Walking with friends: Canary Wharf to Mudchute... and beyond

Erin, Keilyn and Alfie, ready for London.

Saturday April 6, 2024.

With Emma having gone away for the weekend, with her friend, and Gary staying with us, along with his son, Alfie, we decided to take Alfie on his first trip to London.

With lunches packed we set off for the short walk to Watford Metropolitan station, where we caught a train to Finchley Road and then a Jubilee line train to Canary Wharf. Alfie fell asleep as we left Watford and didn't wake until we reached Canary Wharf station. As the train pulled in to Finchley Road Keilyn showed off her 'Mind the Gap' t-shirt to the driver, making him chuckle. 

Leaving Canary Wharf station we took the obligatory photo of everyone in Richard Hudson's 'Tear', which everyone should do when visiting the area.

Mudchute Park and Farm is just a short twenty minute walk from Canary Wharf station, which allowed us to take plenty of photos of the buildings, docks. boats and more.

A quick stop at Asda, to get drinks, use the facilities and for Keilyn to have her photo taken with a postbox.

Crossing the Asda car park brought us to the entrance to Mudchute Park and Farm, just as lunchtime approached, so we sat and had something to eat, before taking Alfie to see the animals. Donkeys, peacocks, rabbits, goats, pigs, chickens, sheep and much more were in the various fields, paddocks, pens and stables.

Rendez-vous Tall Ships Regatta, 2017

 

Looking across the River Thames towards the Old Royal Naval College.

Saturday April 15, 2017.

With more than 30 Tall Ships mooring up at Greenwich and Woolwich, I decided to head off with Erin and Keilyn to see these incredible ships.

Arriving at Embankment, by train, we caught a Thames Clipper to Greenwich, as this seemed the most appropriate way to see the ships. Plus, we got to sail beneath Tower Bridge, something the girls and I had wanted to do for a while.

Looking back at Tower Bridge from the Thames Clipper.

As we reached Wapping we began to see some of the tall ships heading towards Greenwich. 

'Christian Radich'.

From our perspective at the stern of our Thames Clipper the tall ships seemed to tower over us.

'Tolkien'.

'Christian Radich', a Thames City Cruise and 'Tolkein'.

Disembarking from our river taxi, we headed into the Old Royal Naval College and soaked up the atmosphere. Music, food and a real festival vibe greeted us.

'Loth Lorien'.

'Vera Cruz'.

'Loth Lorien'.

Suitably entertained by the various music acts and more than suitably fed we made our wat towards the Cutty Sark, before heading down the spiral staircase, of the Greenwich Foot tunnel, and headed northward to Island Gardens.

'Santa Maria Manuela'.

'Tolkien'.

'Hydrogen' travelling from Woolwich.

After a great day looking at the various Tall ships and enjoying the festival atmosphere, we headed to the nearest DLR station and began our journey home.

Old Royal Naval College

Domes and Pillars.

Saturday March 12, 2012.

It was an overcast, but mild, Saturday afternoon, when I took my first trip to the Old Royal Naval College.

It had been on my list of places to visit, within the Unfinished City for many years. I had visited the Cutty Sark and the Greenwich Peninsula, but these buildings had always escaped me.

Thankfully, because of the weather I suppose, there were very few visitors, so I was able to get this shot that I had seen so many times, but never in person.

Since I took this photograph, I have yet to return to these mesmerising Wren buildings.

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