L15 - South riverbank trail from London Bridge to the Tower of London (2.5 km)

philip carey
Aug 20, 2022
7 min read

Updated: Jul 19

Start at London Bridge Station

Finish at Tower Hill Station

THE EXPERIENCE

This route is a perfect mix of historic sights and spectacular riverside views of the City of London. It takes you from London Bridge Station to Tower Hill, along the south side of the river Thames, provides stunning views of the City of London and passes many of its most famous sights such as London Bridge, Hays Galleria, HMS Belfast, City Hall, Tower Bridge, St Katharine Docks and the Tower of London. Its northern shore is steeped in history, whilst its southern shores show how well the industrious Port of London has been redeveloped.

It is great for history, iconic sights, cityscapes, museums, culture, fantastic riverside and dock views, sunrises/sunsets, and cathedrals. Numerous eating and drinking spots along the way support it.

London Bridge to the Tower of London Bridge Opening

MUST SEE PLACES

What to See List

1. The Shard

2. Borough Market

3. London Bridge

4. The Queens Walk

5. The Hays Galleria

6. More Place and City Hall

7. Tower Bridge

8. Shad Thames

9. St Katharine Docks

10. View onto Tower Bridge

11. Tower Of London from Tower Wharf

12. Tower Hill – Execution site

PLACES TO EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY

Areas to Eat, Drink and Be Merry List

1. Borough and Borough Market

2. London Bridge Station & The Shard

3. Around Hays Galleria

4. Around More Place

5. Along Tooley Street

6. Butlers-Wharf – Shad Thames

7. Around St Katharine Docks

8. Around Tower Millennium Pier

9. Around Bayward Street

10. North of Trinity Square

BEST TIME

Morning - The best time to do this route is on weekends in the early morning when it is quiet and free from crowds and heavy traffic.

Day - Most of this route will be busy during the day.

Evenings - Quieter during the evening.

ROUTE OVERVIEW

This riverside route starts outside London Bridge Station at the Tooley Street exit opposite London Bridge Hospital. It heads across the road to St Olaph's House and the small passageway to the left (St Olaph Stairs) that leads to the Queen's Walk and some spectacular river views across to the City of London. Turning right will take you towards Tower Bridge, past the Hays Galleria, HMS Belfast, More Place, the Scope and City Hall, with wonderful views across the river to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. It then crosses Tower Bridge and, on the far side, goes down the steps into St Katherin Docks to do a quick tour of the marina before returning to go under the bridge and onto Tower Wharf. This follows the perimeter around the Tower of London on the western side before crossing over to Trinity Square Gardens and finishing off at Tower Hill Station.

Route at a Glance Video.

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Strava map

My Google Maps Link

DESCRIPTIVE PHOTO GALLERY

This gallery provides a descriptive and visual reference to many sights along this route. Use the Google Map above to find their location. Double-click to see its full size.

INTERESTING FACTS

Tower of London Moat

The moat is the same size and shape as it was in 1270 when Edward I expanded it

Edward I’s magnificent moat was created to keep attackers at a distance and to prevent the undermining of a new curtain wall.

Edward I refortified the wall by digging a deep, water-filled moat in the 1270s. This was so long-lasting and effective that its basic shape still survives.

It was at least 50 metres wide and very deep at high tide. Sluice gates controlled the ebb and flow of the river

Between 1843 and 1845, a deadly infection caused by poor water supply at the Tower was linked to the ‘obnoxious smell’ and ‘putrid animal and excrementitious matter’ of the muddy moat when the tide was out.

The Duke took the momentous step of having the moat drained and turned into a defensive dry ditch, or ‘fosse’.

The Tower’s moat has been dry ever since apart form the 7th January in 1928, when the Tower moat flooded catastrophically after a downpour caused the Thames to breach its banks. For the first time, photography captured how the moat looked when filled with water.

Tower of London First and Lat prisoners

St Thomas's Tower (begun in 1275), Wakefield Tower (begun in 1220), and the Lanthorn Tower are collectively known as 'The Medieval Palace'. They formed the core of the royal residence at the heart of the medieval Tower of London. The three towers were built by Henry III and his heir Edward I. Though Edward put money into the Medieval Palace, he only stayed there for 53 days in total out of his 35 years on the throne.

The first prominent prisoner was Ranulf Flambard, Bishop of Durham and advisor to William Rufus (William II). When Henry I seized the throne after William II's sudden death in 1100, he held Flambard prisoner in the Tower. Flambard was also the first person to escape from the Tower. He had a long rope smuggled to him, hidden in a barrel of wine. He then gave a banquet for his captors and plied them with drink. When they were suitably drunk, he slid down the rope and made his escape to France where he threw his support behind Henry's brother Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy.

The Krays are thought to be among the last few prisoners held in the Tower. The infamous Kray twins, Ronnie and Reggie, were held at the Tower in 1952 for failing to report for national service.

St Katherine Dock and Tower Hotel

St Katharine Docks

St Katharine Docks took its name from the former hospital of St Katharine's by the Tower, built in the 12th century, which stood on the site.

An intensely built-up 23-acre (9.5 hectares) site was earmarked for redevelopment by an Act of Parliament in 1825, with construction commencing in May 1827. Some 1250 houses and the medieval hospital of St. Katharine were demolished. Around 11,300 inhabitants, mostly port workers crammed into unsanitary slums, lost their homes; only the property owners received compensation. Engineer Thomas Telford designed the scheme, and steam engines kept the water level in the basins about four feet above that of the tidal river.

Today, the area features offices, public and private housing, a large hotel, shops and restaurants, a pub (The Dickens Inn, a former brewery dating back to the 18th century), a yachting marina and other recreational facilities.

Dickens Inn - St Katharine Docks

Dickens Inn dates to the 18th century, and it is thought to have been built as a tea factory and then converted into a local brewery. It was later converted into a warehouse and, finally, a tavern. As part of the area's redevelopment, Dickens Inn had to be moved 70 metres east of its original location. This picture is from the back of Dickens Inn

Girl with a Dolphin

The sculpture on Tower Bridge Quay is called ‘Girl with a Dolphin’ by David Wynne and was installed in 1973 outside the Tower Hotel. Its twin is ‘Boy With A Dolphin’, which can be found on Cheyne Walk near Chelsea Bridge. The artist swam with dolphins before he made these sculptures. This location provides fantastic views of Tower Bridge, St Katharine Docks and Butler Wharf across the river.

Tower Hotel

The Tower Hotel was constructed for J. Lyons (famous for its cakes and teashops) in 1973, and it operated the hotel until July 1977, when it was sold to EMI Leisure. It was built in a Brutalist style with minimalist constructions that showcase bare building materials and structural elements over decorative design. Like Marmite - you either love it or hate it!

The hotel has 801 rooms, as well as 19 meeting rooms with capacity for up to 600 people. Its rooftop is sometimes used forfilming due to its high-level view of the skyline, including Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, and the river.

Tower Bridge

This is the view from Tower Bridge, a combined bascule and suspension bridge completed in 1894. It was designed by Horace Jones, who built Leadenhall Market, and engineered by John Wolfe Barry - son of Sir Charles Barry, who designed the Houses of Parliament.

Tower Bridge is 800 feet in length and consists of two 213-foot bridge towers connected at the upper level by two horizontal walkways and a central pair of bascules that can open to allow shipping.

How to demonstrate with Style!

On 5 April 1968, a Royal Air Force Hawker Hunter performed an unauthorised low flying route over several London landmarks and then flew through the span of Tower Bridge. His actions were to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the RAF and as a demonstration against the Ministry of Defence for not recognising it..

Sights on the South Side

Hay’s Galleria

Hay’s Galleria is named after its original owner, the merchant Alexander Hay, who acquired the property as a brewhouse in 1651. It was converted into a ‘wharf’ (an enclosed dock) in 1856 and was one of the chief delivery points for ships bringing tea to the Pool of London. It was redeveloped as The Hay’s Galleria in the 1980s, and ‘The Navigators’ by sculptor David Kemp was unveiled in 1987 to commemorate the Galleria’s shipping heritage.

More Place from Tower Bridge

At the top of Tower Bridge, it is possible to walk the high-level ‘Walkways’, take in stunning panoramic views of London, and see London life through a ‘Glass Floor’. This gives you views onto More Place and the Queen’s Walk with City Hall in the foreground and The Shard and Guys Hospital in the background. It's a perfect spot to take in the City of London and the River Thames, and discover the old and new buildings and structures.

City Hall - Southwark

This served as the headquarters of the Greater London Authority between July 2002 and December 2021. Norman Foster designed the building as a new landmark for the capital and a model of democracy, accessibility and sustainability. The building has an unusual, bulbous shape, which reduces its surface area and thus improves energy efficiency. Various nicknames were given, such as The Snail, The Onion and The Testicle.

VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE AREA

Click on the picture below to go on a 360 virtual tour of the areas and have a look around.

Use the blue route to explore this location by looking around in 360, taking in the sights and sounds, listening to an audio recording about the area and going on a virtual tour.

HISTORY & GUIDES VIDEO LIBRARY

Please note - These date from before 2018 and have been done in a variety of styles to determine which one works best. They all provide very useful information and we would welcome feedback to help create the new version

SIGHT GUIDES

These short videos give you a quick guided tour of some sights on this route.

4:57 minutes