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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.

Thursday 19 July 2018

Evening Walk - Thames Path: London Bridge to Greenwich (Bermondsey, Rotherhithe, Deptford)

Length: 10.0 km (6.2 mi)
Net Walking Time: 2 ½ hrs      
Drop-out points: Rotherhithe and Deptford stations, just off route.

Meet: Tooley Street exit of London Bridge Underground Station (i.e. not the mainline station exit) at 18.30 hours.
Finish is at Cutty Sark DLR or at Greenwich Mainline  station.

This walk along the Thames Path passes the HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge and riverside pubs and restaurants. It then changes, as you leave the touristy section, and becomes quieter in nature, passing through residential areas ('riverside living') with reminders of the areas industrial heritage, Dickensian in places. The contrast between the modern apartment blocks with riverside frontages, and the LCC 1920s blocks of flats on the other side of the road (away from the riverfront) is of interest to sociologists. 80% of the walk is along riverside paths (with views back to the city), 20% consists of short detours around riverfront buildings. It ends in Royal Greenwich. Throughout there are views across the Thames.
Navigation is easy - keep the river on your left-hand-side and follow Thames Path signposts and discs.

Eat/Drink: lots of choice en route and in Greenwich.

For walk directions, map, photos, and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.245.a

1 comment:

Mike A said...

13 plus a latecomer who never caught up so n=14 on this w=warm_and_slightly_cloudy evening. The group managed to stay together as it passed the hustle and bustle of the footpaths along the pool of London and shad Thames gradually leaving the madding crowds behind as they travelled east towards Rotherhithe. An enormous ocean going yacht called the "Aviva" was spotted moored and apparently belonging to Joe Lewis (who also owns Spurs).
Looking back towards the City, a new pointy building was also spotted, newly arisen and just to the right of the Walkie Talkie.
The pacemakers pressed on but held their speed to sub-light values so those without seven league boots (moi) could keep up. Some took light liquid refreshment at The Angel and viewed the Moated Manor House opposite. No sign of the latecomer so the group continued passing "The Mayflower" at Rotherhithe and on to Greenwich. Keen path watchers spotted the Thames path appeared to go through the lobby of a hotel - more on this later I'm sure.
On the final approach to the Cutty Sark a refreshing breeze revived spirits and a red evening sun sunk towards the City of London Skyline. Here the group split some visiting The Sail Loft and others heading for The Gate Clock (Wetherspoons) and the Tai Won Mein Noodle bar.
All in all, a great evening walk and stress buster.