(1) Tower Bridge to Greenwich (south bank)
It was a crisp (okay freezing) day, but the sun was out, when I met a friend at London Bridge for our walk along the Thames Path. Although I have walked this section before, it’s amazing how much I’d forgotten. Well, it was several years ago when I last walked it.
We walked through Hays Galleria to join up with the Thames Path where we had to go carefully in the beginning as the frost hadn’t all melted. The smooth paving slabs were slippery and we both almost fell over. We picked our way through, choosing drier patches or rougher slabs until eventually walking became easier. I love walking along Shad Thames where the old warehouses have been converted into apartments, their walkways crossing the path above you and festooned with plants and flowers. I failed to take as many photos as usual, so please have a look at this website for some great information and photos to do this walk justice. There are some stunning shots and a handy map.
Just off the path is a square with a lovely fountain, the edges of which have little bronzes (maybe bronzes…frankly it’s a guess!) of a camera, a notebook, a pen etc. There is also a handy cafe here if you need a warm up.
Back on the on the path we next encounter Dr Salter. His statue, and that of his wife, his daughter and cat all occupy this little park. Dr Salter did much for the poor in Rotherhithe, only to lose his own daughter, Joyce, to scarlet fever. Read all about it here at the excellent Look Up London website (who run fantastic walks too).
Cloud covered the sun as we walked further. All along the route there were little gardens with benches which, in better weather, make a nice resting place. The path occasionally takes you off the Thames where new apartments now stand, but you never away from the river for long, nor far from it.
A good stopping place in spring would be Surrey Docks Farm. Only the cafe was open last week, and they stressed there were no toilet facilities (these are in the farm which as I said was not open). Please see the website for opening times. I have been in before, and it is delightful and really worth a visit.
In Deptford there used to be docks from where James Cook set out to discover Australia. But other famous names are associated with these docks too. Have a read of this short article and this excellent website talks about the connection of John Evelyn and Samuel Pepys to the docks.
All that is left of the original docks are these stone pillars.
Walking out of Pepys Park we came across a mile post. It’s not often one sees these type with long distances recorded. I was wondering how one got to Dover from here, but I no doubt there is a pathway somewhere as you head out to Kent where you leave the Thames Path and join another pathway to Dover. Oxford, of course, is on the Thames Path, one of many sections I have not yet walked.
Now it was possible to see Greenwich in the distance. At some point on the walk I had changed my socks because my original pair were chaffing. I believe they were too loose so that my foot was sliding in them. It is always a good idea to have spare socks (and plasters) on long walks! The change helped, but it was good to know we weren’t far off our main stop.
The sun was out again, and our thoughts turned to food and toilets! For lunch we found The Old Brewery where we had a most excellent soup in wonderful surroundings (see photos). It was a chance to sit and recover. We talked about walking on to the Thames Barrier, our original destination, but having studied the map (and knowing there was a long haul around the O2) we decided to end our walk in Greenwich. Besides which, I don’t think our legs were quite up to another three to four miles. We’d walked near on eight miles already. That was enough.
From Greenwich it is an easy journey back into London using the DLR and changing at Canary Wharf to the Jubilee Line.
If you enjoyed this, do take a look at a walk I took in 2014 – a circular walk from London Bridge to Tower Bridge incorporating both sides of the River Thames with a couple of stops to view inside churches. You can read it here.
(2) Putney Bridge to Hammersmith Bridge
I was meeting a friend in Hammersmith and decided to take the bus to Putney and walk there along the Thames. The day was brilliant, but freezing (again). I know this section well, as I have walked along it many times, as well as having visited Fulham Football Club, which sits along the edge of Thames. My youngest son has a season ticket to Fulham but got me and my other son tickets when Spurs were playing Fulham. So we were there on the same day, but he was in the home end and we were in the away end. It was too far across to see him and wave!
Fulham Palace and its gardens sit to the right of the path. Always a delight to visit if you have time. The house is interesting, and it is easy to get lost in the gardens, or maybe that’s just me! Along the Thames Path is Bishops Park Riverside Walk, another lovely diversion. The gardens have a lake with a pretty bridge and lots of wildfowl can always been seen. There is a children’s area and huge sand pit.
Below is one of my favourite parts of the walk. I love to see the trees, winter or summer, hang over the path. It reminds me a little of the walk along Chelsea Embankment.
The walk to Hammersmith takes a little over half an hour, depending on the speed you walk. I had to speed up as I realised I was going to be late! Soon I could see Hammersmith Bridge in the distance. The bridge has been closed for a long time due to structural defects. It is now open to pedestrians and cyclists. This is the second long term closure to traffic I remember. I do hope this time whatever they do works this time. However, these bridges were not meant to carry the volume or weight of traffic they now do.
My London+ 