Thames River Crossings - Tower Bridge Friday 25 July 2014

Fire Station in the Lower Road

I've done this bridge countless times but I've not yet filmed the walk across so that was the objective today. The other factor is an evening with congenial company at the Dog and Bell in Deptford. It also meant I was not walking all the way home today, only the 4/5 miles to Deptford (slacker).

You will recall we had had a lovely week weather wise, unfortunately the heavens decided open between 17:30 and 18:30 and boy did it rain. I was however prepared I had brought my waterproofs with me. So whilst I did not get wet from the rain I did get wet from the sweat I generated on my walk!

Surrey Canal Road Bridge

Lots of other people, mainly tourists, where inappropriately dressed and therefore took cover wherever possible, in subways, doorways, arches, shops and the like. I always find if I shelter from the rain for any great length of time, ie more than 5 minutes, I immediately need to use the loo! Those people who were obviously City workers were not bothered by the rain and promptly stomped off to ensure they caught their train home from London Bridge. A number of people had very flimsy plastic capes which ripped to shreds at any slight gust of wind.

At least the rain moved the tourists off the middle of the bridge as they huddled in the lea of the Tower Bridges towers to get away from the rain, this enabled my walk across the bridge to be a lot easier than normal.

Captain Benbow was 'ere

Once across the bridge I planned to walk along the river, it's slightly longer but far far more interesting.

In the end I decided I would walk along the road as given the rain speed was of the essence. I must say that the walk to Deptford along Jamaica Road, Lower Road and Evelyn Street must rank as one of the most boring stretches of roadway in London, there is almost absolutely nothing of interest on route,  apart from the Deptford Tunnel approach road and the Swedish church, an old bridge over the route of the former Surrey Canal, the occasional attractive row of terraced houses and Surrey Quays Overground Station.

I did divert on route as I neared Depford to visit Sayes Court Park, Captian Benbow used to live here before promotion to Admiral. It's quite a pleasant park, especially if you are a wino!

After a evening of good beer and good chat we departed home via SouthEastern Railways to Woolwich Arsenal where I decided to walk home having felt cheated by my short walk to Deptford.

Here's the film of my crossing.

All Aboard with the Admiral!: Thames River Crossings - Queen Elizabeth II Bridge...

All Aboard with the Admiral!: Thames River Crossings - Queen Elizabeth II Bridge...: A return to the River Thames Crossings today, following my sojourn along the London Loop. As I’ve enjoyed my travelling into Essex so much ...

Thames River Crossings - Queen Elizabeth II Bridge - 18 July 2014

A return to the River Thames Crossings today, following my sojourn along the London Loop. As I’ve enjoyed my travelling into Essex so much I’ve decided to return to cross the Queen Elizabeth II bridge between Purfleet and Dartford using the Ensign X80 Bus between Lakeside and Bluewater and then walk home from the first bus stop on the southern side of the river.

Railway Station

To avoid having to wait at Lakeside for the an hour for the 19:00 bus I leave work early at 16:30 which will enable me to catch the 18:00 bus, but first I must catch a train to Chafford Hundred a “new town” created during the late 1980’s early 1990’s, had it been built at the beginning of this century I expect it would have been named Chave Hundred. I must admit I was taken aback by the number of people of alighted the train at this small station on a single track line that also serves Lakeside. Apparently more than half the flats (in the estate) were repossessed during the early 1990s housing slump, impacting it so significantly that prices fell by half.

Covered Bridge to Lakeside

It’s a quick walk under the railway along a covered footbridge down some stairs to enter the House of Fraser (the shop not the undertakers from Dad’s Army) and entry into Lakeside shopping centre, or should I say the Intu Lakeside Shopping Centre as it likes to brand it’s self.

I remember visiting the Shopping Centre when it opened in the early 90’s in the midst of the previous recession, there were lots of people there but only window shopping, not many bags were in evidence. This evening it’s quite being just before six, its had a face lift since I was last here, and as far as Shopping Centre’s go it’s not in the same league as Bluewater, which appears slightly more upmarket, if that’s possible for a Shopping Centre. Bluewater has more exclusive stores whilst Lakeside has a lot of high street names and a rare example of an HMV outlet. In typical Essex fashion plumb in the middle of the main thoroughfare of the centre is a glitzy Champagne and Cocktail bar with a huge cut glass chandelier (I doubt it’s cut glass).

Cocktail and Champagne Bar

Tracking down the bus station was a feat of map reading as its located behind Debenham’s at the far end of the centre. I wanted to get there in plenty of time to ensure I got the top front seat so as to give me uninterrupted views whilst crossing the Thames. I think I may have queue jumped as I was the second person on board. Unfortunately the ticket machine was playing up and I had to wait whilst the driver called up support from the depot, well a small hut across the bus station. I ended up being the last one on the bus. However, no one had taken the front seats so I had these all to myself, all four of them and the front window was particularly large just right for the wide vistas I was eagerly anticipating.

The downside however was the sun, which was extremely hot and being intensified by the marvellously large window, it was like sitting in a greenhouse. I could hear other passengers commenting on this as they moved to sit on the shady side of the bus.

It’s a quick trip to the Bridge, just one stop on route, even during the height of the rush hour on a Friday evening, our driver was manoeuvring his bus to move into the left hand side lane, which took as behind a three decker sheep transporter and even being in the confines of the bus I could smell them. Travelling in that heat can’t have been nice, although they did have the benefit of free flowing air as the sides where open. It was an Italian lorry so I hope they were not going all the way to Italy.

I was not disappointed by the views which were immense up and down the Thames and the hinterlands of both Essex and Kent. There were large boats in the river a small yacht tacking backwards and forwards. Eurostar and HS2 trains zoomed past on route for Paris and St Pancreas. There were power stations, jetties, oil containers, and all manner of industrial building alongside the wider areas of marshland. The only downside was the traffic, big lorries kept overtaking and my view to the right would be obstructed temporarily. 

The trip across the bridge took something like seven minutes and forty one seconds, and on leaving the bridge the bus turned left to make its way to Bluewater depositing me in the middle of knowwhere, although Premier Inn and the Beefeater Grill had thought this was a good place to build, which I guess it is given it’s close proximity to the major river crossing.

I was now in the hands of Google Maps to get me home, well that’s not entirely true as I of course knew exactly where I was but normally I’m here encased in a car. Google deemed it a good idea to direct me along the A206 to Crayford where I could pick up the road that goes in a straight line through Crayford, Bexleyheath and Welling and up Shooters Hill. Unfortunately the A206 is a duel carriage way without any footpaths. I had to negotiate my way around a series of new housing estates weaving in and out of roads and paths trying to keep as close as possible to the A206. Finally I ran out of alternatives and had no choice but to walk along the duel carriageway, however, I was not alone as I passed a couple of people on route and there was a pretty well defined path in the grass along the side of the road.

It was about 9 miles to get home and the trip was uneventful, Bexleyheath was beginning to busy up for Friday evening, whilst the sky was beginning to darken as the storm clouds began to roll in . It was a race home to beat the forthcoming storm. It finally broke as I was walking across Oxleas Meadow with fork lightening and loud rumbles of thunder, the rain held off just as I got home only to pass my daughter who was on her way out to watch the storm with Flosi!

A short film of the crossing, well 7 minutes and 46 seconds to be precise!

London Loop Video Rainham to Purfleet

Short 4 minute video of the my walk from Rainham to Purfleet to complete the London Loop

Thank God that's finally finished! - The London Loop Rainham to Purfleet

I've finally finished a most disliked walk, the London Loop has not been enjoyable and to cap it off the final section along one of the better section was undertaken on a duly, humid July evening a fitting mood under the circumstances.

Not a lot to say about this walk, it was only just over five miles long, mostly along the Thames riverside, which would not have been the case if I had undertaken this section a few years back as the route used to go around the back of the landfill site it now goes along by the river. Shame about the weather, if it had been sunny I think I would have been in a far better mood!

The Giant Hogwwe

Crossing Rainham marsh

The route kicks off by crossing the HS1 and Eurostar routes, then it cuts through some waste / marsh land with an abundance of wild plants and loads of giant Hogweed, felt like I was on the film set for day of the triffids. I then crossed under the A13 and continued along more wasteland / marshland with the hum of the A13 always in the background. I had seen a few people along the path before the A13 but now I saw no one. The path crossed a road and appeared to be sending me up a blind alley as there was a high wired fence topped off with barded wire, but following a slight gradient I found myself on the top of the river wall and the walk now continued all the way along the river to Purfleet.

Ahead of me were an array of large metal silos, these turned out to belong to the Tilda Rice processing centre. They have a jetty on the river front so must receive most of there products by ship.

There were a number of information boards along the way giving a brief history of the area, there was a ferry between Rainham and Erith for the purposes of joining the Pligrims Way dating back to 1199. Another ferry served the monks on the south side at Abbey Wood served the monks at  Lesnes Abbey. They used to cross the river to attended Rainham Church. Then there were the concrete barges leftover from the D-Day landings and the Gunpowder magazine at Purfleet which served as the main Gunpowder store throughout the Georgian and Victorian times.

D-Day Barges

Tilda Rice Processing Uni

Of course the best view of the walk was the QE2 bridge, unfortunately with the atmospherics today the views were not that great!

QE2 Bridge

Just before you arrive at Purfleet there is the RSPB reserve, I could see it way off, multi coloured in different tones of red and orange with what looked like two large up turned paper cups on the roof and wondered what it was, it also boasts a draw bridge.

Gunpowder Magazine at Purfleet

I passed a grand total of two people between joining the river and arriving at Purfleet, both dog walkers with nothing to say, mind you nor did I.

Oh dear what do I say about Purfleet, maybe it would have benefitted from the five gunpowder magazines blowing up to enable some new town planning to take place. I can't say I saw anything that was pleasing to the eye. The row cottages called Botany Terrace I guess sums the town up. Maybe I missed the best bits, but I doubt it, sorry Purfleet.

Well that's that, what sticks out from the 152 mile walk which started on 15 May 2009, not a lot but here goes!

1. Snow at Farnborough Kent

2 taking Flosi with us and having a drink in Farnborough and sitting away from everyone only to find we were by a door which suddenly open to be confronted with a dog - let the dog wars commence!

3. Finally visiting five arches at Cray

4. Drunks shouting abuse at us in Feltham

5. Travelling on a bus replacement service to the end of the Jubilee line at break neck speed, more like a ride at Alton Towers than a bus service, only to be told by the driver that he did not realise he had any passengers.

6. Finding out there was not a Sunday service from Banstead station and having to walk an extra 3 miles on a very hot Sunday afternoon

7. Getting soaked walking from Enfield to Cockfosters and then going on to Barnet to find a pub that did shit beer and then saw AFC get stuffed by Barnet 4-0

8. I've enjoyed the process of walking the last three sections after work on a Friday evening, especially as the weather was so nice.

9. The stretch through Addington Hills was a time for reminiscing as I went to School round here, we even stopped off at the Sandrock for a drink.

10. Healthfield Park at the top of Gravel Hill in Croydon needs to be revisited when the rhodaderons are in bloom, again I remember this from my school days.

11. Walking through Bushy Park one summer was nice, the deer were close by and we were joined by Emma and had lunch in Hampton.

12. Whilst not a very nice part the Shot Tower in Crane Park was unusual and unexpected.

13. I always enjoy walking along canals, so the section along the Regents Canal was good.

14. Stanmore tube station was rewarding!

And that's about it!

And this is where it all started in May 2009!