[HDNG]INTRODUCTION:[EHDNG][PARA][BULL] The College is part of University of London.[EBOLD][PARA][BOLD]For general information about London: [EBOLD]see [ULNE]University of London[EULNE]. You won't be surprised to learn that RVC (as its chums call it) only teaches students how to be vets. A recent prospectus had a photo of 'Naso-gastric intubation of a Shire with colic' on the front page, so if you can't hack 5 years of that, stop reading now. The College's main site is 11/4 miles from Trafalgar Square in Camden, [ITAL]one of the trendiest, buzziest areas of London[EITAL]. [ITAL] [EITAL]The redbrick College buildings here are home to the pre-clinical teaching and administration. [ITAL] [EITAL]The College's Hawkshead campus, a couple of miles from Hatfield, is set in the [ITAL]relaxed, commuter belt[EITAL] countryside (see [ULNE]University of Hertfordshire[EULNE]). It is a large self-contained green site with low buildings accommodating clinical students. In other words, students spend 2 years at Camden, [ITAL]enjoying city life[EITAL], and then move out to [ITAL]almost tediously tranquil[EITAL] Hawkshead. [ITAL]The atmosphere is quite intense and geared to studying, although there is also a lot of sport going on. [EITAL][BOLD][HDNG]HAWKSHEAD:[EHDNG][PARA][EBOLD]See [ULNE]University of Hertfordshire[EULNE].[HDNG]TRAVEL:[EHDNG][PARA][BOLD]Trains: [EBOLD]London is the centre of the network: Bristol (1:40hrs, 1/hr); Birmingham (1:40hrs, 3/hr); Manchester (2:30hrs, 1/hr); Glasgow (5:20hrs, 12/day); Edinburgh ( 4:20hrs, 1/hr); Newcastle (2:45hrs, 2/hr); Leeds (2:30hrs, 1/hr); Norwich (1:49hrs, 1/hr). Trains come into the 8 mainline termini and if passing through London (for example from Canterbury (Kent) to Manchester), it is often necessary to travel by tube (at extra expense) between mainline stations .[PARA][BOLD]Coaches:[EBOLD] London is also the centre of the National Express system and a whole variety of other national bus services (Green Line, Blue Line and so on). Some example National Express journeys: Birmingham (ú9.50, 2:30hrs, 1/hr); Bristol (ú12.50, 2:15hrs, 1/hr); Edinburgh (ú25, 7:50hrs, 3/day); Glasgow (ú25, 7hrs, 7/day); Manchester (ú16, 3:30hrs, 7/day); Newcastle (ú17.50, 5:10hrs, 7/day).[PARA][BOLD]Local Trains: [EBOLD]Network SouthEast operates local overground trains [ITAL]which are a speedy and sometimes pleasant way to travel and are moderately efficient. The main problems are the ease of use (a fair level of understanding is necessary), the high fares and the early closing[EITAL] (last trains between 11pm and 1am).[PARA][BOLD]Underground:[EBOLD] The 'tube' is the largest underground train system in the world and generally,[ITAL] it is fast, easy to use, efficient (well, maybe not the Northern Line) and takes you just about anywhere you want to go, although South-East London is a bit hard done by. However, it is often crowded,[EITAL] shuts down at midnight,[ITAL] it's often disrupted by bomb scares[EITAL] and the minimum fare is 90p. [ITAL]Talking to other tube passengers is tantamount to threatening their mother - the only people who do it are tourists and people who want to talk to you about Jesus.[EITAL] Nearest tube to Senate House/ULU Building: Goodge St (Northern Line).[PARA][BOLD]Local Buses: [EBOLD][ITAL]In the tube you can't see the real sights, so why not take the buses which are just as efficient,[EITAL] offer even more destinations and are slightly cheaper (50p minimum). [ITAL]But buses are slow and, until you know your way around, it's difficult to know which ones take you where.[EITAL] After midnight, buses come into their own - Night Buses are London's only form of all-night public transport and[ITAL] if you don't mind how long it takes,[EITAL] you can go almost anywhere within 10 miles of the centre.[PARA][BOLD]Travelcards:[EBOLD] For a legal way of dodging the expense of tubes, buses and trains, Travelcards are available at ú2.60 for a daily pass for the central 2 zones of the network.[PARA][BOLD]Taxis: [EBOLD]There are 2 types:[ITAL] the classic black cabs which are well regulated and enormously expensive, and dodgy merchants in Ford Escorts which are almost as expensive. There are now also some run by and for women. Basically though, forget all taxis, except late at night when all else fails and/or you're in a party of 4 or more.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Car:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Parking in Central London is impossible, and, although there is only one rush hour every day it lasts from 6 in the morning to midnight. Driving in London is excellent training for being a volcano.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Air: [EBOLD]Served by 4 airports, including Heathrow, the world's busiest. Regular flights to anywhere and back.[PARA][BOLD]Hitching:[ITAL] [EBOLD]Not possible from Central London, but get out a little way on to the city's escape routes or beyond the M25 and a thumb's a first class ticket.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Bicycles: [EBOLD][ITAL] A popular form of student travel given the pros: it's cheap and you can get through traffic. But there are the cons: London is big, full of exhaust fumes, lacking in cycle lanes and a Houdini-proof lock is advisable. It's also an easy way to die.[EITAL][PARA][PARA][BOLD]Hawkshead: [EBOLD]See [ULNE]University of Hertfordshire[EULNE].[PARA][PARA][BOLD]Trains: [EBOLD]Nearest stations are King's Cross, St Pancras, Euston and Camden Road.[PARA][BOLD]Buses: [EBOLD]Numbers 46 and 214 go nearby.[PARA][BOLD]Car: [EBOLD][ITAL]At Hawkshead, fine. Camden? I think not.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Underground:[ITAL] [EITAL][EBOLD]Camden Town (Northern Line).[PARA][BOLD]Bicycles:[ITAL] [EITAL][EBOLD]Racks on both sites. [ITAL]Bikes at Camden tend to be nicked, converted into Inca lava lamps, and sold at ludicrous prices in the Market.[EITAL][ITAL][HDNG]SPECIAL FEATURES:[EHDNG][EITAL][PARA][BULL]During vacations in the 1st and 2nd years, students have to work on farms, leaving little time to ease the financial weight (see below).[HDNG]FURTHER INFO:[EHDNG][PARA]Official and alternative prospectuses.
