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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Wednesday 14 February 2018

Wednesday Walk - County Hall to Greenwich - a respite from mud - and a lesson in sociology

London County Hall to Greenwich

Length: about 12 km (7.5 miles)  Option to extend by crossing the river and heading back to Central London
Toughness: 2 out of 10   Hard on the feet (hard surfaces all day), so suggest wearing well cushioned trainers instead of walking boots

Meet on the Embankment next to County Hall, just before the Aquarium, at 10-45 hrs.

Return from Greenwich: suggest the river launch. Alternatively, you have the DLR and LT Jubilee Line.  If you cross the river by taking the Greenwich foot tunnel, you will have DLR and Jubilee line stations for your return journey, depending on how far you walk on the northern side of the river.

You may need a break from muddy walks come mid-February, and this mud-free inner city walk usually makes for a nice change to the soggy countryside.
Leaving County Hall along the embankment we head towards London Bridge and Southwark Cathedral, then the Tower of London, passing Ken's wigwam on the way. We then continue on the Thames Path into Bermondsey then Rotherhithe, passing on the way the modern, expensive riverside flat developments in their juxtaposition to GLC blocks which know their place, set well back from the river front.
We will stop for lunch on the river in Rotherhithe at the atmospheric Mayflower pub, which claims to be the oldest pub on the Thames. Onwards then via Greenland Dock to Deptford and on into Greenwich, passing the Cutty Sark on the way.  Greenwich Pier for your launch back to Westminster is nearby, as is the Greenwich foot tunnel for those who wish to continue their walk along the north bank of the Thames.
I hope this makes for a nice, suitable and undemanding walk for Ash Wednesday at the beginning of Lent ! Wearing of hair shirts optional............
As it is also Valentine's Day today you should be home in good time to make a fuss of your beloved.

7 comments:

Gabriella said...

I'm just double checking to be safe so I don't go to the wrong place - technically the start is from the South Bank rather than the Embankment, yes ?
Also, sadly at present there is not a beloved in my life to rush home to, and I would really love to see the RSC Live production of Twelfth Night on Wednesday night, but am a bit shy about going to the cinema alone on Valentines Day. So if anyone else fancies it after the walk maybe we could go together ? Its a great way of seeing a Globe play without paying Globe prices.

Marcus said...

Hi Gabriella, yes - the former County Hall and the Aquarium are on the South Bank.

Anonymous said...

Dear Marcus Good idea to try a mud free option on Wednesday.

Has there been a problem about listing my Jazz Choir event at StPaul's Church Covent Garden on 23rd March 2018 at 7.30

Best,

Jane

ADDISON JAZZ

Walker said...

I hate to point this out, but it is half term. I went to the Aquarium with young relatives today and the entire riverbank from Westminster Bridge to beyond the London Eye was very busy. You might want to pick a quieter place to meet.....

Anonymous said...

I couldn't find you!

Selina

Marcus said...

Sorry about that, Selina. We were there, and it was not too crowded. We did depart two minutes after the stated time, so if you were later than this, you would have missed us.

PeteB said...

Sorry we missed you Selina. n=10 of us on this gentle urban stroll and we all eventually met up at Tower Bridge after leaving the tourists behind. We continued on to the atmospheric Mayflower pub where by good luck (or was it good planning MP?) we all sat round the 10 person table to enjoy excellent food and drink before continuing onward along the atmospheric waterfront path but with the weather becoming w=increasingly-cloudy-and-bleak-with-some-light-rain.

The group fragmented with some stopping at the small urban farm and others continuing on to Greenwich where I opted out of the boat trip to take the DLR back to the East End.

I have walked this stretch of the Thames Path numerous times over the last 30 years and it has a lot of interesting historical sights, information boards and views over the Thames but especially around Rotherhithe the latest housing developments look icreasingly bland as do the latest office blocks being built around and sometimes obscuring the Canary Wharf tower. Still a different but fine day out in the usual excellent company.