A walk by the Thames

I woke with trepidation this morning in case I received a call from work saying that no staff had turned up! After 11am I relaxed a bit and we dropped Mikey in Brixworth before going to get some diesel and the Sunday papers.

We'd planned on driving down to the O2 and parking the car there before walking along the Thames. As we drove south the weather improved a bit, although there were some pockets of fog still hanging about. By the time we reached the O2, the sun was trying to come out and we could see patches of blue sky.

We had a quick coffee in Starbucks first (they got my name wrong)...

and then made our way to the Thames path. We walked around the back of the Dome and admired the views over the river towards Canary Wharf.

We saw lots of birds pecking away at something on a sandbank and discovered that lots of little crabs live on the water's edge as well as little fish called "fry". There were Black Cormorants drying their wings and we discovered that over the last 50 years the water quality has improved dramatically which meant that the Thames was home to a wide variety of fish and birds.

All along the river were new developments being built with a hotel and apartment complex going up next to the O2.

We could see remnants of the old wharves and docks all along the river. I would love to find out more about the history of this part of London. One of my ancestors was a "Lighterman" on the river, someone who ferried people across the Thames, very much like a water taxi.

We came across a sign saying we were on the Greenwich Meridian line...

Enhanced by Google+!!

We realised we could make it to the Cutty Sark and back if we quickened our pace. The weather by now was beautiful and the sun really warm.

As we neared Greenwich there were more and more people about and at one pub, The Cutty Sark, everyone was sitting outside enjoying a drink in the afternoon sunshine. We passed the Greenwich Hospital and then the Old Royal Naval College.

There were lots of tourists milling about in the sun and I just wished we had the time to stay longer. I looked into getting a boat back but was told there was a 45 minute wait!

The Cutty Sark - fastest tea clipper on the tea trade

We left Greenwich at about 3.15pm and really upped our pace going back to the O2. I still managed to take a few photos, though!

Sandy shore and discarded tyres

We could see the O2 in the near distance and decided to abandon the river path and head inland as we thought it would be quicker. However, we ended up on a path by the very busy A12 leading into the Blackwall Tunnel and we did wonder, at one point, whether we'd be going through it on foot! However, after walking through a deserted wasteland of old buildings, quarry-type areas and buildings works, we found our way to the Dome and shared a sandwich while waiting for Sophie and Laura.

They arrived a little late, weighed down by their bags and we made our way back to the car and the journey home. The M25 was busy as always but we kept going, which was a bonus with only one quick stop to use the facilities at South Mimms services. The setting sun looked beautiful as we drove along and I wished I'd been able to take a photo.

We dropped Laura off at her home and then went to pick Mikey up from Brixworth. Back home it was great to sit and relax and look forward to dinner!