Stave Hill Viewpoint, Southwark

Looking towards the City of London.

It was while on a recent trip to Rotherhithe that I finally visited Stave Hill viewpoint, and it was not a disappointment.

Approaching Stave Hill Viewpoint.

Set in the Stave Hill Ecological Park this artificial hill stands stands 9 metres (29.5 feet) in height and offers incredible 360 degree views out across London. There are sixty concrete steps that need to be climbed, but it is definitely worth the climb. There is a handrail either side, to assist those less able.

The 60 Steps.

Obviously, the closest buildings to see are the ever increasing amount of buildings at nearby Canary Wharf, but there is more to see: Nine Elms, the BT Tower, Nine Elms, the City of London and all points in between. 

Millwall Slipway

Hydraulic ram.

Historic places can be easily missed, even when walking the streets and roads of London.

It was while wandering along Westferry Road, on the Isle of Dogs, that I found what looked like a car park and an ordinary entranceway to the River Thames.

At first glance it looks like a simple slipway.

What made me stop were the bollards at the top of the ramp. These weren't your typical car park bollards, but ones that I have seen countless times near docks and mooring sites. So, I decided to take a closer look.

Heading down the slipway I saw some obviously old machinery, to my left. On closer inspection I discovered that this was a hydraulic ram, once used for closing the long disappeared lock gates.

Hydraulic ram.

The ramp itself was modern, although, as I approached the foreshore, a portion of the old ramp could be seen almost completely covered by sand, rubble and pieces of clay pipes that litter London's beaches.