This walk covers a lot of ground I am familiar with. Starting at Blackheath station it crosses the heath and enters Greenwich Park for a circular tour of that, then down to the Thames and around the Greenwich Peninsular to North Greenwich tube station, around 6 miles. Another walk from Inner London Ramblers.
So after a slightly complicated trip from Waterloo I arrived at Blackheath station around 10.45. The streets of Blackheath were busy, not helped by a traffic jam round the corner, but after here the walk was largely traffic free.
The Victorian water fountain sits at the corner of the heath. Nearby is All Saints church built in 1857.
The inside of the church. After leaving the church and working out from my map which way to go I was misdirected by a chap who wanted to help and took a somewhat longer route across Blackheath than I should have done.
Across the busy Shooters Hill Road at the traffic lights and into Greenwich Park. First stop Queen Caroline's bath, all that remains of Montague house. Caroline, estranged wife of George IV, never became queen and rumour has it she rarely used the bath.
The Rose Garden, looking somewhat bare at this time of year. Then Rangers House, now an art gallery.
Soon Greenwich Observatory comes into view and after a steep climb its wonderful view of London.
The Observatory and the Shepherd Gate clock by the meridian.
The remains of the Queen Elizabeth Oak then further on a mound where the remains of a Romano-Celtic temple lie, featured by Channel 4 Time Team in a 1999 excavation.
The walk continues along Queens House and the National Maritime Museum to exit the park St Mary's gate. Through Greenwich town and past the Cutty Sark to reach the river. At the Old Royal Naval College are the Painted Hall on the right and the Chapel of St Peter on the left. I went inside the chapel which was very ornate but there was a choir practice going on and photography was not allowed.
I stopped for lunch at the Trafalgar Tavern which was most pleasant then continued through the old streets of Greenwich. By the power station is the Thames Tale painted on the wall, a story of Stan and his dog going for a walk along the river.
Out of Greenwich and the towpath swings round the Greenwich peninsular. The O2 and Morden Wharf come into view. The Alcatel Jetty is open to the public and offers a superb view back to Greenwich. It is interesting how the path around the peninsular has improved. Originally this route was impassable and the Thames Path went directly across the peninsular. As recently as 2019 I found parts of the route thick mud among the various building works. But it is now complete and you can walk the whole way on proper paths.
Views of Canary Wharf and the O2.
Starting with this innocent signpost, Here, there now follows a series of artworks along The Tide, each with a sign explaining what it is about.
By the Quantum Cloud and a reed bed I left the towpath and followed a raised walkway towards North Greenwich station where I caught the train home. The Ravensbourne building continues the art theme with it being clad as a tri-coloured jigsaw.