St Katharine Docks & Marina

St Katharine Docks & Marina

St Katharine Docks Marina is a fascinating place to wander through when taking a walk along the north bank, and makes for the perfect starting or finishing point. As from here you can walk to Hermitage Basin, on to the Ornamental Canal and Tobacco Dock and finally Shadwell Basin, returning via the Thames Path or continuing east towards Limehouse Basin and Canary Wharf.

Looking towards St Katharine Docks & Marina from the Ornamental Canal.

Anyway, St Katharine Docks & Marina begins directly east of the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. The entire area has been redeveloped over the recent decades and this once bustling dock is now filled with a hotel, offices, lavish apartments, a historic public house, cafes, restaurants and a marina.

The 18th century Dickens Inn.

The Marina is home to yachts, barges, small boats and on occasion the Rowbarge 'Gloriana' can be seen here, along with other visiting vessels.

Rowbarge 'Gloriana'.

Lift 109 at Battersea Power Station

Emma and I at the top of Lift 109.

Friday March 10, 2023.

For our 11th wedding anniversary Emma and I had decided on a trip to London, where we would go for a meal, take in the sights and stay in a hotel.

Emma had also booked a trip up the newly opened Lift 109 at Battersea Power Station, which I was unaware of until the day.

It was a blustery and chilly afternoon as we arrived at Battersea Power Station where we grabbed a coffee from one of the local coffee vans, before taking a walk around the perimeter of the building. We then headed inside the enormous building that had been lovingly restored and refurbished.

You can just make out Lift 109 sticking up out of the top of the chimney.

I won't talk about the Power Station itself as I will be writing a blog about this magnificent building soon. Suffice to say that I was blown away by the sheer scale of the interior.

After a spot of lunch, we made our way to the reception area for Lift 109 and, after passing through the now customary metal detector, waited patiently in line.

We didn't have to wait long and were soon in the interactive area, where we could control the power grid and look at some of the original machinery that had been left over. Original records and media displays brought to the life the history of the building.

Time to control the power grid.

We also stood by the green screen and, after choosing a background, stood for our photo (above) which we would collect on the way out.

Moments later we made our way to the lift lobby where the walls came alive with flames, sparks and a depiction of London's skyline.

London's skyline.

We then moved into a lift that took us up to the start of the 39 steps, that spiralled around the interior of the chimney, that would lead us to Lift 109.

Ready to enter the lift.

RAF Bomber Command Memorial

It was on my first visit to the memorial that I began to write more about London and its history, which led me to create this blog. 

The memorial, itself, is an amazing piece of work that inspired me to write a number of pieces about it. That is how much of an impact that it had on me.

Should you find yourself in London's fourth largest Royal Park, then you should definitely take in this huge memorial.

'Elfin Oak' by Ivor Innes

When wandering around London, especially with my girls, we sometimes have a plan of where we are going. At other times we just arrive in London. Alight from the train. And then just follow our feet.

Visiting the Elfin Oak was one of those planned days out, where we took in the Diana Memorial Playground, Kensington Gardens and the Italian Gardens, before heading through Hyde Park to Green Park.

After an exploratory of the Diana Memorial Playground both Erin and Keilyn were fascinated, as was I, with a fenced off stump of oak covered with elves, fairies, gnomes and animals.

There were gnomes stealing eggs, a witch and a banquet hall among many other carvings. 

The girls were so captivated with the peace that Emma and I managed to finish our coffees, which were piping hot, long before we had finished looking at art in front of us.

Isle of Dogs

Canary Wharf across the fields.

One of the places that I have begun to visit more and more, lately, is the Isle of Dogs. Not just the Canary Wharf area, the Museum of London Docklands or Crossrail Place Roof Garden (which is beautiful in the summer months), but the rest of this piece of land that has the River Thames meandering around it. 

The North Dock.

From the historic launch ramps of the SS Great Eastern to the oldest public house on the Island. From Cubitt Town to Millwall. From Mudchute Park and Farm to Island Gardens, there is much to discover.

Crossrail Place Roof Garden.

To walk around the Isle takes less than two hours and it is a revealing experience. 

One Bank Street.

Unlike many other areas in this neck of the woods, the history of this piece of London and its people has been kept. This may have something to do with the east end ethic of history and community, rather than a conscious effort on the part of local government.

The oldest pub on the Island.

Regardless, there is always something to discover and wonder at as you wander around what was, up until fairly recent times, a patch of marshland that was prone to flooding.