Tower Hill to Greenwich...

Thursday 5th July was a Mater and Daughter walk, postponed from the 4th as the weather had been so foul. So we set forth - starting at the plush Tower Hill tube station I soon discovered that the hardest bit was following the directions to actually get down to the river!!

(I think I moaned about the directions supplied in the Observer's supplement more than once during the day - they were ambiguous)

So on reaching the River Thames (our key landmark for most of the day) we stumble on the HMS Belfast...

... City Hall ...

And the iconic Tower Bridge.

A recurring landmark on our travels was the Gherkin - which I loved as it meant I could tie together the views from earlier in June with the grounds eye view... the Tower of London for example, and the historic Traitors' Gate.

We were then instructed to cross Tower Bridge to the south side of the river. I regaled my mum with stories of how I had been fortunate to attend a party at the top of the Bridge when Baggy worked with at the Pool of London Partnership. It had been a sunny warm evening, the wine had been free and the sunset amazing. After which there were fireworks. Splendid! Back then the Gherkin was still a work in progress.

The views from the Bridge - out towards our eventual destinations...
I am not sure I had appreciated the grandeur of the dock side buildings which would flank the river on both sides as we headed East - here is an early in the walk example - Butlers Wharf.
And so we leave Tower Bridge and the city behind. Heading for the Design Museum and New Concordia Wharf.

The regeneration taking place is awesome - more riverside apartments than you can shake a pirates hook at.

You will see that as we walk east the angles of the view ahead and behind us change dramatically - the Gherkin being a reference appearing to our right and at other times to our left - such is the kink in the river.

More beautiful architecture - 'just' riverside structures.

We passed by Brunel's Engine House - which was being restored. If you go make a point of wondering over the benches outside it - they are modelled on IKB's famous bridges! The venture itself was a father (Marc Brunel) son one - with Isambard picking up where his pa left off. A small gem hidden in the heart of Rotherhithe.

We peered over the bank side and saw some shingle and were going to stand on the beach - but we were soon warded off by some very aggressive geese who were defending their goslings.

Aah- little goslings!

Spot the tug - taking the rubbish to Hucking no doubt

More riverside architecture. It was at this point we had to detour away from the river again and head for Surrey Docks Farm. It was late morning and we were in serious need of a coffee. So we ventured into the farm for a cuppa and were swayed to have some early lunch - a baked potato with tuna mayo. In terms of Michelin Stars - we're talking NONE. In terms of taste - we're talking none. In terms of the worst baked potato ever we are talking top of the class!!

So we ate the bits which were edible as we feared the lady who served us was having a bad hormone day and with the pigs/turkeys/goats in the yard there was little hope of a quick get away should the scene turn nasty. Sustained (he hem) we continued in our merry way.

Towards the view of the 'new' city - Canary Wharf/Docklands
Looking now towards Greenwich you can just make out the Royal Observatory ... but for ease of viewing here is the enlarged version!
The photos paint a different picture to the actual jaunt. Much of the walk is away from the river side - walking through the housing developments of Bermondsey, Rotherhithe and Deptford. Truly unexplored parts of the city for me.

Rarely venturing so far from the heart of the city you are made fully aware of much 'space' still exists outwards - and how different the landscape is - reflecting this part of the city's roots. Oh yeah and the widening river!

So as I may have mentioned the directions for this walk were scant! I quote: 'Walk through Pepys Park following the red tarmac, then go left down Grove Street.' We found the red tarmac. We followed it... all the way to a construction site's 6 ft chip board wall. As you can see from below a block of flats now stand slap bang in the middle of Pepys Park...

But at least the red tarmac park comes out the other end... So to Grove Road - just - bear left - or something. I had a 'cob on' by now. The directions were not clear enough - but hey we did get to see some more wildlife on the detour I ended up taking us on...

The city gets ever further away as we creep, I mean zoom, ever closer to Greenwich...
Ahh there Mater goes - coming up to the Greenwich foot tunnel entrance - posted on the sarf bank. I was going to post a picture of the Cutty Sark but blue tarpaulin is not very inspiring.
Then the old Royal Naval College - Greenwich
The Dome lurks behind the north side apartments - sorry the O2...
The National Maritime Museum..
Canary Wharf 1 - Gherkin 0
Fully exposed O2
Good old Nelson! The pub stop naturally!


The views from the Royal Observatory - taking me back to school trips - yes there were 2 - one in primary school (I can still see Nicola James with her flared skirt and umbrella) and then again at secondary schools - (Jo Pilgrim, Katrina Hayward, Lorraine Bootes and others resplendent in yellow blouses and navy jumpers - beetroot & cheese sarnies in rolls that my Mater had made)
And so we come to the end of our trip - the Greenwich foot tunnel - to the north shore and a great view back across the Thames.
Total mileage - 10.189

Steps - 20495

Bonus Points - 8