Docklands – Middle Dock, Westferry & Limehouse – 2.3 km
- Philip Carey
- Oct 16
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 10
This comprehensive set of guides for runners and striders provides all the necessary information to complete the self-guided route in one place, allowing you to explore at your own pace. This route travels away through the western half of Canary Wharf, via Cabot Square and Westferry, towards Limehouse Marina and its canal network.
This three-in-one guide :-
The Familiarisation Guide provides all the core route information.
The Sightseeing Guide and Virtual tour guide add points of interest and 360-degree information.
The Connoisseur's Guide offers recommendations for places to eat, drink, and be entertained, as well as suggestions for exploring the surrounding areas and 'add-on' routes.
THE EXPERIENCE
This route starts outside Canary Wharf Station. It goes through the tranquillity of Jubilee Place Park to emerge in Canary Wharf Plaza with spectacular cityscapes and views along Middle Dock. It follows the northern shore before heading off to Cabot Square and then down to Westferry Circus and the River Thames. The route then hugs the Thames Path until it crosses Limekilm Dock Bridge to emerge onto Narrow Street. It heads a short way west before diverting into Ropemakers Park and then into Limehouse Marina, where it follows the dock shoreline until it reaches Limehouse DLR Station
It's good for cityscapes, skyscrapers, river and dock views, parks, marinas, history, icon sights, boat and train access and shopping. It is mainly off-road, with several places to eat and drink at the start and in the shopping areas
THE ROUTE FAMILIARISATION GUIDE (Level 1)
This guide provides you with the essential information you need to become familiar with the route before you arrive.
An overview map, My Google Map, and Strava Map to help guide you along the route
A video showing you what the route looks like as if you were running it at over 40 km/h.
Information to bear in mind along the route.
MAP OF THE ROUTE
The links to My Google and Strava Maps are designed to help you keep on track and limit the chances of getting lost. They don't provide turn-by-turn directions, but they do show your location relative to the route. They will open in a new tab.
The Google map shows the main route in red
HIGH SPEED VIDEO OF THE ROUTE (4:47)
The high-speed video of the main red route is designed to get you visually familiar with the route ahead of your visit. It shows you a runner's view as if they were sprinting at over 40 km/h
THINGS TO BEAR IN MIND
This is usually busy within Canary Wharf during the week but quiet along the rest of the route. The quietest spots will be towards the end of the route in Ropemakers Park and Limehouse Marina. The best time to do it is on weekends in the early morning when the lighting is at its best and there are not many people around.
There are more than 300 shops, cafés, bars and restaurants within Canary Wharf in the five shopping malls, as well as stunning riverside locations. The core opening hours are Monday to Friday; 9 am to 8 pm, Saturday; 10 am to 7 pm, Sunday; 12 pm to 6 pm
Route and Accessibility – A mix of pavements, parks, and dockside and riverside paths with steps around Cabot Square and Westferry.
Route Blogs –It's best to have the Detailed Guide (blog) and either the Google or Strava Map available on your mobile for reference.
THE ROUTE SIGHTSEEING GUIDE - (Level 2)
Once you are familiar with the route, why not take the opportunity to familiarise yourself with the sights along the way, take photos, and learn a bit about the area's history the next time you take it? The sights include:
South Dock Views
South Quay Footbridge
Jubilee Park
Middle Dock Views
Canary Wharf Plaza and Views
Cabot Square and Shopping Centre
Museum of London Docklands and North Dock
Westferry Circus
Thames Path Riverside Views
Ropemaker Park
Limehouse Marina
For more information on these and other sights nearby, see the gallery and the supporting text below
Virtual Tour Guide
This virtual tour guide is designed to help you familiarise yourself with the route and enhance your memories of 'being there'. Clicking on the picture will take you to a new page showing a map of 360 locations in the area. Click on the location icons, and you will be transported to an interactive 360-degree view of that area - in a new tab.
THE ROUTE CONNOISSEUR'S GUIDE - (Level 3)
Once you are familiar with the route and its sights, why not become a connoisseur of the area and explore the surrounding routes that will uncover new things to see, places to eat, drink, and be entertained?
FOOD AND DRINK LOCATIONS
There are plenty of places to eat and drink in Canary Wharf - you just need to know where to look. The map below gives you an indication of the areas, such as the food hall within Jubilee Place and Canary Wharf Shopping Centres (2), around the dockside close to Harbour Quay (1), around the station at Crossrail Place and around the North dock by the Docklands Museum and Cabot Square (4&5). Alternatively, you can use the Canary Wharf link to find exactly what you are looking for at https://canarywharf.com/eating-drinking/. Finally, there is a small selection along Narrow Street near Limehouse Marina, including Gordon Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen & Bar.
THINGS TO DO LOCATIONS
Canary Wharf provides plenty of options to suit most tastes and age groups. However, unlike the centre of London, they are not always that easy to find, which may be why they have created a web page to help: https://canarywharf.com/see-do/. The map below provides an additional list focusing on places where you can get the best views of Canary Wharf and visit free spaces of cultural and visual interest, such as the London Docklands Museum.
ROUTE EXTENTION
Apart from doing the route in reverse and reinforcing the route mentally and physically, there are no other route extensions available at this time
FOLLOW ON ROUTES
If you want a 'follow-on' route, try the 'Limehouse, Shadwell, Wapping, St Katharine Docks – 4.7 km route.' This is part of a connected series of routes that will take you across London to Hyde Park.
