Thames Path - Thames Barrier to Kings Cross (via Millennium Bridge)

Earlier in the year I had walked from Kings Cross along the Thames to Battersea in a successful attempt to try and enjoy journeys through London, rather than just head through as fast as possible.

So when I was down in Rochester, meeting up with friends and set to head home, I decided to book a train later in the day, and tick off another section of the Thames, starting at the Thames Barrier - and then working up the Thames - before heading over Millennium Bridge, and cutting up to Kings Cross.

While the Thames Barrier is near to Greenwich - and not far from the core of Central London - as soon as you start walking here, it becomes very obvious that this is a more ragged and industrial part of London - away from the glitz and glamour of the centre.

Walking into London from the Thames Barrier, the route diverts through a few industrial sites and it is at this moment that I decide that this is as far as I will go along the Thames in an easterly direction. And a quick check of how the Thames looks further out to sea on Google Maps confirms this decision - it looks pretty industrial and what I've seen of the river from trains backs up this view. And so, here I am heading towards central London at my furthest planned outward point on the eastern side.

Continuing on a bit, the path bends around the Millennium Dome, and while this was a section I had been looking forward to, in reality it is not that great, with it still having a very industrial feel, and with fences keeping you on your allocated section of path. The views across the river are, however, much better at this point.

Looking across the river from the Millennium Dome

Putting the largely disappointing area around the Millennium Dome behind me (I have deemed it unworthy of any photos), the path heads round the loop, and starts to show more promise in the distance.

Coming round the bend I find the Old Royal Naval College, and decide to have a wander through here and up to Greenwich Park.

This is more like it

With Canary Wharf in the distance

There is a bit of guesswork involved in finding a route through, but generally I follow the crowds and find a way up past the Queen's House. The house was commissioned in 1616, and takes a lot of influence from Italian Renaissance styles. I don't head inside, but do enjoy a poke about on my way past.

Queen's House

From here I head on and up, through Greenwich Park and to the Old Royal Observatory. Here you find the Prime Meridian point for the World, but it is a bit of an ugly building all the same, and I don't pay to go in - and instead just have a look around and a look at the views. It was commissioned in 1675 by Charles II, but most the most important thing seems to be those wonderful views.

The view climbing up to the Observatory at Greenwich Park

Here you find my one and only permitted shot that includes the Millennium Dome, which does actually look rather attractive now there are sufficient miles between me and it. Something about not being able to see all the metal fencing makes it a much more attractive structure to look at.

But having made it up to the top of the hill, it is time to head back down to the river, and so back I go, joining back up with the Thames at the Naval College, and then round, heading past the Cutty Sark at Greenwich Pier.

Cutty Sark

You have to hand it to London sometimes, because let's be honest - there aren't too many places in the world where you can just go for a wander along a river, and head past a nineteenth century ship that used to sail to China and back. Once again though you do have to buy a ticket to get full access, and it is a mere £22 to walk the deck of the Cuty Sark. Feeling that it might be better just to stay and look at it from here I save my money and continue my walk.

Heading on, the path crosses over a small bridge on an attractive section beside the river, before heading inland to pass through Deptford, and round a big and well secured industrial site as it does so.

This section is not so enjoyable, but soon you are back onto the riverside and heading off through Greenland Dock, which has a marina and a few locks to take a peak at.

From here, the route heads up past City Farm, and then on round through the increasingly developed London landscape, generally following along the riverside, but occasionally having to cut inside on a long stretch running round to reach Tower Bridge, and the core of Central London.

I have just glossed over quite a long stretch of the river, but that section is pretty similar all the way through. It is interesting to look at, and to see how London is being developed, but without too many major highlights along the way (there is admittedly a high bar on this walk).

Arriving at Tower Bridge, this section of walking really hits its peak.

Tower Bridge

What you have to remember about London, is that it actually used to be fairly small, and so the core historical sites all fall within a fairly small radius - surrounded by sites around the outside that used to sit more in countryside.

London from Greenwich Hill in 1680

As a result, this core of London falls over a very small area, with London having been more of a town than a city in our sense of the idea. Indeed in 1680 London had a population of 80,000 people, which would be the modern equivalent of Burnley, Carlisle or Guildford.

I decide to head over Tower Bridge, buffering up against the crowds along the way, and then having crossed over the river, head on past the Tower of London.

Tower of London

A visit is not particularly cheap, but you can buy a ticket that covers both the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace, which can be handy if you plan to explore the whole stretch of the River Thames down as it heads out of London. I just take a look at it and head on by.

Heading along the river, with views out of HMS Belfast across to the other side, I head under London Bridge and Cannon Street Railway Bridge 

HMS Belfast

Then having reached Southwark Bridge, I decide to head across and follow the Thames on the far side - taking a look at the Globe Theater as I go. This used to be the theater where Shakespeare performed, but there is something about it I don't like (it feels a bit Disney-fied and far too shiny and modern) and so I settle for a picture of it as it used to look, rather than my actual photo.

The modern version is a bit to clean and pristine, with garish banners advertising the next event in front

From here I don't have much farther to go, before I reach Millennium Bridge (made famous by both being the Wobbly Bridge and from Harry Potter films). This bridge would apparently wobble if too many people walked across, but it is fairly busy and it is not wobbling today (dampers have been fitted apparently).

One of the highlights of crossing this bridge though, are the direct views up through the buildings to St Paul's Cathedral, which I head up towards today.

St Paul's Cathedral from Millennium Bridge

From the Cathedral I have to head north and slightly west to reach Kings Cross, and while I don't remember the exact route, I head past the Old Bailey and then St Barts Hospital (scene of the famous Sherlock TV series fake death) on the way.

There's not too many highlights along this stretch, but it's not too long before I'm at Kings Cross and ready to head northwards on my train. I am a little early though, and so I take the tube out to Regents Park and here kill a bit of time, before heading back in time to get my train.

Disclaimer: This writeup provides a narrative of what to expect rather than a route guide to follow. The route is covered by the 177 OS Landranger map - while there is also a Thames Path guidebook for the section following the Thames, which includes OS mapping (links redirect to Amazon). The route along the Thames is in general well waymarked - the route up to Kings Cross is normal street navigation.