sidestep into St Martins-in-the-Fields results in an unexpected string quartet concert, which provides a lovely musical accompaniment to the rising stress levels of not being able to solve the next damn clue…

If you get stuck you can ask for help, but be warned: each ‘hint’ adds 20 minutes to your overall time. However, after traipsing through three floors of an art gallery and still not finding our requisite answer, we were happy to begin ruining our score.

Our result? Officially, we scored 2 hours 26 minutes, but due to excessive use of the ‘hint’ service, this became a demoralising 4 hours 26 minutes. Ouch.

Hunts range from cryptic clues in Covent Garden to spotting street art in Shoreditch, and there’s even a West End warm-up to a group night out. The ‘hunt’ can last anywhere from 2-4 hours and costs £16 per team. Local London knowledge isn’t necessary, but taking an A-Z is a good idea. See www.inthehiddencity.com for more info. (Words: Flora Baker) 

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Ever secretly fancied taking a peek inside a stranger’s home? Well now is your chance. Open House London, the free annual architecture festival that lets you explore inside some of the capital’s most unusual and extravagant properties, is back.

Some of 2011’s quirkier examples are an ‘upside down house’ in Portobello and an eco-friendly hanging bathroom in Balham. But we’re not just talking luxury pads here. More than 700 buildings, of all varieties, will be open to visitors over the weekend of September 17-18, including the BT Tower, the Royal Albert Hall and Beefeater House, London’s last remaining premium-brand gin distillery. Plus at many of the sites, architects and engineers will be on hand to give you the expert lowdown on the design process.

And with a lively programme of talks, walks, boat and bike tours around this year’s theme of ‘the liveable city’, there’ll be plenty to satisfy curious minds – whether you’re a design devotee or just downright nosy. (Words: Rachel Segal Hamilton)

Open House London takes place on  September 17 and 18 at various venues around London. Some viewings must be booked in advance. For more info, visit openhouselondon.org

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