London PC and Council Meeting Travel Information (This Update 31 January 2011) p. 1 of 5

Travel information for EGU GA 2011 PC and Council Meeting King’s College London, 3rd to 5th February 2011

I. MAP I. Hotel, nearby tube stations, and King’s College London (Strand, WC2R 2LS) II. Strand Palace Hotel III. Brief overview of London Transport and Oystercards IV. From airports/Eurostar to tube stations in central London (A, B, C on Map 1): V. Dinner on Thursday Night, Stand Palace Hotel, Carvery (3rd February 2011) VI. Directions from the Strand Palace Hotel to King’s College London (see Map 1). VII. Directions to the Bleeding Heart Yards for Friday Night Dinner (time tbd) VIII. Useful Information and Nearby Shops

I. MAP I. Hotel, nearby tube stations, and King’s College London (Strand, WC2R 2LS)

A

King’s College London

C

B

Map 1. Area showing the Strand Palace Hotel (blue), nearby tube stations (brown letters, A, B, C) and King’s College London (blue). For Google Map you can click: http://tinyurl.com/LondonHotelKCLTubes.

II. Strand Palace Hotel (372 Strand, London, WC2R 0JJ, 020 7836 8080, http://www.strandpalacehotel.co.uk)

Strand Palace Hotel Entrance

London PC and Council Meeting Travel Information (This Update 31 January 2011) p. 2 of 5 III. Brief overview of London Transport and Oystercards The main way people get around London is by walking or using public transport (see http://www.tfl.gov.uk/): The underground system (the tube) Buses Overground trains

Its quicker to walk or take public transport than to drive. From airports and the Eurostar terminal we recommend you take public transport for time efficiency. Taxis from airports to central London are very expensive (>£60) and can be twice as long to get into town than public transport. Despite their names none of the London airports are nowhere near the centre of London (especially London Luton which is 70 miles away!). Most Londoners allow two hours to get to or from an airport, even if the journey time is less than an hour. There can be delays and rush hour issues, but often everything works out.

Oystercard The cheapest way of travelling on public transport in central London (this does not include Gatwick, Stansted, Luton airports) in London is using an Oystercard. Oystercards are plastic smartcards you can use instead of paper tickets. You can obtain an Oystercard in return for a £5 deposit at any underground (tube) station ticket office (including Heathrow T123, T4 & T5). You can put credit on Oyster at tube ticket offices and automated machines at tube stops. For comparison a £4 cash fare can cost £1.80 on Oyster pay as you go.

You can also obtain Oystercards: Gatwick Express: from the ticket office at Gatwick and the Gatwick Express desks in both Terminals Stansted Express Ticket Office at the Airport rail station Eurostar: on board trains travelling to London EasyJet flights to London Luton, Gatwick and Stansted

IV. From airports/Eurostar to tube stations in central London (A, B, C on Map 1): [Note that costs below may vary depending on the time you are travelling, we’ve given the most expensive costs].

From Heathrow Airport (£5.00 cash fare single [£4.50 on Oystercard], around 45 minutes airport to hotel.) Take the eastbound to tube station (train towards Arnos Grove/Cockfosters). Walk from A (Map 1) to Strand Palace Hotel.

From Gatwick Airport (between £6-£31 return, dependent on train service, ticket & time of day, trains every 15 minutes + £4 cash fare on tube [£1.90 on Oystercard]. Around 60 minutes in total, airport to hotel.) Take the Southern Trains or Gatwick Express Train service to Victoria mainline train station. Walk (2’) to the Victoria tube station which is in front of the mainline station. Take the Circle or District tube line to Embankment Tube Station (Circle line train, or towards Tower Hill/Upminster). Walk from B (Map 1) to Strand Palace Hotel.

From Stansted Airport (£21 single, £30 return, train every 15 minutes + £4 cash fare single on the tube [£1.90 on Oystercard]. Around 70 minutes in total, airport to hotel.) Take the Stansted Express Train to Liverpool Street Train Station. Walk (2’) to Liverpool Street Tube Station, take the westbound Central line to (towards Ealing Broadway/West Ruislip) and change on to the westbound Piccadilly line (towards Heathrow/Uxbridge), alighting at Covent Garden Tube Station. Walk from A (Map 1) to Strand Palace Hotel.

From Luton Airport (£12 – £22 return on train, dependent on ticket, train company & time of day, trains up to every 10 minutes + £4 cash fare single on the tube [£1.90 on Oystercard]. Around 50 minutes in total, airport to hotel) Take the shuttle bus from the Airport to Luton Airport Parkway Train Station. When getting a ticket, be aware that some train tickets are for First Capital Connect trains only (such as those sold by EasyJet), these have “FCC only” printed on them. Heading south on a First Capital Connect train (towards Brighton, Sevenoaks) or East Midlands Trains (towards London St Pancras), alight at London St Pancras Station and follow the signs to the King’s Cross/St Pancras Tube station. Take the westbound Piccadilly line to Covent Garden Tube Station (towards Heathrow/Uxbridge). Walk from A (Map 1) to Strand Palace Hotel.

London PC and Council Meeting Travel Information (This Update 31 January 2011) p. 3 of 5 From London City Airport (£4 cash fare single [£2.70 on Oystercard]. Around 45 minutes journey time airport to hotel.) Take the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) to Bank Station. Upon arriving at Bank follow the signs to the District/Circle underground (tube) lines. Take the westbound District line (towards Ealing Broadway/Wimbledon/Richmond) or Circle line towards Embankment to Embankment Tube Station. Walk from B (Map 1) to Strand Palace Hotel.

From Eurostar Terminal St Pancras International (£4 cash fare [£1.90 on Oystercard], around 20 minutes journey time from Train Station to Hotel) Take westbound Piccadilly line to Covent Garden tube Station. Walk from A (Map 1) to Strand Place Hotel.

V. Dinner on Thursday Night, Stand Palace Hotel, Carvery (3rd February 2011) Dinner Thursday night will be at the Strand Palace Hotel “Carvery Restaurant” at 19:30. They have been pre-warned some people will arrive later. The meal area will be signposted “European Geosciences Union”.

The menu is: Starter Cold Buffet: Assortment of dishes, cold buffet, includes selection of seafood, poached salmon, asparagus, homemade terrines and quiches, hors d'oeuvres, vegetable crudités and seasonal salads. Main Course: The Chef special of the day A selection of 2 roasts at buffet available, plus choice of vegetables, roast potatoes, new potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and red wine jus to be served with your meal. Vegetarian option: Vegetable and mushroom stroganoff (v) Dessert: Betty’s rhubarb, raspberry and sultana crumble, served with warm custard or vanilla bean ice cream. Some cheese platters.

VI. Directions from the Strand Palace Hotel to King’s College London (see Map 1). The meeting on Friday and Saturday will be held at King’s College London (KCL), Strand Campus, THE COUNCIL ROOM, on the second floor of the “King’s Building”. The entrance to KCL will be different on Friday and Saturday (but near each other) due to security on the weekend.

TEXT DIRECTIONS FROM HOTEL TO KCL (or just see Map 1). Upon exiting the hotel, turn left and walk along the Strand. Cross at the pedestrian crossing outside Starbucks and the Lyceum Tavern to the south side of the Strand. Then cross at the pedestrian crossing where meets the strand (from outside Maplins to outside Pret A Manger). Walk along this road towards the church in the middle of the road. After Somerset House (on your right) you will come to King’s College London (also on your right).

ENTRANCE ON FRIDAY: Go into the main entrance of King’s College with revolving doors, just before the purple flags on the side of the building begin. Either side of the glass entrance are window panels with information about famous people with King’s connection. Enter through the revolving doors. To get to the meeting room (King’s Building K2.29, the COUNCIL ROOM) walk straight down the corridor you see in front of you until there is a large opening on your right (when you are outside the Great Hall). Turn right into this opening and you will see two sets of stone stairs on your right and left. Take the set of stairs on your right. At the top of the stairs (outside the chapel) turn left, go through the doors and the Council Room is the second door on your left.

ENTRANCE ON SATURDAY: On Saturday you will need to enter through security. You turn right just after the big pictures of Wilkins and Franklin. This entrance is before you get to the KCL main entrance you entered on Friday, and is signposted. You will need to tick your name off a list which will be at the security check point. When you leave the security point, go straight for one minute, go through large wooden doors, take the stone stairs up, and you will be on the 2nd floor as yesterday.

About King’s College London: King's has nearly 23,000 students (of whom more than 8,600 are graduate students) from nearly 140 countries, and some 5,500 employees spread over five campuses in London. King's College London was founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington (then Prime Minister) in 1829 as a university college in the tradition of the Church of England. At the time a duel was fought (with no shots fired) between the Duke of Wellington and the Earl of Winchilsea over the founding of the college. King's professors played a major part in nineteenth-century science, and in extending higher education to women, working men and through evening classes. Famous King’s people (some of whom can be seen in the window panels at the front of college) include Charles Wheatstone, James Clerk Maxwell, Edward Appleton, Maurice Wilkins, Dorothy Franklin and Desmond Tutu. The college chapel (in between the meeting room and refreshments room) is a Grade I listed building designed by the eminent Victorian architect, George Gilbert Scott (who also designed St Pancras Station and the Albert Memorial in Hyde Park) in the mid 19th Century and was refurbished in 2001.

London PC and Council Meeting Travel Information (This Update 31 January 2011) p. 4 of 5

VII. Directions to the Bleeding Heart Yards for Friday Night Dinner (19:30) The meeting on Friday will end at 16:50. We will then have a tutored beer tasting at KCL from 16:50–18:20. Walk back to the hotel 18:20. Leave hotel at 19:00 by foot (except for those five people who have asked for a taxi). Dinner is planned for 19:30. Below are detailed instructions on how to get from the hotel to the restaurant on Friday night.

From the hotel (A, Map 2) turn left as you exit and walk towards King’s College. Keep walking past King’s on the Strand as it turns into Fleet Street. Cross over to the north side of the street using one of the zebra crossings. At the second set of pedestrian crossings take a left onto New Fetter Lane (after St Dunstans Church and the Protestant Truth Bookshop). At the end of New Fetter Lane take the second exit at Holborn Circus (the large junction) effectively going straight on but bearing left (Hatton Garden). After 150 m take first right off Hatton Garden onto Greville Street, the first right after 100 m off Greville Street is Bleeding Heart Yards (B, Map 2).

You have already chosen your food options for the Friday night dinner.

Map 2. Going from the Hotel to Friday Night Dinner at the Bleeding Heart Yard (Terrace Room).

London PC and Council Meeting Travel Information (This Update 31 January 2011) p. 5 of 5 VIII. Useful Information and Nearby Shops The Strand Palace Hotel and King’s are located in central London with 100s of shops selling everything under the sun, often open quite late, along with major centres of bars, nightclubs, theatres, etc., all within 10- 15’ walking distance (e.g., area, Covent Garden shops and piazza, , etc. etc.). A selection of useful places are below.

Supermarket: There is a Tesco Express on the south side of the Strand (125 Strand). This is a small supermarket open 0700-2300 each day and will also sell basic medications. From the hotel turn left at the entrance and cross at the pedestrian crossing outside Starbucks and the Lyceum Tavern, when you are opposite Tesco.

Cashpoint: Barclays (366 Strand) is on the same side of the Strand as next to the hotel, between the hotel and King’s. Walking from the hotel it’s on your left before the pedestrian crossing, you need turn left up Burleigh Street and the ATMs are in the wall on your left. If you need a particular institution’s ATM use http://www.visaeurope.com/en/cardholders/atm_locator.aspx to search, the hotel’s postcode is WC2R 0JJ. Thompson Foreign Exchange is located near to the hotel, turn right outside the hotel and it’s on the right before the Vaudeville Theatre.

Chemists: There is a Boots pharmacy on the South side of the Strand (105-109 Strand). From the hotel cross the Strand, it’s approximately opposite the hotel.

Coffee shops: There are lots of coffee shops around the hotel including all the major chains. Between the hotel and King’s there are Starbucks, Pret A Manger, Caffe Nero and a Greggs Bakery along with independent shops. Twinings have a tea shop in their shop and museum opposite the Royal Courts of Justice (see below).

Things to do around the Strand Palace Hotel (see also http://wikitravel.org/en/Covent_Garden) Covent Garden Piazza and Central Market, (tube: Covent Garden). Covent Garden is a covered shopping mall with shops predominantly selling clothing, but also gifts and cosmetics. In the central area of Covent Garden is The Apple Market, a small market of handicraft stalls (Tu-Su) Classical musicians will often busk in the lower level of Covent Garden Seven Dials, (tube: Covent Garden). An intersection of seven streets in the northern part of the Covent Garden district. Lots of of mid-range designer clothing and shoe stores St. Paul's Church, Bedford St WC2 (tube: Covent Garden. At the western end of the Piazza). Completed in 1633 to a design by Inigo Jones. London Transport Museum, Covent Garden Piazza (tube: Covent Garden),dedicated to the history of transport in London, past, present and future, old buses and tubes feature in a big way. (Admission: £13.50, ticket valid for a year). Somerset House and the Coulthard Gallery (Strand next to King’s) Art galleries showing a range of exhibitions. (Admission £6 to each). and National Portrait Gallery (Trafalgar Square) The National Galleries of the United Kingdom for Paintings and Portraiture. The main collections are free of charge to enter, with special exhibits having admission fees. Twinings Tea Shop/Museum (216 Strand, past King’s) Opposite the Royal Courts of Justice. It was at these premises in 1706 that the famous company of R Twining was founded. Originally a tea shop, it now houses a small museum showing the history of Twinings alongside the retail sales. It is the oldest shop in the City of , trading on the same site with the same family and the same product, tea and coffee.