Tower Bridge - Greenland Pier - Greenwich Power Station - Thames Barrier: 11 miles (17.5 km)
Reaching Tower Bridge once again (via London Bridge Station) by rejoining the path at Hay’s Galleria and continuing through the archway, the path leads onto cobbled Shad Thames. The scene is now set for the character of this section by the multitude of warehouses that lie ahead at the waterfront. Once waterside, the view downstream from the path offers up some of the secrets that wait along its course. Immediately passing tasteful Butlers Wharf including its pier with replica paddle steamer, St Saviour’s Dock now beautifully preserved, is crossed over via a modern steel suspension footbridge. Docked alongside at the Downings Roads moorings are a wide variety of historic trading vessels/house boats including the distinctive Harpy. Leaving the immediate riverside via a small alley and following Bermondsey Wall West, a gaze back to Tower Bridge from Tempus Wharf, provides a lovely tableau of both historic and modern London.
Onto Bermondsey Wall East, through Fountain Green Square, Cherry Gardens and via Angel Wharf finds memorial statues of Dr Alfred Salter and his wife Ada, dedicated to eradicating the squalor in the area. Passing through King’s Stairs Gardens, the path eventually leads onto Rotherhithe Street but first it acknowledges St Mary the Virgin Rotherhithe, rebuilt in 1715, the historically famous parish known for the embarkation point of the Mayflower in 1620 and the rallying point for its cargo of Puritans. Further along passing The Brunel Museum and Rotherhithe Tunnel entrance, a formidable road bridge crosses Surrey Water. Taking to the riverside once more, the path follows the comparative sharp bend in the river alongside Georgian style townhouses with both Canary Wharf framing the view ahead and Limehouse to the left on the opposite bank. Returning to the road at Canada Wharf and the Blacksmith’s Arms, turning left into Nelson Docks and the Doubletree hotel complex with eye-catching water fountains, the path now becomes a long south bearing promenade adjacent to Durands Wharf and the Surrey Docks Farm (excellent cafe). Ahead stands New Caledonian Wharf and a little further on, Greenland Dock, when once across the pedestrian bridge, Greenland Pier awaits from where the Thames Clippers depart, and which now brings this first section 3(a) to a close.
Crossing over South Dock, and the busy marina, Canary Wharf starts to open up across the water and the path now resumes the promenade riverside. Technically in Deptford now, and passing the old boundary stone the path turns right into Pepys Park and on through Sayes Court Park and imaginative municipal playground. Now inland a short urban section follows twisting via Prince Street, Borthwick Street across Twinkle Park if preferred, and then onto Watergate Street and back riverside. Ahead lies Deptford Creek but the view downriver, on this occasion obscured by a large luxury cruise liner, reveals the expectant bustling Greenwich riverfront overlooked by the unmistakable masts of the Cutty Sark.
Crossing the modern, and ‘bouncy’ suspension bridge over the creek, Greenwich is now only minutes away. Passing modern developments, a few canons of old maritime lineage, the town centre emerges and very quickly the concourse that proudly exhibits the Cutty Sark (1861). At this point the Greenwich foot tunnel can be accessed via the red brick entrance to the left but the path continues passed the prow of the clipper and the crowded Greenwich Pier. The promenade now reveals the magnificent Royal Naval College that stretches onwards facing the river and the pink Egyptian like obelisk dedicated to Joseph Bellot. Once passed, the path tucks in behind the very patriotic (post jubilee celebrations) Trafalgar Tavern, via an alleyway passing the Yacht pub and a beautiful riverside garden in front of the Trinity Hospital almshouse (1616). Immediately behind now stands the imposing and substantial Greenwich Power Station, under which its sturdy jetty, the path continues and which now brings a close to this middle section 3(b) of the Thames Path.
The course of the path now enters into and out of a succession of industrial sites centred about the Victoria Deep Water Terminal and its many aggregate heaps. Initially though a glimpse of the O2 Arena (1999) and North Greenwich peninsula tantalise the spirit and give a landmark to bear towards. A golf driving range unexpectantly lies waiting ahead as the O2 arena fully returns into view, the path up till this point being a little ramshackle and shared by pedestrian and cyclists alike. Known as Blackwall Point with Blackwall immediately on the opposite bank, home to both East India Dock and Bow Creek, the promenade now passes an array of modern glass built tower blocks and apartments, interleaved with modern sculpture from the Millennium Dome Project (2000). Unknowingly, in between the two Blackwall tunnels, the Greenwich Meridian is here marked by the ‘Here 24859’ signpost (noting the circumference of the earth at this point) and forms part of ‘The Line’ art trail project (2015). A veritable wildlife habitat now unfolds along the Promenade suitably eclipsed by the Ecology park which now lies ahead.
At this point a visit into the Peninsular shopping plaza for lunch or a welcome restorative is recommended before heading on towards the Thames Barrier at Woolwich. The path now passes under the Emirates Air Line cable car (Oyster) that spirits travellers across the river to Royal Victoria Station and ‘Quantum Cloud’ (2000) the sculpture by Anthony Gormley. Reaching the Jetty and more sculpture and the aforementioned Ecology park, the path takes in the working river and skirts around Greenwich Yacht Club, industrial buildings, cranes and loading piers. Ahead now is Woolwich with Charlton to the South and the Anchor and Hope Pub to which a return after reaching the barrier is further recommended. The Thames Barrier (1982) very quickly forms into view, the path providing an excellent viewpoint to admire its nine timber clad steel fin shaped housings, the ten concrete barriers/gates of which are raised in between. Taking the steps and then the underpass reveals a walled mural of the profile of the river Thames from source to barrier, all 184 miles. A fitting tribute to celebrate this engineering marvel and the 45 locks and 70 meters fall the capital’s river undertakes from Lechlade to the sea, and the close of this final section of the South Bank Thames Path.
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