Sunday Walk - SE London Short Walks (I): Thames Path - Greenwich to Woolwich Arsenal

A Fascinating Stretch of The Thames: Maritime Greenwich, Greenwich Peninsula, Charlton, Thames Barrier, Royal Woolwich Arsenal

Length: 11.0 km (6.8 mi) [Shorter and slightly longer Walks possible, see below] 

Ascent/Descent: negligible
Net Walking Time: ca. 2 ½ hours, Toughness: 1 out of 10 

 

Take the 10.29 Dartford train from Cannon Street (London Bridge 10.32, Deptford 10.39), arrives Greenwich 10.41. You can also get to Greenwich with the DLR (from Bank via Canary Wharf to Lewisham). Note: check the walk directions pdf for the start point of the walk! 

Return trains: five per hour (xx.05, xx.12, xx.19, xx.42, xx.49), all via London Bridge, then either to Cannon Street or via Central London Thameslink stations. 

Greenwich is in Zone 2, Woolwich Arsenal in Zone 4.

 

Follow quiet lanes from Greenwich Station to the Thames by the Cutty Sark and turn right downstream along this extremely fascinating stretch of London’s main river along Maritime Greenwich and around the rapidly changing Greenwich Peninsula with the O2-Dome and the ‘Emirates Air Line’ cable car as well as its views across the river to Canary Wharf, the Mouth of the River Lea and the Royal Victoria Dock, before walking past Charlton and the Thames Barrier, with Silvertown and its Tate & Lyle Sugar Refinery opposite, and on to the finish at the former Royal Arsenal site in Woolwich. 

You pass reminders of Britain’s great maritime past, many historic pubs, the imposing Greenwich Power Station, some new housing developments as well as some long-established industrial sites (including some spectacular Aggregates Businesses), some large outdoor artworks, an Ecology Park, Woolwich Dockyard and the refurbished Royal Arsenal site with its mixture of historic buildings, new and old housing, food & drink establishments and an Arts Centre (in development).

 

Walk Options: Alternative Starts are possible from various points along the route (from 680m to 7.1 km into the walk). For details see the start of the Main Walk Directions.  

Finish at North Greenwich Underground by leaving the route: 

    · either at the north westerly tip of the Greenwich Peninsula, 4.0 km into the walk; 

     · or at the easterly side of the Greenwich Peninsula, 4.9 km into the walk.  

Use the Cross-Peninsula Shortcut (cut 1.1 km).  

Add a short loop through and/or around Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park.  

Finish at Charlton Station, 830m off route, after 7.1 km of the walk.

 

Refreshments en route: positively plenty, see the webpage or the walk directions pdf for details.  

Lunch (at the end of the walk): six establishments to choose from - between café, boulangerie, pub, bistro, restaurant. See the webpage or the walk directions pdf for details. 

Note: London is now a Tier 2 Area: no mixed households indoors.

 

For  walk directions, maps, height profiles, photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.42