Ideas for a Sunday morning in London before 11:30 train

Do you have anything particular in mind? If it was my trip, and weather was nice, I'd simply check out and walk to Paddington through St James's Park, Green Park and Hyde Park.

Just stop and have a nice breakfast on your way to Paddington.

I totally agree with Badger.

I really don't have anything particular in mind, museums don't open until 10, so those are out. According to google maps it would be a 57 minute walk to Paddington and have been through those parks and are beautiful, but really don't want to lug our luggage that far. Most likely will have lunch on the train, so just looking to see if there is anything interesting to do before we leave.

Sunday mornings are lazy in London with most stores not opening until later in the morning.

My suggestion is to get yourself a nice brunch. I don't know if you've been on a train in the UK, but it's only 90 minutes from Paddington to Bath and more than likely you wont be able to get much more than a bacon butty or a salad. More like a large snack.

If you thought there was Pullman service between London and Paddington.....there isn't.

Thanks for all the ideas, was kind of figuring Sunday mornings would be lazy. Have not been on the trains in the UK yet, was scheduled to take train from Edinburgh to Inverness last year, but it was a strike day and ended up taking the bus. I was thinking just to get a sandwich at the station and bring it on board, I'm guessing that is allowed.

I'd be inclined to do something over near Paddington so I didn't have to stress about how much time to allow from my sightseeing stop to the train station. Behind (north of) Paddington Station is the Little Venice neighborhood. It's a pleasant place to walk around. London Walks does a walk in the area; it meets at the Warwick Avenue Underground station. Here's the description of that walk, with some photos: https://www.walks.com/our-walks/little-venice/. That webpage has links to three short podcasts about the area.

A couple of other possibilities:

• Is there a nice church near either your hotel or the station that won't be having services early on Sunday?

• You could hop on the Underground and check out the interior of the Leadenhall Market, glassy arcade. The shops won't be open, but the architecture is cool. It seems to be open 24 hours a day. Fenchurch looks like the closest Underground station, but there are others within pretty reasonable walking distance if Fenchurch requires a transfer from your origin. This is in the opposite direction from Paddington.

There's the Mad Bishop and Bear, a Fullers pub (Fullers are a London brewer), at Paddington open for full breakfast from 10am, the menu includes American pancakes as well as full English and other lighter breakfast options.
Maybe the Mercure London Paddington Hotel on Praed Street, straight outside, will do walk in breakfasts.
There are any number of cafes in the streets outside the station, of various nationalities, which I'd have thought would be open much earlier (as it's a cosmopolitan area), or try Little Venice just behind the station.
If the weather's nice Little Venice would be a nice place to hang out, around the canal boats.
Presumably you don't have to check out until 10 or 10.30 so why not go out for a walk enjoying that part of London at it's quietest, then check out as late as you can. Walk along the Embankment then back along Whitehall or Horse Guards.

1.) Get up, shower, pack and have breakfast near your accommodation. Check out. Too little time to try to fit something in before you head to Paddington.

2.) Get up, shower, pack, check out. Walk to Holborn or Covent Garden underground station ( whichever is close) take the tube to Paddington station and have breakfast there. There’s a Costa Coffee.

3.) Get up, shower, pack, check out. Walk to Holborn take a Central Line train to Lancaster Gate. Walk with your bags to Shelia’s Cafe ( 5 minutes) Have breakfast then walk to Paddington Station. 10 minute walk.

Thanks again for spending some time on helping me out. I notice the Little Venice area when at first I was looking at hotels around Paddington, it does look nice. One time or another may try to check that out. The Leadenhall Market does look interesting and could check that out on the way back on Saturday after visiting the Tate and Boroughs Market area and then visiting around the Tower area.

The easiest, maybe best plan if the weather cooperates is breakfast and just going down and back up the Thames. Then finish packing up, check out, catch the tube, grab a sandwich/lunch, and catch the train.

Sunday morning is perfect for listening to church bells ringing the changes, and London has some of the best.

I can happily recommend St Pauls Cathedral (some of the best in the world) (every Sunday from 9:30 to 10am and 10:45 to 11:15), you can get a pastry and coffee (both Very Good) at the French café Paul opposite the entrance and sit outside with excellent sound from the bells, or my current preference is just through the Temple Bar to Paternoster Square and sit on the fountain with a cup of coffee of your choice, several places in the immediate vicinity offer take-away coffee including Pret a Manger, Sainsburys, $tarbuck$, and Paul.

If they are ringing - check the website because they are irregular - the bells of St Clement Danes in the middle of the Aldwych are very good, and are referenced in the nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OrangesandLemons St Clement Danes is relatively uncommon being in the middle of the street. It is the church of the Royal Air Force - the RAF. The bells are very melodious, and very close to you in Covent Garden.

Another excellent ring of bells with regular Sunday ringing is at Southwark Cathedral, next to Borough Market. There have been bells there since the 1300s, twice recast since then - so there is original bell metal in the current bells, and the magnificent ancient oak frame has been used since well before 1734. They have a lovely sound, and heavy (tenor 48 cwts 3 qrs 1 lb ). They are rung every Sunday from 10:15 to 11:00am.

I hope you have a lovely last day in London, to say nothing of the rest of your trip....

Thanks Nigel, the bells gives a little more of a purpose for the walk and something I wouldn't have thought of. We have 2.5 days in London before Bath and then 1.5 days at the end of RS tour.
Funny story, our daughter spent a semester at Limerick University and we visited her the week of St. Patrick's day. She had that day off but said there would be no big celebrations like in the US and suggested doing something different. Looked up flights on Ryan Air, for 24 euros got a RT ticket to Standsted, took the train to London, spent the day touring the city and caught the last flight back to Ireland. Looking forward to seeing the city again.

On Sundays road traffic is quite light. I think I'd do something and grab a cab with the luggage to the station.

From Charing Cross (should have said Covent Garden, tired) it would be 2 stops to Piccadilly, change for the Bakerloo to Paddington. I very rarely use cabs, but in this case I might well.

By the way Borough Market is single.

24 sources of food for the train at Paddington https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/passengers/station-retail-directory/?station_id=5623

Leon's pretty good. M&S has lots of different food. Pret has good sandwiches and salads.

Train etiquette is that it is fine to take all sorts of food and drink onboard and eat it, but NOT smelly. And try to keep the table clean.

You will by no means be the only ones...

EDIT - sleepy error last night - see above

Thanks again Nigel, my mistake, have friends with that name and an s. If we get enchanted by the bells and start running late a cab may be a good idea.
Wasn’t expecting the ending to that nursery rhyme!