London in the sunshine. You can’t beat it. May has been a great month for good weather for most of the country, but London tends to get the best and it didn’t disappoint.

We caught the Virgin Train from Motherwell to London Euston for an overnight stay, a girls trip and just over fours hours later we were in the centre of London.

When we arrived the city was adorned with union jacks, in celebration of the up coming Royal Wedding. The streets were bustling, the sun was shining and it was a bank holiday weekend, perfect!

Before checking into our hotel, we decided to go to Madame Tussauds, a 25 minute walk from the station. We waited in a queue that never seemed to end, and after 45 minutes realised it was at least another long wait to get in so we just left, much to the disappointment of my teenage daughter. Best to book in advance if you are thinking about a visit. We walked along the famous Baker Street, home to Sherlock Holmes, and jumped on the underground to our hotel.

The trains are a bit daunting, but once you get your head around the lines they are quite straightforward.

We were staying in The Cavendish Hotel, located in the heart of Mayfair and Piccadilly, the 4-star deluxe hotel is in a great position to explore everything Central London has to offer. The hotel has 230 rooms including some with stunning views of London’s skyline. Its Petrichor Restaurant & Bar offers an express menu if you are in a hurry, from £19 for two courses and £24 for 3 three courses.

Once we checked in, we went out to explore the area, and just a short walk through Green Park we were at Buckingham Palace. On route we passed The famous Ritz Hotel, it’s afternoon tea is legendary, though you need to book well in advance and it will set you back a cool £57 per head.

In addition to the usual sightseeing, taking in a show at the theatre is a must during your stay. But there are so many on offer, how do you choose?

Travel company Superbreak offer hotel and theatre deals to suit all tastes and a cheaper option to booking it seperate. We opted for Andrew Lloyd Webber's School of Rock.

Based on the hit movie starring Jack Black, the musical follows slacker and wannabe rock star Dewey Finn who turn a class of straight-A 10-year-old students into an all conquering rock band!

The evening was fantastic, the youngsters were the star of the show.

The following morning we took the tour bus to take in the sites. This a great way to see the city, as you can hop on and off, and there are various different routes you can take.

We took the yellow route and got off at Marble Arch to fit in a bit of shopping on Oxford Street. It was a Saturday morning so really busy but no shortage of shops to keep a teenager happy.

After a quick lunch, we continued on the tour to take in the sites which included St Paul’s Cathedral, Big Ben, Westminster and The London Eye, passing the famous Fleet Street, known for being home to the newspaper industry.

We had enough time to sit in the park before heading back to the station.

Sadly the train back was not as pleasant, poor facilites on board and delays, the curse of the East coast trains!

But setting that aside, our trip may have been short but well worth the journey, I look forward to returning to London and hopefully the sunshine.

JACKIE BROGAN

Travel facts: 

School of Rock – from £143 per person

PRICE: From £143 per person for one night’s accommodation at the 4* The Cavendish London hotel, including Circle tickets for School of Rock – The Musical. Valid for arrival on 21st September 2018. To book, visit www.superbreak.com or call 0800 042 0288.