Saturday, November 27, 2021

London Walk

On Monday youngest brother and sister and I went for an interesting 10 mile walk across part of East London.

We gathered at Waterloo Station where being early, I enjoyed a coffee on the first floor coffee veranda.

We walked from the  station through side streets to the River Thames footpath and headed east.


The weather was chilly but sunny. The shard (pictured left)  came into view after about twenty minutes and was worthy of a picture when after  walking quite a while, we came closer up to it.

                              

                                  The photo above shows the remains of an old ruined estate in the City, though Google gives no clue as to the site in question and I did not take a note of the details published there alongside the site.

We walked onto what I believe is a replica of an old tea cutter see below. 







Next after what seemed quite a walk was Tower Bridge (below right).

  

Then an old iron bridge (above left) which none of us recognised.

Shortly afterwards we had a fish and chip lunch kindly provided by younger sister.

Subsequently, much refreshed on to the Rotherhithe Tunnel which I had not walked through since teenage years. In those days, the tunnel which is for walkers only, was somewhat dark and very poorly lit by the occasional light bulb, with dank, dark water dripping  occasionally down the tunnel sides. Today, as the picture below  illustrates, the tunnel is still pretty basic but there is more lighting and fewer drips. Mr Khan the London Mayor warns that some £150m is required to modernise parts of London's infrastructure apparently including the tunnel,  some of which structures  it is said, are at risk of being closed otherwise.

Then on to Canary Wharf. 

I recalled that during the very successful London  2012 paralympic games, with three others, we held the paralympic flame in Canary Wharf and were besieged in so doing, by throngs of people taking photographs. Canary Wharf is of course less crowded now  but the Covid-19 pandemic in England, seems to be abating and workers are returning to Canary Wharf and indeed the City, once more.


From Canary Wharf, the Jubilee  Underground line back to London Waterloo, was a relief for tired legs and feet.

Time: Several hours. Distance: About 10 miles.








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