National Trust rambles | Surrey

The National Trust celebrates Britain’s great outdoors with guided rambling tours, starting from the stately Polesden Lacey and through some of the southeast’s most beautiful countryside. For this NYD wander, your ranger guide will explain the area’s history and is an expert on the wildlife you’ll encounter. There’s more than 1400 acres to explore and ample vantage points with some fantastic views. It’s a surefire way to blow away the cobwebs from the night before and see rolling hills in all their glory. 

Jan 1, 11am-1pm
Polesden Lacey, RH5 6BD
Tube | Dorking
nationaltrust.org.uk
 

Fuse new year’s day rave | East End 

 The Fuse crew get 2013 underway in fine style with this lunchtime-starter rave to make sure the label has an even bigger 2013 than 2012. Onur Ozer, Julian Perez, Enzo Siragusa, Seb Zito and Rich NxT are lining up, meaning there’s no chance of any let-up from the night before. And with a host of clubs going on this evening, too, the hardcore can take it on through to January 2.

Jan 1, 12pm-11pm
93 Feet East, Old Truman Brewery, E1 6RU 
Tube | Aldgate East
93feeteast.co.uk
 

World Darts Championship final | Alexandra Palace

 Play began on December 14 with it all coming down to this grand final on New Year’s Day. Two of the world’s ‘biggest’ darts players will step up to the oche to compete for the £200,000 prize money. You can drink as much beer as you want, shout out for your favourite and generally get rowdy. In fact, to not do so would be out of place at a darts match, so bring the noise.

Jan 1, 7pm
Alexandra Palace, N22 7AY
Tube | Wood Green 
alexandrapalace.com
 

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New Year’s Day Gala | Barbican

Opt for the classic sound this numero uno day rather than sweaty club vibes with a gala from London Concert Orchestra with the hits you know: Rule, Britannia, Jerusalem and William Tell among them. 

Jan 1, 2.30pm 
Barbican Centre, EC2Y 8DS
Tube | Barbican 
barbican.org.uk
 

Horniman museum | South London

This little-known museum is a deadset treasure. In more than 16 acres of landscaped gardens, it is a beautiful setting for its natural and social history gallery, and state-of-the-art aquarium (it’s the last week of the Body Adorned exhibition, too). Plus, it has ace views over London. 

10.30am-5.30pm
100 London Road, SE23 3PQ
Tube | Forest Hill 
horniman.ac.uk
 

Ice skating | across London

It has become a solid fixture of the winter calendar, as Christmassy in the capital as carols and mulled wine. No festive season would be complete without striding out on to the ice at one of the many, many rinks that appear in the city come November, then wobbling around in a couple of ill-balanced circuits before crashing on to your arse in front of everyone. Bruises and hurt pride aside, it’s top fun, and worth taking advantage of over the festive period. Our favourites are Somerset House, underneath the London Eye at Eyeskate and by the historic Tower of London.

Various times
South Wing, Strand, WC2R; South Bank, SE1 7PB; Tower Hill, EC3N 4AB. 
Tubes| Charing Cross, Waterloo, Tower Hill 
somersethouse.org.uk
londoneye.com
toweroflondonicerink.com
 

Light show | South Bank

This new exhibition is guaranteed to brighten up gloomy January as it focuses on light as a medium with a variety of installations, environments and tricks of the eye.

Jan 30-Apr 20,
Hayward Gallery 
SE1 8XX 
Tube | Waterloo 
southbankcentre.co.uk
 

London Mime Festival | across London

Britain’s premier aerial theatre group, Ockham’s Razor, open 2013’s festival of art-circus, illusion, animatronics and puppetry and dark clown theatre. Cutting edge and without words (see Circle of Eleven, above left), this highly entertaining fest shows you don’t have to shout loudest to be the best or the most inventive.

Jan 10-27, various venues
mimelondon.com


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The Charles Dickens film and literary locations walk | Strand

This three-hour walk takes you through the heart of the capital, looking at locations that were important to Dickens’ life, and those which have featured in novels and film adaptations (such as Great Expectations, above). It’s a profile of a special side of London, from leading film historian Sandra Shevey, that links the city at the turn of the 19th century with today.

Jan 1, 2pm
The Strand, WC2N 5HX
Tube | Charing Cross
dickens2012.org

New Year’s day gathering | Weybridge

Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, was once the centre of UK motorsport. Part of the cambered track still remains and it is within this that the Brooklands Museum’s gathering of vintage and veteran cars and motorbikes takes place. A retrospective of how life used to be lived on four and two wheels. 

Jan 1, 10am-4pm
Brooklands Museum, KT13 0QN  
Train | Weybridge
brooklandsmuseum.com
 

New Year’s day masked ball | Brentford

If you’ve been out throwing some shapes to banging house and techno, why not go for a more traditional and civilised New Year’s Day with this ballroom taster? Try your hand at Latin and sequence dancing to the sound of the Wurlitzer and a host of DJs. Beginners are welcome, so start Jan 1 off with a new skill.

Jan 1, 2.30pm-5.30pm
 Musical Museum, TW8 0DU
 Kew Bridge
 musicalmuseum.co.uk
  

Relax and revitalise at the Oxo Tower Brasserie | Central

After last night’s hedonism you might not be wanting to do much in the kitchen other than whack on some toast at the absolute most. If this is going to be the extent of your culinary escapades, why not have someone else cook you something awesome? Dine yourself back to humanity at the Oxo Brasserie, which comes with a complimentary hangover cure kit containing a gel eye mask, wipe, mints and a face spray to rejuvenate tired and slightly puffy-faced people.

Jan 1, 12pm-11pm
Oxo Tower Wharf, SE1 9PH
Tube | Blackfriars
harveynichols.com
 

Fuerzabruta | Camden

This Argentinian show opened the newly decked-out Roundhouse in 2006 and it returns to the north London theatre venue for a second run. The spectacular has lost none of its punch in the past six years, with its collection of stunts and wow-worthy performances a surprising, unnerving and stunning combo. Certainly not one to miss. 

Dec 27-Jan 21, Tues-Wed, 8pm; Thurs-Sat, 7pm & 10pm; Sun, 5pm & 8pm. Jan 22-26, 7pm & 10pm
Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8EH 
Tube | Chalk Farm
 roundhouse.org.uk
 

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London Short Film Festival | across London

This festival showcases the finest in short film-making talent. As well as entries from across the world there will be a host of parties, live music and cinematic experiments. The band Breton will lead a special ‘live cinema’ event, too. 

Jan 4-13. Various times
shortfilms.org.uk
 

The Rest is Noise | South Bank

The Southbank Centre hosts this festival, bringing to life Alex Ross’s book on 20th-century music with 250 events including films, concerts and exhibitions from contemporary classical performers to Liza Minnelli.  

Jan 17-Jun 9
SE1 8XX  Waterloo 
Tube | Waterloo Embankment
southbankcentre.co.uk
 

Factory 7: Steve Bug | Shoreditch

 Keen to show that New Year’s Day is the new New Year’s Eve is this label showcase for Berlin’s Upon You with
a class line-up in store to see you through January 1. Steve Bug (below), M.A.N.D.Y, the Junk Department residents, not to mention a number of top secret special guests, too, will make sure your 2013 starts with one hell of a bang (and subsequent inevitable comedown). 

Jan 1, 8pm-6am
Factory 7, 13 Hearn Street, EC2A 3NN 
Tube | Shoreditch High Street 
residentadvisor.net
 

Strictly Winter Swing | South Bank

If you’re not all danced out after New Year’s Eve, then the Royal Festival Hall is holding this free swing dance session on the afternoon of New Year’s Day. There are classes  to get you to grips with the ballroom moves from 2pm to 3pm, and then you can take to the floor to show off your new-found skills and moves to tunes from the 1920s through to the 1950s. 

Jan 1, 2-6pm
Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX 
Tube | Waterloo 
southbankcentre.co.uk