Limehouse, Shadwell, Wapping, St Katharine Docks – 4.7 km

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 takes you along the Thames Path that links London Docklands to the ancient sites of the City of London. It starts at Limehouse Basin Marina and then hugs the rivers through Wapping before finishing up at St Katherine Docks and the Tower of London on the eastern edge of the City of London.

This is a 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 'add-on' routes.

THE EXPERIENCE

This scenic route takes you along the river and into the heart of what used to be the London Docklands in Wapping before emerging next to the Tower of London on the eastern edge of the historic City of London. The route touches many historic dock sites, including Limehouse Basin, Shadwell Basin, Hermitage Quay, Tobacco Dock, and St Katharine Docks. It travels through what used to be the centre of London Docks in Wapping, today represented by the Ornamental Canal. The route travels close to the notorious sights associated with pirates, such as Execution Dock and Wapping High Street and famous pubs, such as the Prospect of Whitby and Captain Kidd.

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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.

Google Map

The Google map shows the main route in red 

Strava Map

HIGH SPEED VIDEO OF THE ROUTE (7:03)

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

• The route is quiet along most of the way, except around the Tower of London at the end. It is great to do at any time of the day, but the early morning is best as the light is at its best and it's even quieter!

• The Tideway Tunnel works near King Edward Memorial Park (Shadwell) are still ongoing, and there is a temporary Thames Pathway diversion in place  until early 2026

• The Tower of London is open from 9:00 am Tuesday–Saturday and 10:00 am on Sundays. The Tower Wharf by the river opens from 7:00 am

• Route and Accessibility – This is mainly off-road with some uneven surfaces and a few steps.

• Route Blogs –It's best to have the Detailed Guide (blog) and either the Google or Strava Map available on your mobile for reference.

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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:

• Limehouse Marina

• Start of the Regent’s Canal

• Thames Path Riverside Views

• King Edward Memorial Park

• Shadwell Basin

• The Prospect of Whitby

• Tobacco Dock

• The Ornamental Canal       

• Hermitage Basin and Gardens

• St Katherine Docks

• Tower of London

• Tower Bridge

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.

Click on the picture to go to the 360 virtual tour map

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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 not many places to eat and drink along this route with most being at the end around St Katharine Docks and around the Tower of London. Howerver there are a few surprises and highligts such as Gordon Ransay's Bread Street Kitchen (1) at the start, the Prospect of Whitby pub (2) at Shadwell and Smith's Restaurants by Hermatige Riverside Memorial Gardens (4)

 

THINGS TO DO LOCATIONS

The route has many attaction for the eyes and is easy on your pocket, as well as giving you a grand entrance into the city of London. The Tower of London (7) is the only one that has an entrance fee if you want to go inside.

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. However, there are plans to extend routes at the start to explore the canal network, in the middle around Wapping, and at the end to explore around the Tower of London.

FOLLOW ON ROUTES

If you want a 'follow-on' route, try the 'Tower of London, Old Billingsgate, & the Monument - 1.5 km Route' This is part of a connected series of routes that will take you across London to Hyde Park.

We will be launching new routes at regular intervals, so join our email list to get an early look at these and our other special blogs on London’s history and culture.