Monday 3 August 2020

Docklands

I decided to return to Greenwich Park at the weekend. As it was a Sunday I was able to park the car which meant I had the time and energy to walk from the park over to Docklands. From the top of the park you have a good view of the skyscrapers of Docklands.

 Docklands is across the River Thames from Greenwich and can be reached by walking through the tunnel under the river. This rotunda is the entrance on the south side. There is a similar one on the other side.

The tunnel opened in 1902 and is 370m long. It was built to give people easy access to the docks. There are steps and lifts down to the tunnel. There are fewer steps on the north side than on the south side of the river. I stopped counting when I got to 100!

Looking back towards the Cutty Sark in Greenwich.








This is Millwall Park with the arches of an old railway line on the right and the ventilation shafts ( I think) of the Docklands Light Railway on the left.


Unusual to see a full quota of rental bikes.

Canary Wharf is not looking so far away now.














I walked beneath the Docklands Light Railway to come out at one of the quays.




These flowers were growing from beneath the concrete wall of the quay. I have no idea what they are but they looked very impressive.

























To me  the buildings are built too close to one another.









I did come across one road of older houses.








Look at the height of this crane!














Canary Wharf tube station.



The roof garden above the new Canary Wharf Crossrail station, not the tube station above.
 

 There are numerous sculptures to be found in the parks and in front of the buildings. Here's just a couple of them:



'Returning to embrace' by Jon Buck
 'It takes two' by Bob Allen


I returned to Greenwich Park more or less via the same route.  By the time I got back to the car I had walked 9 miles.

16 comments:

  1. Wow IT is a great menory i was there about 20 times with my students.i Hope we can come next year

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  2. That was a good hike. Are you in training again for a long distance sojourn with your hiking friends?

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  3. Of course the tall buildings are too close, as they are here. It is up to the planning authorities to limit distances and they don't have either the rules or the will behind them.

    Nevertheless, it all looks nice, except the rather grim tunnel. I love the two sculptures.

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  4. When you came across one road of older houses, did you ask how they had been saved from destruction and preserved, even though they are surrounded by a jungle of sky scrapers?

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  5. Hello,

    What a nice tour, 9 miles you did great. The tunnel would spook me. I love the views of the skyscrapers. The roof garden and sculptures are beautiful. Great post and photos. Have a great day and week ahead!

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  6. Yes the buildings are too close. I also wonder how people in those older houses feel about all the changes that have and still are going on in docklands. Lovely pics as usual.

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  7. Long time ago I have been in Greenwhich and the tunnel but how awful looks the skyline now ! It could be any capital in the world since the Olympics London lost a lot of its charm. At least in my eyes !
    With the new Blogger comments don't arrive in my email box ! Why do they things more and more complicted when it worked in a simple way ?
    Today 3 strong men empty our house for good during 3 days !! And then it's over !

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  8. What a wonderful walk! Thank you so much for the numerous pictures, all very interesting. It was very illuminating as well. Not often I learn so much from a blog post! :-)

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  9. I have been there long ago when the area was new. I was impressed.

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  10. You find the most interesting places and your photos are awesome ^_^

    Live each moment with love,

    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  11. What a treat. What a fabulous tour.

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  12. What a gorgeous view of the skyscrapers. That was a wonderful walk and a fabulous tour.

    -Soma

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  13. That was a good walk!
    I enjoyed your photographs, the sculptures are amazing.

    All the best Jan

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  14. Really interesting ... we did walk some of those places,but not all at once. You are amazing!

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