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A majestic waterfront walk : navigating the heart of a magnificent city
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Navigate the city in 4 easy sections No. Fu rth er I nf or mat io n T he Ma gn if ic en t S ev enml km
Please note that the information in this leaflet is only intended as a rough guide. Detailed travel information, maps, timings and practical walking advice relating to all the routes can be reviewed and downloaded at the Walk London website.
The Thames Path Walk
F i n d o u t m o r e a t
or use this leaflet to mark off your walks section by section.
A gem of a walk - The ThamesPath Walk needs no introduction
as the main artery that runs throughthe beating heart of London. While theNational Trail stretches westwards to the sourceof the River Thames in the Cotswolds, the Londonsection covers a magical 40 miles (64 km) of easy, level
walking on both sides of the river from Hampton CourtPalace, through the heart of London to the East India
Dock on the north bank and the River Darent onthe south bank.
Drink in the sights and sounds from theArcadian landscape of the lost floodplainin Richmond via the vibrant city to theDickensian expanse of the marshes tothe East. Youll see every imaginable
waterborne activity along the way -seagoing ships manoeuvering into their
moorings, trip boats and tugs jostling with floatinggin-palaces, bustling boatyards,marinas and the working wharves
downstream at Greenwich.
Youll discover theres alwayssomething happening on Europescleanest major river - and also why
such an amazing diversity of peopleand wildlife have made it their home.
Tick places of interest
Discover more about The Thames Path
Walk and Walk London by visiting
www.walklondon.org.ukwhere youll
be able to download all the facts, maps
and practical advice you need to plan
a perfect walk - including short video
clips, mp3 audio guides, commentsand links about each route and the
great things youll see along the way.
You can also phone Walk London on:
0870 240 6094
Let us know when you have completed
The Thames Path Walk and well send
you a personalised certificate to
celebrate your achievement. Just email
the great news to us at
[email protected] phone
0870 240 6094
The Thames Path Walkis just one of sevenmagnificent walks designatedby the Mayor to help makeLondon one of the most walkablecities in the world.
North Bank: Hampton Court > Albert Bridge 1 23 37 71/2 hrs
South Bank: Kingston > Albert Bridge 1 15 24 5 hrs
North Bank: Albert Bridge > Tower Bridge 2 6 9.5 2 hrs
South Bank: Albert Bridge > Tower Bridge 2 6 10 2 hrs
North Bank: Tower Bridge > Island Gardens 3 5 8 11/2 hrs
South Bank: Tower Bridge > The Thames Barrier 3 11 17.5 31/2 hrs
North Bank: Island Gardens > East India Dock 4 2 .5 4 .5 1 hr
South Bank: Thames Barrier > River Darent 4 11 17.5 31/2 hrs
Bexley
Kingston
upon
Thames
Hounslow
Richmond
upon
Thames
Newham
Tower
Hamlets
IslingtonCamden
Ealing
Southwark
Lambeth
WandsworthLewisham
Greenwich
Barking &
Dagenham
Kensing
ton&
Chelsea
Ham
mersm
ith&
Fulham
M40
Westminster
1
2
3
4
Hackney
City
M4
M25
M25
M20
A2
M25
M11
M1
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LO N D ON
CanaryWharfOnce marshland, this vibrant area
was reclaimed as secure docks
and now has a new life as a majorfinancial centre to rival the City
of London.
Erit h Marshe sMost of the extensive grazing marshes fromWoolwich to Erith have been built upon, but
you can still savour the delights of a small
part, now an award-winning wildlife area
managed by Thames Water.
Housesof ParliamentMarvel at the majesty of the Palaceof Westminster, a meeting placefor parliamentarians since 1547
and catch, if you can, the
chimes of Big Ben.
South BankTake in a show or catch up on the arts
scene at this important cultural
crossroads which includes the SouthBank Centre, National
Theatre and the National
Film Theatre.
Barne s Wetl and Centr eWallow in the wonder of these 42 hectaresof beautiful lakes, pools and lagoons.
Hampton Court PalacePromenade through the palatial grounds of
Hampton Court and Bushy Park, once
home to Henry VIII.
Syon ParkThe last surviving ducal residence
complete with country estate in Greater
London. Admire the scale and splendour
of the Duke of Northumberland'sLondon home and enjoy the spectacular
Great Conservatory and 40 acres of
gardens.
1 2 3 4
Hampton C
ourt
Sloane
Square
Tower
Hill
IslandGardens
East In
dia
North
Bank
1 2 3 4
Kingston
Battersea Park
London Bridge
orTowerHill
Woolw
ichDockyard
SladeGreen
South
Bank
ThamesBarr ierBe amazed by the sheer scale of the
worlds second largest moveable floodbarrier. The barrier spans a 520 metre
stretch of the river.
Tower BridgeOpened in 1894, Tower Bridge is acombined bascule and suspension
bridge and a truely iconic landmark.
.
Albert BridgeThis Grade II listed bridge
is illuminated by 4,000
bulbs every night and has
the only surviving bridgetollbooth in London.
Batt ersea ParkEnjoy the views across 200 rollingacres. The Park hosted the first
FA football match in 1864.
Chiswic k Pie rFrom ducks to cormorants, bird-
watchers will be in their element. Lookout too for rowers this is the routeof the famous University Boat Race.
Kew GardensVisit the home of the
worlds largest
collection of livingplants more than
30,000 varieties and
a herbarium with over
7 million preservedplant specimens.
Kings tonBrid geLinks the North
and South banks
of the route.
North East Extension
Route under development
Iconic landmarks
Teddington LockPuzzle over not just one, but a complex
of three locks a conventional launch
lock, a very large barge lockand a small skiff lock - at
this pivotal river point.
Time to listen ...
Snaking through the City theriver shakes hands with almost
all of the capitals attractionsand still manages to carry a
part of me away from all thisand out into the ocean.
KEY RAIL STATION TUBE STATION DLR ALLSECTIONSAREWELLSERVEDBYPUBLICTRANSPORT
The LOOP Walk The Capital Ring Walk The Green Chain WalkThe Lea Valley Walk The Thames Path Walk The Jubilee Walkway
The Jubilee Greenway Walk
Its enormous...!
The Royal DocksDept fordDiscover Deptfords important pastas one of the first of the Royal
Dockyards. The statue of Peter the
Great commemorates his visit to
Deptford in 1698.
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The veinof London life
pumping liquid
history throughthe heart of
the Capital.
...alongtheway
The seven magnificent ways to... Walk London The Thames Path Walk
Rarelyleavingtheriverbankthe
ThamesPathWalkissimply40milesofeasywalking
throughtheiconicheartoftheCapital.24bridges,two
ferriesandafoottunnelallowyoutozig-zagbetween
northandsouthbanksanddividetherouteuptosuit
yourmood.Everysectionenjoyseasyaccesstopublic
transportwithintheTravelcardzoneandthereare
generallyextralinksalongthewayincaseyoulose
trackoftime!Don'tworryifyou'renewtowalking
orunfamiliarwiththearea,justvisitus
onlinefirst-you'llfindmoredetailsandlotsofpracticalinformationat
www.walklondon.org.uk
stroll amble saunter dawdle pace hike wander
stride sashay strut mooch stomp roam mosey
march meander gambol glide tread promenade
swagger parade whichever way Walk London
www.walklondon.org.uk
whichever way... Walk London
HamptonCourtPalace
TeddingtonLock
KewGardens
SyonPark
BarnesWetlandCentre
HousesofParliament
TheSouthBank
HistoricDeptford
CanaryWharf
ErithMarshes
RuralRetreatsWherethetranquilriverrollspastworld-
famousvisitorattractions,idyllic
waterfrontsandhistoricpubs,alllinkedby
rusticstretchesoflovely,leafycountry
walking.Enjoythechangingsceneofsailing
clubsandmarinas,locksandweirs,bijoux
cottagesandmansionblocks,playingfields,parksandpavedpromenades.
WorkingWaterwaysThecharacterof
EastLondons
workingriverhasbeen
builtupbycenturiesofhardgraftfrom
HenryVIIIsroyaldockyardatWoolwichto
theRoyalArsenalandgiantdockshandling
exoticcargoesfromaroundtheworld.The
ThamesPathpresentsoldstoriesalongside
newchangesatCrossness,Victorian
sewagedisposalsitsalongsideasleek
futuristicincineratorwhile,westofErith,
anindustriallandscapeofjetties,cranes
andmillsgiveswaytoadomestic
waterfront,setagainsttheslenderarch
ofDartfordsQueenElizabethIIbridge.
HistoricHeartDiscoverLondonshiddenhauntsand
mostfamoussightsasyoustretchyour
legsbesidethisspectacularsectionoftheRiverThames.TheTowerofLondon,
theHousesofParliament,
StPaulsCathedral,Tate
ModernandShakespeares
Globe:theThamesPath
linkstheseandothergreat
iconsofEnglandina
wonderful,easywalk
drippingwithhistoryand
theexcitementof
contemporarycitylife.
SeafaringSnapshotsEnjoyastrollalongtheThamesPathas
itwindsitswaythroughsomeofthemost
evocativespotsonthehistoricriverbank,fromCanary
WharfandtheIsleofDogstothehomeoftheCuttySark
andthegloriousMaritimeGreenwichWorldHeritageSite.
Tracetherise,fallandresurrectionofLondonsgreat
docks,whichoncetradedwidelywiththeEmpireandthe
worldandarenowbornagainwithwarehousesconverted
toapartmentsandcafsandnew
housingliningonce-busywharves.
TheThamesPathWalk:strollalongsidealiquidhistory
Its true - walking has manybenefits. Its been described as"the nearest activity to perfectexercise" - but more than this awalk around London will revealthings that you simply can't seefrom a car or a train and you don'tneed any specialist equipment -
just a comfortable pair of shoesand off you go.
Our capitals networkof parks and open spaces rivalsany other city in the world. Thewalks described here and on ourwebsite are specifically designedto be easily accessible by publictransport and you can travel aslittle or as far as you want bywalking them in sections.
So, whichever way, step out andWalk London... there's lots to seeand a magnificent seven, wellmaintained, clearly waymarked
routes connecting it all together.
Put the busyness of the capital into perspective and relax in the countryside onthe doorstep of the city. Often called the M25 for walkers, The LOOP Walkprovides 152 miles (245 km) of accessible paths that encircle Greater Londonthrough the Green Belt. Its a fascinating journey through new and ancientwoodland, over rolling downs, along the windswept estuary and past historichouses, farms, windmills, village greens and pubs... a perfect escape.
Circle the city along The Capital Ring Walk through ordinary and affluent gardensuburbs with their wealth of open spaces. See the growth of Londons Metroland,passing magnificent mansions and eccentric monuments on a 78 mile (126 km)journey all within ten miles of the heart of London. Take in a panorama of the realcity - of villages and suburbs, canals, commons, parks and woodland, withspectacular views of the city and beyond.
Weave together the allotments and commons, ancient woodland, parkland andrecreation grounds of south-east London by following the The Green Chain Walkfor 50 miles (80 km). Thirty years ago forward-thinking planners acted to designatethis fantastic resource - one of the longest green and pleasant walks available in anycity. Enjoy a wide variety of healthy green spaces from the rivers edge, through thevalleys and into the hills with wonderful views across the city.
Hunt for clues along The Lea Valley Walk to see how water milled, manufacturedand transported the goods that enabled a great city to function. The route shadowsthe Lee Navigation towpath for 18 miles (29 km) from King Harolds burial place atWaltham Abbey, past the Olympic Park to Trinity Buoy Wharf at the confluence withthe Thames. Zig-zag the Meridian Line, pass huge reservoirs and nature reservestowards wild and original marshes popular with migrating birds.
Meander The Thames Path from its willowy western banks for 40 miles (64 km) tothe gleaming Thames Barrier and The Queen Elizabeth Bridge arching across theestuary marshes. Navigate the very heart of London, past palaces, royal parks,working boatyards and leisurely marinas to the regenerated docklands. Historicwaterfront buildings mix with the contemporary while 24 bridges link both banksand reveal a unique maritime heritage along its course.
Walk The Jubilee Walkway to appreciate how central London joins up overground and make the most of the citys symbolic squares and ceremonial routeslinking world class art, theatres and museums with iconic views and architecture.Inspired by the reign of Her Majesty The Queen, the route traces the heart ofLondons major landmarks along a 15 mile (24 km) circular walk providing a perfectopportunity to reflect on the extraordinary history of the capital city.
Connect central Londons 2012 Olympic and Paralympic venues with some of thecapitals best parks, attractions, heritage and views by walking or cycling the 37 mile(60 km) Jubilee Greenway Walk, much of it along the Regents Canal and theRiver Thames. Designated to celebrate Her Majesty The Queensanticipated 60th anniversary this is one of the best ways to getto know London, see the city and meet its people.
More than 7 million walks
are made in London every day proving its one of
the best ways to get around and rivalling any other city
in the world.
Together the Mayor, Transport for London, the London
Boroughs and Walk England are looking after and
promoting seven magnificent walks in and around
London: The LOOP Walk, The Capital Ring Walk, The
Green Chain Walk, The Lea Valley Walk, The Thames
Path Walk, The Jubilee Walkway and The Jubilee
Greenway Walk making London a nicer place to live,
work and visit.
If youre inspired to walk further, looking for a guide or
just need a little more information on the things that
catch your imagination along the way, please visit us
online at www.walklondon.org.ukwhere youll find
maps, route directions and lots of useful tips and links.
Designandproduction:www.sea-
ltd.co.u
k
01227768808
www.walklondon.org.uk
www.walklondon.org.uk