Thames Crossings - Greenwich Foot Tunnel

With a bad back, a sprained ankle and an early start tomorrow (04:45 for a trip to Carlisle for the footie) I decided to keep it simple today to ensure I got home as quickly as possible. This coupled with the knowledge that the Tall Ships would be on display at Greenwich and apparently Canary Wharf I decided to walk home via the Greenwich Foot Tunnel.

This took me back to the route I used to follow when walking home, first started when I was in training for the Caledonian Challenge 10 years ago. The route takes me via Whitechapel, Limehouse, Canary Wharf and then along the river to Greenwich, under the river, through Greenwich Park across Blackheath and on into Eltham.

As I walked along the river I expected to see the Tall Ships, Canary Wharf was passed, no ships, Deptford was passed, no ships, Moathouse Pier no ships but there was an impressive tug Portwey, Falmouth.

Steam Tug Portwey

Tall Ship

Isle of Dogs Entrance

Didn't look as if it was going anywhere but it was steaming. As I began to turn the corner and Greenwich came into sight I saw some sails. Yes, a Tall Ship in the middle of the river, tacking and splicing the main brace ready to repeal borders.  

Then I spied a couple of other ships, these were only small ones on the far shore doing nothing. Well at least I had seen some, but not the host I had expected. I'm going "up the Shared" on Sunday, travelling by the Thames Clipper so hopefully I will see more.

There's quite a Festival going on this weekend including a firework display tonight and trips and visits to the ships themselves.  Greenwich was quite busy with people coming and going there were a lot of tents on the open space by the Cutty Sark and also int the grounds of the University. Parking had been suspended, not that many people where taking much notice of this. There was even parking on Blackheath, not very well patronised.

But I'm jumping ahead of myself what about the Tunnel. What can I say about a Tunnel, you go down by the stairs or the lift (when it's working) and walk along the tunnel to the other side.

Avoiding the cyclists. Cyclists have always been the bane of the foot travellers, even when I used to use the tunnel by bike at the turn of the century. They have tried all sorts of things, including barriers midway through the tunnel. The Greenwich Tunnel unlike the Woolwich Tunnel is always busy basically it starts somewhere and finishes somewhere, people want to go to Greenwich and even the Isle of Dogs!

Greenwich Tunnel Entrance

If you interested you can details here about the tunnel.

And here's my video of the crossing, almost as exciting as DLR one last week!