Ilford
Introduction
Ilford is a large town in East London, part of the London Borough of Redbridge and within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It sits roughly nine miles northeast of Charing Cross, placing it firmly in the capital's eastern sprawl while keeping the centre within reach.
Before you go
Ilford sits in the borough of Redbridge, in the outer eastern reaches of London that were once part of Essex. Essex still sometimes appears in postal addresses for these areas, so don't be surprised to see it written that way.
This is a multicultural part of the capital, and the same can be said of neighbouring Waltham Forest, where Walthamstow has a multicultural atmosphere worth soaking up. If you are plotting your bearings, note that the Stratford in this part of London is not Stratford-upon-Avon.
Getting there
Ilford sits in East London and is served by the Central line (red) to Woodford or Hainault, with mainline trains from London Liverpool Street running to Chingford and Ilford. From London Fenchurch Street, trains run to Southend or Grays. Stratford station, on Station Street, is a major interchange with National Rail, London Overground and Elizabeth line services, and is also the eastern terminus of the Jubilee line, as well as being on the Central line and DLR; it sits in fare zones 2 and 3.
If you are arriving by plane, London City Airport is a commuter airport close to the City's financial district, specialising in short-haul business flights to other major European cities, with holiday routes that include Malaga, Ibiza and Mallorca. It has its own DLR station in fare zone 3, with direct trains to Woolwich Arsenal, Canning Town, Stratford and Bank; change at Poplar for services to Canary Wharf and Greenwich. You can pay using "touch in, touch out" Oyster and contactless cards, and Travelcards are valid. Taxis take roughly half an hour, and buses include the 474 to Canning Town, where you can pick up the 115 or N15 into central London, while route 473 runs to Stratford. Car hire firms near the airport include Avis, Europcar and Hertz, and if you drive yourself, Ultra Low Emission Zone charges may apply to a small number of vehicles.
Getting around
Ilford is woven into the same public transport system that serves the rest of Greater London, so you can get around by train, Tube, bus and taxi without needing a car. The town's central railway station sits on the corridor linking London with Essex, with mainline services to London Liverpool Street; from there you can also reach Chingford, while services from London Fenchurch Street run out to Southend and Grays. The Underground serves the area too: the Central line runs to Woodford or Hainault, the District line to Upminster, the Hammersmith and City line to Barking, the Jubilee line to Stratford and the Victoria line to Walthamstow. The Elizabeth line, shown in light purple on maps, serves Harold Wood and Custom House, and the London Overground is useful for crossing the district - the Mildmay line from Richmond and Clapham Junction to Stratford, the Suffragette line from Gospel Oak to Barking and Blackhorse Road, the Weaver line to Chingford, Enfield Town and Cheshunt, and the short Liberty line between Romford and Upminster via Emerson Park, which is disconnected from the rest of the network. Nearby Stratford is a major interchange with National Rail, Overground and Elizabeth line services, the eastern terminus of the Jubilee line, and Central line and Docklands Light Railway connections.
Buses are the most flexible way to move around Ilford itself and into neighbouring parts of East London, with a dense network of routes along Eastern Avenue, Cranbrook Road, the High Road, Longbridge Road and Station Parade; because so many routes converge here, you can generally reach a nearby destination without returning to a rail station first. The DLR is another option for heading south and east, running to Canning Town where it branches toward Beckton, London City Airport and Woolwich. Fares use Oyster and contactless payment cards on a touch in, touch out basis, and Travelcards are valid on the DLR and buses as well as rail and Tube services. Taxis are available and are a straightforward option for short trips, late nights or when you have luggage. Ilford's centre is compact enough that walking is a realistic way to get between the station, the shopping area and nearby streets, with The Exchange as the focal point of the retail area and the High Road and Cranbrook Road corridors lined with stops and amenities; for anything beyond the centre, the bus network fills the gaps.
Where to stay
Ilford itself has no hotels listed here, so you will be looking at the surrounding areas of Stratford, Forest Gate, North Chingford and Hornchurch for your base. Stratford is the busiest cluster: the Ibis Hotel Stratford on Romford Road offers a straightforward, identikit chain set-up, while the nearby Travelodge London Stratford on the High Street is a newer property with spotless rooms, private facilities and a 24-hour bar, a five-minute walk from Stratford stations and even closer to Stratford High Street DLR. The Viking Hotel also sits on Romford Road in Stratford, and the Snoozebox at Pudding Mill Lane is a pop-up modular hotel next to the ABBA arena with double beds or single bunks, for adults only.
If you prefer somewhere with more character, the Devonshire Hotel in Hornchurch is a family-run boutique property with free wi-fi, secure parking, breakfast and homemade snacks, and some rooms adapted for easier access. The Sunborn London at Royal Victoria Dock is a one-of-a-kind yacht hotel with views towards Canary Wharf, ExCeL and the O2 Arena, plus a sea-themed tea room. For budget options, the Newham Hotel in Forest Gate is a straightforward budget choice, while the Ridgeway Hotel in North Chingford sits further out. The ibis Styles London Excel on Victoria Dock Road serves the Custom House area.
Food & drink
For really good, cheap Indian and Pakistani food, head to Goodmayes. In Walthamstow, the high street is lined with cafés and restaurants: Kebabish serves both kebabs and tasty Indian dishes, while Thainese offers halal Singaporean Chinese and Thai cooking, with black pepper crabs, chilli lobster, private rooms and prayer rooms. For something more unusual, Supperclub.tube seats you aboard an old Victoria Line Tube carriage in the Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum for a Latin American feast, cooked by a chef from Bogotá. Deeney's is a café for coffee, brunch and Scottish haggis toasties. In Newham, Albina in Plaistow serves tasty Ukrainian food in rustic surroundings; try the golubtsi (cabbage rolls) and the cutlets. The Pantry Café, a short walk from Stratford High Street DLR, is a traditional British café where the menu is posted on the wall so you can order by number, though the friendly owner will accept any variation you want. For a drink in Walthamstow, The Goose is an updated Victorian gin palace popular with commuters, and The Ferry Boat Inn is a quaint country-style pub in a riverside setting. In Dagenham, the Admiral Vernon is a great traditional pub with live music at weekends.What to see and do
Start with the green spaces. Epping Forest is a large expanse of green stretching from Forest Gate into Essex; despite the name it is not completely wooded, since "forest" once meant a royal hunting ground. Within it stands Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge in Chingford, an unusually well-preserved Tudor timber-framed hunting stand built for King Henry VIII, with exhibitions on Tudor culture and a top floor that still gives a fine view over the forest. Wanstead Park holds the remaining grounds of the 18th-century Wanstead House, with woods and ornamental lakes, and its visitor centre, The Temple, covers the park's history. In Walthamstow, the Wetlands nature reserve is set around reservoirs and is a good spot for birdwatching, with a cycle and running route through it; note that dogs are not allowed except for assistance dogs. Valentines Park in the Ilford area is a pleasant green space, and Essex County Cricket team used to play on the pitch on its western side.
For museums and heritage, the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow occupies the Victorian designer's old Georgian family home and is devoted to his work. God's Own Junkyard, in a converted warehouse on the Ravenswood Industrial Estate, displays hundreds of illuminated neon and bulb signs, including movie props and artworks. Near Stratford, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is the site of the London 2012 Olympics and of the ArcelorMittal Orbit with its long slide, and the V&A East Storehouse shows off the museum's vast stored collection across three floors, including the David Bowie Centre. Elsewhere, Valence House is the only surviving manor house in Dagenham and now a local museum and gallery, Eastbury Manor House in Barking is an Elizabethan gentry house with gardens, and Langtons in Hornchurch is an attractive house with a landscaped garden. In Walthamstow, Walthamstow Village is the ancient nucleus of the area, centred on the 12th-century St Mary's Church.
For live entertainment, Theatre Royal Stratford East puts on comedy, music and more, while ABBA Voyage at the ABBA Arena in Pudding Mill Lane is a digital recreation of the Swedish group with live musicians. Sports fans can watch West Ham United at London Stadium in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road, and the London Raiders ice hockey team at the Sapphire Ice & Leisure Centre in Romford. ExCeL London in the Royal Docks hosts public events and was an Olympics venue, and you can swim in the open water of the Royal Docks if you hold a valid NOWCA membership. Cycling along the River Lea or through Epping Forest is another way to spend a day.
Three days in Ilford
Day one: Arrive in Ilford, a district of East London within the London Borough of Redbridge in Greater London. It sits east of Charing Cross and was historically part of Essex. Use National Rail, London Overground or the Elizabeth line to reach the area, with connections from London Liverpool Street, Stratford, Woodford, Hainault, Chingford, Waltham Forest and Walthamstow. From London Fenchurch Street you can also reach Southend and Grays. Settle in and explore the streets around Station Street, then take the Elizabeth line towards Central London for an evening in the City.
Day two: Head into London using the Jubilee line, DLR or Elizabeth line. From Woolwich Arsenal, Canning Town, Bank, Poplar and Canary Wharf you can move easily between the City and the docks. London City Airport offers European connections to Malaga, Ibiza and Mallorca, so you can combine a city stay with a onward flight. Return to Ilford in the evening and eat along Station Street.
Day three: Use the day to connect with the wider area. From Ilford you can reach Stratford, Walthamstow, Woodford, Hainault and Chingford by National Rail or London Overground. If you prefer the river, travel from London Fenchurch Street towards Southend or Grays. Finish your three days back in Ilford, with the Elizabeth line offering a direct route towards Central London and the City.