Thames Walk to the Source: Greenwich to Tower Bridge (North Bank)

After nearly being washed away by the floods in Oxfordshire last week, we decided to return to a more urban route until the path upstream dries up again. The Greenwich to Tower Bridge section of the path is a rare bit of walking on the north bank of the Thames in central London which is not primarily a road walk. It was a walk through the most moneyed part of redeveloped docklands with small patches of older social housing in North Greenwich (old definition before that tag crossed over to the south bank of the Thames and became used to describe the area around the dome) and also in Millwall. In the background for most of the walk were the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf. The second part of the walk was along the waterfront of the most densely and claustrophobically built-up part of the old docklands in Limehouse and Wapping - an area which is primarily up-market residential rather than offices. Just before Tower Bridge we reached the originator of docklands redevelopment St Katherine's Dock which began transforming itself into luxury hotels and a marina 40 years ago in 1968. Picture above shows the entrance to Greenwich foot-tunnel with Canary Wharf in the background.

Greenwich Foot Tunnel

Ian and Raja on Island Gardens beach, Greenwich Power Station in the background

Climbing plants on wall in Island Gardens

A spectacular leap between two Millwall skycrapers

Traffic light tree at Heron Quay contains 75 working traffic lights

Broken Umbrella on riverside at Wapping

The tower of the Wapping Hydraulic Power Station which in 1977 became last hydraulic power station in the world to close

The gallows outside The Prospect of Whitby where we had lunch. It is the oldest surviving Thameside pub dating from 1520. The gallows commemorates the fact that it was the favourite drinking spot of Hanging Judge Jeffries who was responsible for convicting 300 people to be hung following the suppression of the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685.

Execution Dock where prisoners who had been hung were washed over by three tides and where the famous pirate Captain Kidd was hung is slightly further along the road at Wapping Old Stairs by the Town of Ramsgate pub.

Umbrella tree outside Wapping Hydraulic Power Station