London by boat and on foot along the River Thames

My trip from Paris to Ireland by Train and Ferry

1. Paris to London by train and ferry via Dieppe and Brighton
2. London by boat and on foot along the Thames: here you are!
3. London to Dublin by train and ferry via Liverpool and Belfast
4. Dublin to Paris by Ferry and Train via Cherbourg.

A maritime-themed tour of London and the River Thames

London! Given its history, it’s one of the world’s major metropolises.

A cosmopolitan metropolis

It attracts many foreigners with its energy and cosmopolitanism. According to the French consulate, 300,000 to 400,000 of our compatriots have settled here. That’s why its former mayor, the infamous Boris, claimed to be the mayor of France’s sixth-largest city!

London interests me more than I love it

To be perfectly honest with my readers, London is not one of my favorite cities. I’m a bit put off by its untidy architecture, which isn’t always aesthetically pleasing. It’s a must-see, however, and I always visit it with great interest, because it’s so fascinating.

A visit on the theme of the Thames

This time, I decided to focus my visit on the River Thames. On the one hand, this is consistent with my trip between France and Ireland, which is more maritime-oriented. On the other hand, I’ve only got two days, and it’s out of the question to visit everything in such a rich and complex city.

Both Paris and London have the distinction of having a river running through them, which has played an important role in their development. But that’s where the similarity ends, as each has a very different appearance and personality.

The Seine contributes to the elegance of Paris, with its quays and bridges listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Thames has a wilder, more maritime feel, with the visible rhythm of the tides along its less domesticated, more industrial banks.

I choose accommodation in Chelsea, in West London, on the banks of the river.

In big cities, the choice of location is often more important than the accommodation itself.

For this reason, I found a room at Chelsea Waterfront in West London, a brand-new neighborhood on the banks of the Thames. It has the advantage of being next to a pier from which regular riverboats depart.

My mode of transport: Uber Boat by Thames Clipper

Since 2020, Uber Boat and Thames Clippers have teamed up to offer a boat service on the River Thames.

It’s very convenient, with regular frequencies, and provides access to many parts of the city between Putney in the west and Barking Riverside in the east.

The boats used are catamarans capable of carrying between 150 and 200 passengers, with seats offering a level of comfort unmatched by other modes of urban transport. It’s even possible to buy a drink or snack and enjoy the fresh air on the deck aft.

For more practical information, visit thamesclippers.com.

My two-day visit

On the first day of my stay in London, I planned to head into the center and take a walk along the banks of the Thames.

On the second day, I’m thinking of taking the boat to Greenwich, in East London, which is a major tourist attraction. I’ll also take the opportunity to visit the new Canary Wharf business district.

As my host lives less than ten minutes’ walk from Chelsea Harbor, I’m well placed to travel with Uber Boat. It’s entirely possible to combine parts of the boat trip with walks or different modes of transport such as bus or metro. That’s what I did, and it’s ultra-easy.

West of the Thames in London (Day 1)

Before boarding, I take a stroll through the Chelsea Harbour district, where my host lives.

Chelsea Harbor

The centerpiece of the district is the old power station. Built in 1902, it produced electricity for the London Underground. Its operation required 700 tons of coal a day, transported by barges on the River Thames. The power station ceased operating in 2002, and it took some twenty years to transform it into luxury apartments.

Another feature is the marina, which is accessible at high tide. A lock keeps boats afloat even at low tide.

I leave Chelsea Harbor at low tide. The water receded, leaving barges stranded in the mud.

Battersea

We pass along the vast Battersea Park, which covers 83 hectares. I notice the Peace Pagoda, which is visible from the river. A Buddhist monk comes there to meditate every day. If the weather had been better, I would have liked to stroll through this renowned park, but given the rainy conditions, I prefer to continue my cruise.

Battersea Powerhouse, another coal-fired power station, looms ahead. This enormous Art Deco building became iconic thanks to Pink Floyd, who used it to illustrate their 1977 album “Animals”. Incidentally, the architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who designed the power station, is also the inventor of the famous red telephone booth!

The plant ceased operating in 1983, but it wasn’t until 2012 that it was given a new lease of life by a Malaysian consortium. Today, it’s a complex comprising housing, offices, shops, and leisure facilities.

But where is James Bond?

We pass the imposing building of the Secret Intelligence Service, the famous MI6 popularized by James Bond.

A little further on is the more discreet MI5, in charge of the UK’s internal security.

The Thames in central London (day 1)

As we enter central London, our catamaran significantly reduces speed.

We’re now in the most interesting part of the river and I’ve got lots of monuments to look at.

Westminster: the center of British power

We approach the heart of British power with the Palace of Westminster, home to the world-famous Houses of Parliament.

The view from the Thames is certainly the best you can get. The building’s neo-Gothic style is a real eye-catcher. Big Ben has also just been refurbished.

A little further back, but not visible from the river, are Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace.

On the south side of the riverbank, my eye is drawn to the London Eye. Its aesthetics are debatable in my opinion, but it offers a great opportunity to see the city from a maximum height of 135 meters. You climb aboard one of the 32 capsules, which can accommodate 25 people, and the whole tour takes around 30 minutes. As far as I’m concerned, the weather’s too bad for me to consider going up!

Next door, I discover the huge former County Hall, now converted into a hotel and leisure center.

London wouldn’t be London without its pubs, and of course, there are plenty of them along the Thames. Starting with Tattershall Castle, housed in a former steam ferry built in 1934 to sail the River Humber in northern England.

Next to it is the famous “Cleopatra’s Needle“, a 21 m-high obelisk donated by the Viceroy of Egypt, Mehemet Ali Pasha, at the end of the 19th century. Just behind it, I can see the Adelphi monument, with its impressive Art Deco architecture dating from the 1930s.

London and its two faces: ancient and ultramodern

On the north bank, I can see the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral. It was the fifth to be built on the same site, following several fires. It’s one of the city’s most emblematic monuments, although I find its architecture a little heavy.

The cathedral is linked by a pedestrian bridge to the Tate Gallery, easily recognizable by its size and which I’ll visit later.

My boat passes by the Globe Theatre. Although it looks ancient, it is a copy, inaugurated in 1996, of the theater where many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed until it was destroyed by fire in 1613. Its unique feature is its open-air parterre!

On the North Bank, I have an image that illustrates the face of London: in the foreground, I see Vintners Hall, a private club that holds receptions in a Victorian-style building. In the background, the ultra-contemporary buildings of the City of London stand out in an anarchic fashion.

On the right, I notice a strange building at 20 Fenchurch Street. It’s nicknamed the “Walkie-Talkie ” because of its concave shape. As it faces due south, it concentrates the sun’s rays, creating unimaginable havoc in the surrounding street with temperatures close to boiling! One journalist was even able to cook an egg in it!

London Bridge Hospital: a symbol of the UK’s two-tier healthcare system

Nearby is the London Bridge Hospital right on the river. It has an excellent reputation with an average of five stars given by its patients.

However, it’s best to have good insurance, as this is a private hospital not covered by the National Health Service.

The UK now has a two-tier healthcare system, where going through the NHS means more delays and less freedom to choose your hospital or doctor than in the private sector.

The Shard: a controversial 309 m tower

Behind London Bridge Hospital, a skyscraper rises dizzyingly into the sky: “The Shard” . Its detractors nicknamed it “The Shard”, because the tower reminded them of a shard of glass piercing the historic heart of the city.

Having said that, I think the tower itself is an architectural success and has helped to revitalize this area of London. With its spire-like shape designed by Italian architect Renzo Pinao, it’s very elegant.

When it was inaugurated in 2012, at 309 m it was Europe’s tallest tower. An observation platform is accessible from the 72nd floor. Renzo also left his mark on the Parisian landscape as part of the team of architects selected to build the Centre Georges Pompidou in the early 1970s.

Walking along the banks of the Thames

I get off my boat at Tower Pier. This is the pier to visit the Tower of London, one of London’s most visited attractions.

I’ll just pass it by because although it’s the middle of the week in May, it’s already very busy. I don’t understand this urge to follow a “to-do list” and visit the same places as everyone else. In my opinion, you can visit London very well, even for the first time, without feeling obliged to go and see the jewels at the Tower of London.

I walk back along the south bank to the “Westminster Pier” to revisit the various places I saw a little too quickly by boat.

The Tate Modern gallery

At the level of the Millenium Bridge is the huge Tate Modern gallery, also housed in a former 19th-century power station. The museum, like many others in London, is free. I take the opportunity to visit it.

East London at Canary Wharf and Greenwich (Day 2)

The next day I take an Uber boat from Chelsea to East London. On the first part of the journey, I see the same scenery as the day before, but I don’t mind, as I find the Thames fascinating to discover several times over.

London bridges

I take this opportunity to pay particular attention to the many bridges that cross the Thames, each with its personality.

As I pass by, I notice Blackfriars station, which has the unusual feature of being located on a bridge!

Tower Bridge

Of course, London’s most famous bridge is Tower Bridge, which is proudly guarded by HMS Belfast, a former cruiser from the Second World War.

We now leave central London and the Uber Boat picks up speed again.

A river in perpetual construction

London is a city in perpetual change. On the horizon, or even on the river, I regularly see gigantic cranes ready to raise new buildings or constructions.

Warehouses converted into residential buildings

Today, the Port of London has moved to the mouth of the Thames, at Tilbury, which has the advantage of being deep-water and suitable for container traffic.

Until the Second World War, the port of London was much more central to the city .

The Thames was lined with numerous warehouses. Some have been destroyed, but others, like Pickfords Wharf, have been transformed into luxury residences.

The different lives of Butler’s Wharf

On the southern shore, we see one of these warehouses transformed into a luxury apartment building with several restaurants and bars: Butler’s Wharf.

Originally, Butler’s Wharf was one of the most essential warehouses, storing tea, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, and spices, all important products of the Victorian maritime trade.

Then in the 70s, after a long period of decline, Butler’s Wharf was given a new lease of life by communities of alternative artists looking for large, inexpensive spaces in which to develop their art.

Today, I find it regrettable that this vocation has been lost in favor of a luxury zone as if London didn’t already have enough.

New buildings with varying degrees of architectural success

Along the way, I see many modern buildings of varying degrees of architectural success. London seems to prefer boldness to Parisian harmony.

We continue at high speed to Canary Wharf.

Canary Wharf: the new business district

I’m heading down to Canary Wharf to see what this new district looks like, which has been developed since the 1980s on former docks and has become the second business district of London after the City.

I must admit that walking around there is quite pleasant, even though the architecture of the towers is rather cold. There is a lot of space dedicated to pedestrians, and many canals give the area an open feel.

An automatic aerial tramway, the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), provides rapid access to London’s underground network and London City Airport.

I don’t stay long in this district, which is mainly dedicated to businessmen and women.

Greenwich, a charming little tourist town

I then take a ferry back to my final destination, Greenwich.

Administratively, we’re still in London, but in reality, Greenwich is more like a small independent town with many tourist attractions. It’s easy to spend a whole day here without getting bored. UNESCO has made no mistake in including the area on its list of World Heritage sites.

Just before I arrive, my attention is drawn to the magnificent Old Royal Naval College, which trained British naval officers until 1998.

On my way down from the landing stage, I’m greeted by the Cutty Sark, a magnificent three-masted clipper ship launched in 1869. Now in dry dock, she is a testament to the clippers of the Victorian era, which were tasked with bringing tea back from China as quickly as possible.

A strange circular building catches my eye: it’s the entrance to a pedestrian tunnel dating from 1902, which crosses the Thames to the other side.

As my trip is all about the sea, I visit the National Maritime Museum. The most interesting part is dedicated to Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, with his two most famous victories: the Battle of the Nile in 1798 and, above all, the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, against his greatest enemy, Napoleon Bonaparte. The rest of the museum is a little disappointing and doesn’t do justice to the history of one of history’s greatest maritime powers. I found the one in Hamburg much more complete and attractive.

To the south of the museum lies a huge park where it must be nice to stroll when the weather’s fine, but I had to content myself with strolling through it under my umbrella to the Royal Observatory, which I didn’t have time to visit.

Greenwich is also famous for its meridian, materialized by a rail near the observatory, which gives the UTC of our planet.

Situated high up, the view from the observatory is wide if not beautiful, as it’s marred by the imposing, but not necessarily graceful, buildings of Canary Wharf. As a result, I can barely make out the Old Royal Naval College in the foreground.

On the right, I notice the huge dome of the O2 Arena, which has become a leisure and entertainment center for up to 20,000 people.

I pass through the center of Greenwich, which resembles a pretty little village with numerous boutiques and small restaurants. The covered market, although now very touristy, is one of the local attractions.

At the end of this second day, I head back to the pier to catch a boat that will take me back to my host’s place in Chelsea.

London, a true maritime city

After these two days, I realized more clearly that London, thanks to the River Thames, is a city turned towards the sea.

London, with its rich history and cosmopolitan vibrancy, remains a must-see destination despite its sometimes bewildering architecture. My strolls along the Thames proved this once again.

To get around, I appreciate the Uber boats, which are practical and easy to use, and also much more comfortable than the often crowded London Underground.

The biggest regret of my trip was the weather, which was very grey and rainy.

Finally, I even found a “little” three-room apartment, for sale, with a magnificent view of the Thames in Chelsea Harbor, the district where I stayed during my stay. The price is its only drawback!

Now it’s time to continue my journey to Ireland, which I’ll reach after a train journey to Liverpool and then by ferry. I’ll tell you all about it in the third article in this series: “London to Dublin by train and ferry via Liverpool and Belfast“.