A Fascinating Stretch of The Thames: Maritime Greenwich, Greenwich Peninsula, Charlton, Thames Barrier, Royal Woolwich Arsenal
This is a list of previous times this walk has been done by the club (since Jan 2010). For more recent events (since April 2015), full details are shown.
Date | Option | Post | # | Weather |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sun, | Sunday Walk - To the Scandinavian Christmas Fairs, The Long Way ‘Round! - Woolwich to Rotherhithe | 8 | dry start then increasingly wet | |
Thu, | Evening Walk - The most fascinating stretch of the Thames Path: Maritime Greenwich, the Peninsula, Charlton, Thames Barrier, Royal Woolwich Arsenal | 3 | fine summer evening | |
Thu, | Evening Walk - The most fascinating stretch of the Thames Path: Maritime Greenwich, the Peninsula, Charlton, Thames Barrier, Royal Woolwich Arsenal | 6 | balmy conditions | |
Thu, | Evening Walk: Woolwich to Greenwich -- Far East Thames Path | 8 | dry cold conditions with an arctic wind | |
Thu, | Evening Walk - The best stretch of the Thames Path: Greenwich to Woolwich | 5 | mostly wet | |
Sun, | Sunday Walk - SE London Short Walks (I): Thames Path - Greenwich to Woolwich Arsenal | 7 | mildly cloudy and warm for the season |
6 walkers met at Woolwich Arsenal, and 5 of those had never walked the bits east of Greenwich, so progress was slow, what with all the historical buildings, info panels and vistas up and down river. Building works just after Woolwich Ferry have finished so much that the Thames Path is reinstated along the river. The (flood-prone) waterside path at the Thames Barrier was open as well, so the mural showing the course of the Thames could be studied. There or thereabouts we 'lost' the photographer. The remaining 5 went into The Anchor pub for elenvenses (and a toilet stop).
The photographer had now passed us but was sms'ed and walked back towards us. Near the Dome we then lost the shortcutter, whom we only met again at the Norwegian Church.
Lunch was had in the Octagon Room af the Enderby House pub, a splendid little room indeed (octagonal, you guessed it). Near Greenwich village we bumped into walker 7 who had walked back from Canada Water tube, having hoped to bump into us a little earlier (I did say we were quite slow, did I?). By that time we had already lost 1 walker though to taking the train home from Greenwich mainline (work given as reason), later we lost another one to Deptford mainline station.
Once into Surrey (as it were), and on account of definitely wanting to get to the Christmas Fairs a good time before their closure, we then cut through the Rotherhithe Peninsula from South Dock via Greenland Dock and Canada Water to the churches on Albion Street, where we bumped into walker 8.
Everyone ate and drank something and most if not all also bought more stuff to take home. Earlier spittle and drizzle had by now been replaced by rain, so everyone dispersed into their respective directions by Overground, Underground or bus.
dry start then increasingly wet 8
Additional feedback from shortcutter (in my defence the section around the dome is not that scenic and I have walked it before). At the dome a Peninsula market with food stalls and the odd Christmas fairs was present. Regarding the walk it was a challenge to follow the text in reverse but commendations must go to Thomas. The predictive rain did arrive but not till later hence it did not deter from the enjoyment of the walk.
Just 2 walkers starting at Greenwich, later joined by 1 other at North Greenwich, late from after-work drinks. 3
Weatherwise it was perfect, especially after weeks of autumnal weather. Warm-ish with a faint breeze, the passing clouds producing some magnificent cloudscapes and those then leading to a superlative pre-sunset and sunset. fine summer evening
After a short stop at The Enderby for a drink, we then went non-stop to Woolwich, arriving just after 9 and settling at The Guard House for a meal.
I was in 4 minds as to whether to come along. I was pretty tired etc, and knowing number of regulars are away at the mo. Thought, after yesterday's Fav/Whit walk, no one might turn up. And living in the opposite end of London, tangentally, it was a longish way to go.
Strike Update: no trains today through the Central London Thameslink section, by the looks of it. And the last train from London Bridge to Greenwich is currently showing as the 18.04 Dartford service, which arrives 18.11. That leaves the Tube/Crossrail to Canary Wharf, then DLR to Greenwich as the most reliable option to get to the start. Still aiming for a 18.30 start...
Return from Woolwich by Crossrail, then tube or DLR to your destination...
4 met at Greenwich Station (2 off the 2nd last train from London Bridge on the day, the 18.04 to Dartford - the last train left 2 minutes later to Orpington; 1 by bus from Orpington; 1 by DLR from Canary Wharf), and were met by 2 locals at the Cutty Sark (the boat, not the DLR station).
In balmy conditions we went our way, stopping at North Greenwich for a breather, then at the Anchor & Hope for refreshments, to finish in Woolwich for a meal at The Dial Arch pub.
1 took a bus to Orpington, 2 a bus back to Greenwich, 3 Crossrail to Canary Wharf for the Jubilee Line. The tunnel path at the Thames Barrier was mysteriously closed off, so we had to loop around the buildings, else all was as planned and hoped for. 6
As for Crossrail: the 2 stops from Woolwich to Canary Wharf take 8 minutes, and then you spend 7 minutes (platform to platform) walking across to the Jubilee Line! All in, grossly overrated, methinks. Bring back horse-drawn carriages...
Thursday Evening: Woolwich to Greenwich – Far East Thames Path (short walk 42 in reverse)
Distance: Approximately 6.8 miles or 11 km for those more metrically minded
Difficulty: 1 out of 10
Transport: 18:04 train from London Cannon Street (18:09 London Bridge) to Woolwich Arsenal, arriving 18:31
Return: Various – Thames Clipper; DLR; Mainline train
I have always been tempted to post this walk in reverse – starting in Woolwich and ending in Greenwich, as I thought it would be nice to walk towards the bright lights of the Thames barrier, Canary Wharf and the City….I have waiting until the first week of BST in hopes of also having a sunset to enjoy….rather than setting off in the dark….The route follows the Thames Path and is entirely paved and well-lit – so should be fine even after the sun has set.
There are several refreshment points along the route (including a new Brew by Number brewery) that we may choose to visit…There are also two very good riverside pubs on the East side of Greenwich (Enderby House and the Cutty Sark) where we may opt to have a meal. In Greenwich proper there are a number of further options…..
More information about the route can be found here.
Enjoy the walk! t=short.42
There are quite a few delayed trains
We took slightly less delayed thameslink, setting off from woolwich arsenal at 18.48...anyone on cannon street train should easily catch up on river.
In the end we have waited for cannon street train...
Notwithstanding a number of cancelled trains, 7 managed to meet outside Woolwich station from modes of transport other than the appointed train.....After a bit of discussion, we opted to wait in the frigid cold for the appointed train to see if anyone was aboard....no one emerged from the station -- so we set off somewhat briskly to warm up....in dry cold conditions with an arctic wind . We enjoyed a nice sunset as we traveled west with what looked like a major squall passing through/across central London at one point (did not affect us)...After the sunset, the lights of Canary Wharf beckoned....we stopped for a bevie break near "The Tide" on the O2 peninsula where number 8 joined us. Since we had already had a drinks stop (and given our late departure to start), we bypassed the BBN brewery and went straight to the Enderby House pub -- they were accommodating and found a place for a group of 8 at 9pm without a booking.....though a number of interesting items from the menu were no longer available which was a disappointing -- but, my dish was interesting and very tasty -- hopefully everyone else also enjoyed their meal. With trains still being cancelled most scurried off to the 10:20something at Maze Hill, leaving the one local to continue on to Greenwich proper. A fun night out -- thanks for braving the mid-winter conditions!
The most fascinating stretch of the Thames Path: Maritime Greenwich, Greenwich Peninsula, Charlton, Thames Barrier, Royal Woolwich Arsenal
For walk directions, maps, height profiles, photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.42
Just me, at the posted start point, at the posted start time. It had started to seriously rain just before I left the house, so I wasn't expecting many folk, but still: no one attending at all looked a bit harsh.
But then 3 figures appeared up on the platform waiving at me, they had - of course - not read the walk posting in detail and tried to start from the wrong exit...
A bit later there was a text from a 5th walker who mysteriously was ahead of us, so eventually we proceeded as a group of 5 .
A useful feature of Thames-side walks like this is that usually they feature plenty of pubs, which in bad weather offer a potential refuge from particularly inclement periods. So about 500m into the riverside stretch of the route, we succumbed to the lure of the Trafalgar Tavern, just to shield from some hard rain for a moment. The footie was on, the first glass soon empty, so that a vote was taken on whether to move on or to have a meal there. A meal it was.
Sometime later (it was halftime at the game), the rain had turned to barely perceptible drizzle, so we did walk on. We took the shortcut across the Peninsula and then the short ending at Charlton station, for the 22.07 train.
mostly wet
A Fascinating Stretch of The Thames: Maritime Greenwich, Greenwich Peninsula, Charlton, Thames Barrier, Royal Woolwich Arsenal
6 off the train at the alloted time, making good progress until a refreshment stop at The Anchor & Hope in Charlton. 1 other walker waited there already while 1 returned along the route to meet a friend.
Currently at Woolwich, for a stop at Boulangerie Jade, before the afternoon walk.
7 mildly cloudy and warm for the season