Tower Bridge to Woolwich Foot Tunnel. 12.0 miles (19.0km)

Our room at the Buxton could, without any hint of pretension, be described as bijou. I wish we had slept better, but Brick Lane apparently never sleeps, not until around five in the morning it appears. We treated ourselves to the Full English for breakfast. And a very relaxed occasion it was too, leisurely taken, with soft music in an unhurried ambience. It was with only slight reluctance that we finally departed for our final day on trail. This commencing with a mile walk back to where we left the Thames Path yesterday afternoon. Just for a change, no rain is forecast for the day. Just strong sun and high temperatures. The walk back to the river was mostly uninspiring however I was much taken with life size sculptures by Hamish Mackie depicting the occasion when six horses careered through London until corralled by wall to wall traffic in Leman Street.

We walked past countless wharves, their working names still emblazoned across their fronts and backs. Just about all live on as gutted and repurposed buildings, or are simple replacement buildings for the many thousands wanting a riverside home in a prime location. Nothing wrong with that but it is sad to see that just about no river borne trade exists when compared to the hundreds of years of previous dependence. It seems that most of what now moves by river is leisure and commuter traffic, rubbish and wealth.

The first part of todays section was enjoyable and interesting while much of the final half was pretty poor. We moved from a day of wharves with surviving remnants of London’s trades and industry on to backstreets and either run down housing or the most desirable of ‘rooms with a view’, or office space, all built on the cleared sites of former industry, trades and generations of families. I was fascinated by one remarkable ship building survivor that remains to be seen, now squeezed in between housing. Rediscovered in 1984 and now pumped full of preservative, it is the launch slipway for Brunel’s Great Eastern. At that time it was the largest ship in the world, and would be for forty years. Six months of which was repeated attempts to get her in the water.

Reaching the Greenwich Peninsula we diverted inland slightly, not to visit the over-hyped O2 Millennium Dome, but to take a ride on the IFS Cable Car over the Thames, enjoying a birds-eye view of ‘our river’. Most travellers, if not its builders and backers, will admit that the aerial way connects ‘nowhere really’ with ‘nowhere really’, but it is still a grand ride. We didn’t even disembark on the other side, remaining in our capsule for a ride back.

Then it was time for a mug of tea in the empty cafe at its foot before rejoining the trail along the river’s edge. Again, we had a couple of diversions, poorly routed with equally poor signage. The final few miles had little of interest to see other than attempts to dress things up with some admittedly impressive installations from heavyweight artists, such as Antony Gormley and Damien Hirst.

We reached the original end/start of the Thames Path (since 24 July 1996) at the Thames Barrier. I can see why it ended (commenced) here. The Barrier is a remarkable achievement and sight. It is perhaps going too far to refer to it as the eighth wonder of the world, as some have, but it is still a pretty amazing construction.

In January 2022 the Thames Path National Trail was extended to connect with the England Coast Path at the Woolwich Foot Tunnel and this is now where the National Trail ends/starts. It is not a good extension, a right mess in fact and not enjoyable for much of it. The only thing to be thankful of is that it is mercifully brief.

Having reached the tunnel, for those that wish to walk the Thames as a ‘source to sea’ trail, you can follow the England Coast Path to Grain, a further 47 miles. The Thames Path National Trail itself is now 185.2 miles (298 km). The distinction between the various identities of path are not at all clear, and are not helped by poor signage over its final length and no real finality at the Foot Tunnel. I covered much of the additional length when I walked the 163 mile Saxon Shore Way a few years ago but I suppose I’ll have to return at some point to join the remaining dots.

But for now, our trail complete, we took our obligatory photos at the National Trail sign then walked into the Woolwich Foot Tunnel for the long walk down to and through the white tiled tunnel to the other side. As with the Greenwich Tunnel earlier, having to contend with cyclists swerving around us as we walked.

After last night’s stay above a rather upmarket bistro, our final night’s accommodation was the London City Airport Hotel, located in the Royal Docks. It is simply a travellers hotel with a ‘bar/cafe’ that mostly serves those flying. So, while not the most auspicious of final locations on completion of the Thames Path National Trail, it should have done us fine. However, we had quite a few issues, and I am more than content to never return. They do not deserve an image included here.

From its emergence in a field in the middle of the Cotswolds, we had walked beside the Thames while it steadily grew in size and stature as it headed toward London and beyond. I am pleased I have walked it. However I doubt I would walk it again. There simply isn’t enough variety in terrain to keep me interested. It is the easiest of the National Trails and would suit just about anyone wishing to enjoy it in the same manner we did- walking from accommodation to accommodation, enjoying good food and drink on the way.

The Thames Path- National Trail

• The Thames Path
• The Thames Path: Kemble to Cricklade
• The Thames Path: Cricklade to Lechlade
• The Thames Path: Lechlade to Tadpole Bridge
• The Thames Path: Tadpole Bridge to Bablock Hythe
• The Thames Path: Bablock Hythe to Osney Bridge, Oxford
• The Thames Path: Osney Bridge, Oxford to Abingdon
• The Thames Path: Abingdon to Shillingford/Warborough
• The Thames Path: Shillingford/Warborough to Goring
• The Thames Path: Goring to Sonning
• The Thames Path: Sonning to Marlow
• The Thames Path: Marlow to Windsor
• The Thames Path: Windsor to Chertsey
• The Thames Path: Chertsey to Hampton Wick/Kingston-on-Thames
• The Thames Path: Hampton Wick/Kingston-on-Thames to Putney
• The Thames Path: Putney to Tower Bridge
• The Thames Path: Tower Bridge to Woolwich Foot Tunnel