A Walk Over Tower Bridge
It was a nice day today, so I decided to enjoy the last of this year’s sunshine by going for a walk along the Thames from London Bridge and then cross to the North side using Tower Bridge.
Strangely, I’d never ever walked further from London Bridge than HMS Belfast.
These are a few thoughts.
The Shard
I still don’t like it, as it sticks out like a saw thumb on the South Bank.
At least on the North Bank there is a cluster of skyscrapers, which make a more interesting and comprehensive backdrop.
The Tower Of London
I’ve only ever properly visited once, when a friend from University; Dave Roberts, visited me in London.
Although I did go to see the poppies. See Viewing The Poppies In The Rain. But I never went inside.
City Hall, London (Southwark)
The former City Hall looked all sad and abandoned, as it was being refurbished for whatever purpose.
I can’t think what use it will have except possibly as a showroom for Chinese EVs.
The deal between the Kuwaiti government, who own the building and London’s politicians, doesn’t appear to have been the best interests of both parties.
The Girl With A Dolphin
The Girl With a Dolphin sculpture is on the North side of the River Thames in front of the Tower Hotel.
This article in the Times, which is entitled The Naked Girl With A Dolphin At Tower Bridge? That’s Me, Says Virginia Wade, reveals the story behind the sculpture and its sculptor and model.
Conclusion
This is a walk I can recommend, as there are some excellent photographic opportunities. I think, I was lucky as the light was good and there was little cloud.
A Cruise To Barking – 13th May 2022
I noticed earlier in the week, that the Thames Clippers now go all the way to Barking Riverside. So I went today.
Note.
- I boarded the boat at the London Bridge City Pier.
- The easiest way to get to this pier is to get a 21, 43 or 141 bus from Moorgate or Bank station. to London Bridge and walk along the South Bank of the river for perhaps a hundred metres. Walking from London Bridge station is a bit tricky.
- I alighted at Barking Riverside Pier, which will be a short walk to the new Barking Riverside station.
The route is a mixture of historic and modern London and places passed include.
- HMS Belfast
- The Tower of London
- Tower Bridge
- Canary Wharf
- Cutty Sark
- The Royal Naval College, Greenwich
- The O2
- The Thames Barrier
- Wooolwich Arsenal
Many have piers for the Thames Clipper.
The Royal Iris
These pictures show what is left of the former Mersey Ferry, the MV Royal Iris, which is rusting in the River at Woolwich.
I remember the ferry, when it was resplendent in green and yellow in the 1960s. I also remember going on one evening party cruise up and down the Mersey.
It’s rather a sad end for ship that has many happy memories for many.
According to Wikipedia, there is a campaign to return the iconic ferry to Liverpool.
London’s CrossFerry
The Thames Clippers keep on going and now at many times, you can go all the way between Barking Riverside and Putney.
It’s not that slow either and in the open waters East of Tower Bridge, my phone was saying that the ferry was cruising at 40 mph.
If it has one problem, it is that the Thames Clippers don’t have an all-day timetable, that is simple.
If it is going to be a pseudo-train line across London, then there needs to be a two boat per hour service across the city. This will be needed more as more housing is built at Barking Riverside.
I know Barking Riverside will be getting the Overground in the Autumn, but unlike the Thames Clippers, that serve Canary Wharf, the City and Westminster, the Overground will serve a swathe of housing, rather than employment, across North London.
Viewing The Poppies In The Rain
I went to The Tower today to see the poppies.
Seeing them in the rain, might have made the whole thing more poignant in a way.
But certainly rain or not, the field of ceramic poppies is truly spectacular.
The Opening And Closing Of Tower Bridge
Surprisingly, I’d never seen the opening and closing of Tower Bridge from up close. But as today, I hadn’t anything planned and the BBC London News said it would open twice at 10:30 and 17:00, I decided to go and look.
The boat that requested these openings was the SB Kitty.
Along To Tower Bridge
I then walked on to Tower Bridge.
The prohotographic exhibition was in front of City Halland was for an organisation called 2020Vision.
I timed my arrival for just before 10:30, as the BBC had announced the bridge would be opening at that time. There is a list of opening times here.
In Search of Daura
According to the Internet there is a Spanish gluten-free beer called Estrella Damm Daura, but finding it has proved somewhat difficult, as the site is a bit dodgy and the contact form doesn’t work. So as the Internet also said that it was available at a pub called The Draft House by Tower Bridge, I decided that today I’d go and search.
So I took the reliable 141 bus to London Bridge and walked along the river.
HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge
Finally I found the pub on the approach to Tower Bridge.
The Draft House, Tower Bridge Road
They do stock the Daura, but I found something more to my taste.
The Anonymous Widower 