Hello and thanks in advance!

Hello!

I moved from the USA to the UK (London) in late 2019, and it's been quite the adventure, especially with the COVID surprise.

I've been reading threads on this forum, especially about taxes, and I've realized that there's a lot that I don't know. So I anticipate posting quite a bit in that board.

Other than trying to figure out how to deal with my taxes and finances, I'm very interested in spending 2020 hiking the UK on long weekends. So if you have any tips on good hikes (I've heard there are nice ones in Wales, perhaps Snowdonia?), please send them over!

Thanks in advance!

What part of London do you live in?  Do you have a car?
My wife and I frequently go for walks all over the place from London.  Bill Bryson said that no country in the world is set up for country walking like the UK and I agree. 

Here's a favorite website for finding good walks:
https://fancyfreewalks.org  The directions are very detailed. 

Since living here we've started geocaching which makes the walks more interesting for the kids.  Do you ever do that?

Sure everyone raves about the Peak District. The Dales. All about the Dales.

Three peaks challenge (or if you’re me: the one peak challenge). Amazing.


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Welcome to the site.  Lots of great walking and hiking all over the country.

The deadline for filing your UK taxes for the tax year 2019/20 is end of January if filing online because you have US income to declare. (You will need to do a Self Assessment which can take weeks to register for the first time you do this).  Every year folks doing their SA for the first time miss the deadline and pay penalties because they don't begin the registration process soon enough. (The file by paper deadline passed in October).

If you don't have foreign income or any other reason not to do a self assessment then you can leave HMRC to figure out your UK taxes.

Welcome!

Lots of good walks in Surrey Hills as well, not too far from London (from what I see friends share on social media, I unfortunately can't walk far). And when covid is over, the Lake District is so lovely.

What part of London do you live in?  Do you have a car?
My wife and I frequently go for walks all over the place from London.  Bill Bryson said that no country in the world is set up for country walking like the UK and I agree. 

Here's a favorite website for finding good walks:
https://fancyfreewalks.org  The directions are very detailed. 

Since living here we've started geocaching which makes the walks more interesting for the kids.  Do you ever do that?

I live near St Paul's, and I don't have a car. But earlier this year I would rent Zipcars and go for day trips to the seaside and countryside. Yes - I love going for walks in the city. I focus on walking along the Thames and visiting the city parks, like Hyde, St James, Regents, Hampstead Heath, and Battersea.

I thought Box Hill and Seven Sisters was pretty great when I did day trips.

Geocaching looks really interesting - I'll give it a shot next time I'm out!

Sure everyone raves about the Peak District. The Dales. All about the Dales.

Three peaks challenge (or if you’re me: the one peak challenge). Amazing.


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Ooh the Three Peaks challenge looks like a fun adventure. I'll definitely give that a shot. Thanks!

Welcome to the site.  Lots of great walking and hiking all over the country.

The deadline for filing your UK taxes for the tax year 2019/20 is end of January if filing online because you have US income to declare. (You will need to do a Self Assessment which can take weeks to register for the first time you do this).  Every year folks doing their SA for the first time miss the deadline and pay penalties because they don't begin the registration process soon enough. (The file by paper deadline passed in October).

If you don't have foreign income or any other reason not to do a self assessment then you can leave HMRC to figure out your UK taxes.

Thank you for the advice! Yes, I'm in the process of registering, so hopefully I can wrap this all up before the end of January.

Welcome!

Lots of good walks in Surrey Hills as well, not too far from London (from what I see friends share on social media, I unfortunately can't walk far). And when covid is over, the Lake District is so lovely.

Thank you! I've done Box Hill and loved the inclines and views. Do you have any recommendations for something similar that's only an hour or two out of London?

Thank you! I've done Box Hill and loved the inclines and views. Do you have any recommendations for something similar that's only an hour or two out of London?

I unfortunately can't walk beyond my house to the car, and never remember exactly where photos have been taken while living vicariously. But I did a search and this came up pretty readily with a number of trails. 2hrs from London is most of the South & Midlands! (*in good traffic or on train)

Hopefully this helps!

https://www.surreyhills.org/discover/walks

I unfortunately can't walk beyond my house to the car, and never remember exactly where photos have been taken while living vicariously. But I did a search and this came up pretty readily with a number of trails. 2hrs from London is most of the South & Midlands! (*in good traffic or on train)

Hopefully this helps!

https://www.surreyhills.org/discover/walks

Thank you for the recommendation and the search .

I live near St Paul's, and I don't have a car. But earlier this year I would rent Zipcars and go for day trips to the seaside and countryside. Yes - I love going for walks in the city. I focus on walking along the Thames and visiting the city parks, like Hyde, St James, Regents, Hampstead Heath, and Battersea.

I thought Box Hill and Seven Sisters was pretty great when I did day trips.

Geocaching looks really interesting - I'll give it a shot next time I'm out!

The day trip I would reccomend for you next time you have a car is Camber Sands and Dungeness.  Camber is the nearest proper sandy beach to you.  Rye is a fabulous old town for exploring.  Dungeness is a really funky place with a lighhouse you can climb and a great 2/3 scale train you can ride.

A good walk you may be able to do even in the lockdown is in my neck of the woods.  Take the train to Richmond and walk across the Thames on the bridge, then into Twickenham.  Walk across the bridge and check out Eel Pie Island, have a beer at the White Swan.  Walk along the road to Teddington Lock (sorry, not the loveliest bit) and then cross over the bridge at Teddington.  Walk back on the other side of the Thames back to Richmond, climb up for the famous view of Richmond Hill.   Go to the amazing vietnamese grocery at the big roundabout and buy some frozen homemade green curry, a small can of coconut milk and some bak choy.  Take the train home , cook the back choy and thaw the curry and cut it with the coconut milk since the curry is strong. 

The day trip I would reccomend for you next time you have a car is Camber Sands and Dungeness.  Camber is the nearest proper sandy beach to you.  Rye is a fabulous old town for exploring.  Dungeness is a really funky place with a lighhouse you can climb and a great 2/3 scale train you can ride.

A good walk you may be able to do even in the lockdown is in my neck of the woods.  Take the train to Richmond and walk across the Thames on the bridge, then into Twickenham.  Walk across the bridge and check out Eel Pie Island, have a beer at the White Swan.  Walk along the road to Teddington Lock (sorry, not the loveliest bit) and then cross over the bridge at Teddington.  Walk back on the other side of the Thames back to Richmond, climb up for the famous view of Richmond Hill.   Go to the amazing vietnamese grocery at the big roundabout and buy some frozen homemade green curry, a small can of coconut milk and some bak choy.  Take the train home , cook the back choy and thaw the curry and cut it with the coconut milk since the curry is strong.

That's amazing guidance - I will certainly try this sooner than later. Thank you!

That's amazing guidance - I will certainly try this sooner than later. Thank you!

Once the zombie apocalypse is over I’ll show you around.  Twickenham is a fun part of London.
I used to work near St. Paul’s and totally envy you.  Have you tried Cilango burrito place near London wall? 


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Sure everyone raves about the Peak District. The Dales. All about the Dales.

Three peaks challenge (or if you’re me: the one peak challenge). Amazing.


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We saw the tiniest snippet of the Dale’s this summer.  Definitely going back!