Crossing the Thames - No 6 - The Hilton Hotel Ferry - 9th May 2014

Today's walk from EC2 to SE9 took me across the Thames via the Hilton Hotel Ferry, which operates seven days a week between Canary Wharf Pier and Hilton Docklands Riverside Pier. During peak rush hours the service is every ten minutes otherwise it's 20 minutes. It's operated as part of the Thames Clipper Service.

I had a leisurely stroll down to Canary Wharf, the slowest yet, and as I approached I could see the Ferry going backwards and forwards, I was obviously in time for the rush hour service, not that there were many people rushing about on this most pleasant of late spring evenings.

The Ferry Twin Star

Canary Wharf Pier

Waiting for the Ferry

Destinations from Pier

I'm not sure how many commuters the ferry serves but a few people got off and a few people got on with me. The ticket cost me £2.65 with an Oyster Card discount, you get a massive 10% discount.

One really good bit of news is that I discovered that the Canary Wharf pier has public toilets. Quite often walking home I have the need and normally have to wait until I get to Greenwich but now I have this option.

The Ferry(the Twin Star) has ample internal accommodation plus a few seats on the decks at the bow and stern, I think there the right nautical terms. Whether you can access the stern seats I'm not sure as I never ventured that far. I stood in the bow below the Captain in his little bridge and enjoyed the trip. The actual crossing takes about one minute plus a further minute each end to manoeuvre in and out etc. The views were good, up river towards the City, and back across to Canary Wharf. Looking downstream you could just about see Greenwich.

The view up stream to the City

On approaching the Hilton Hotel, as the tide was going out, or maybe in, a sandy beach had be revealed which was being enjoyed by a number of dogs and their owners.

The Captains Bridge

The Sandy Beach

To exit the Ferry you have to go via the hotel where there is a desk where they collect and sell tickets etc.

It took me a rather longer to complete my walk this evening, not getting home until 21:30 having left slightly later at 17:30. I did stop off for a beer at the Dog and Bell in Deptford, but I've done that before without slowing myself down, and I did stop off at Deptford Creek to film the Bert Prior unloading, maybe I just walked slower tonight.