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A Stroll by the Thames, London’s South Bank

There is nothing nicer than a stroll by the Thames. This is an outing that we would do regularly before the dreaded lockdowns began. Starting at London Bridge our first port of call would be Borough Market. We would begin here partly due to its location directly opposite London Bridge but also because it was a much more pleasant experience than waiting for the lunch time rush when it becomes extremely busy. The market has so much fantastic food on offer from artisan producers. Everyone is catered for and standards are very high. Lots of top end London restaurants source ingredients from the market. Many of the traders are producing “plastic free.” Cuisines from around the globe are represented with speciality products from Germany, Russia, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Japan, Switzerland and of course every corner of the United Kingdom. The smell of exciting street food fills the air making it nearly impossible to resist some sort of culinary indulgence.

The next stop on our way to the Thames itself would be Southwark Cathedral. A beautiful building architecturally with an array of stunningly beautiful and interesting stained-glass windows. If we managed to resist the delights of the market next door, we may find ourselves succumbing to temptation in the Cathedrals restaurant. The Cathedral can offer a choice of indoor or outdoor dining which is ideal on a warm day.

A short walk from Southwark Cathedral, heading towards the Thames, you are bound to be amazed by the sight of Sir Francis Drake’s ship the Golden Hinde! This Golden Hinde is in fact a reconstruction of the original faithfully reconstructed after trawling through manuscripts and historical works relating to 16th century ship building techniques. I remember the first time I saw it. Taking a right turn from the market to the Thames you’re suddenly confronted by an ancient sailing ship! All of the ship was handcrafted using the traditional techniques and materials used in the 16th century. This is a genuine seaworthy reproduction of the original which has actually sailed more than 140,000 miles which is more than the original! Before Covid-19, the ship was open to the public who could make their own way around or take part in an interesting and informative guided tour. At the moment, due to our ongoing lockdown, it is understandably closed.

A mere one-minute walk from the Golden Hinde we come to Clink Prison Museum. The museum is on the site of the original Clink Prison founded in 1144 and which existed for over six hundred years! It is from this very prison that we now have the expression “thrown in the clink”. The museum tells the history of the prison and the stories of some of its unfortunate inmates. This educational experience unfolds through archaeological artefacts relating to crime and punishment including devices of torture. The story told encompasses religious, social and historical issues and the impact they had on the detained.

As we continue our journey along the south bank of the Thames the views across and along the river become more striking. The mixture of old and new architecture is a beautiful mix, especially if you like the array of modern skyscrapers that have sprung up over recent years.

Five minutes further along our walk along the Thames our next point of interest is Shakespeare’s Globe, an impressive building in its own right. The original Globe Theatre was built in 1599 and was a huge success. Many of Shakespeare’s plays were shown there along with the works of many other playwrights. By building in Southwark, the theatre was outside of the City of London and therefore outside of its control where theatres were objected to. On 29th June 1613 disaster struck during a performance of Shakespeare’s Henry VIII and the theatre burnt down. A replacement was built and a more elaborate theatre erected, the thatched roof replaced with tile and more extravagant decoration. Reopened in 1614 the Globe was ordered to close by the Puritans and dismantled between 1644-45. In 1997, the present-day building opened approximately 750ft from the site of the original. Research of the brick remains of the first building allowed architects to reproduce the new Globe as faithfully as possible. In order to achieve an almost circular shaped building the Elizabethans erected a polygon of twenty sides. The theatre remains an open-air theatre, as it was when first constructed so the audience is exposed to the elements and should dress accordingly. The Globe Theatre is also a centre of education in all aspects of Shakespeare’s work, offering lots of online resources and when lockdown ceases a return to guided tours of the historic venue.

A five-minute walk beyond the Globe Theatre and continuing our leisurely stroll in a Westerly direction we find ourselves at the Millennium Bridge. Here there are fantastic views across the river to St Pauls Cathedral. Behind us is Tate Modern, its ex-power station architecture a stark contrast to the Elizabethan style Globe Theatre we’ve just visited. Tate Modern is among the top ten most visited galleries and museums in the world with an annual visitor count of 5.7 million. The gallery is home to the nation’s collection of British and International modern art dating from 1900 to the present day. Even if you are not keen on modern art it is well worth a visit to see the fascinating architecture of the building itself. The gallery is free to enter but some exhibitions require a fee. There are several shops to buy books, cards etc and several restaurants.

Immediately outside the Globe Theatre and Tate Modern, there are often street entertainers, buskers and people dressed in exotic costumes who amuse the crowds who gather in this busy area. All along our walk so far there are lots of places to stop for a meal or a drink ranging from pubs to coffee houses and restaurants.

Continuing West, a one-minute walk away from the majestic Tate Modern and our last port of call today, there is a much more intimate gallery. Bankside Gallery is home to the Royal Watercolour Society and the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers and it’s one of our favourite London galleries. We just can’t resist calling in when we are in the area. Exhibitions here feature stunning watercolour works and original prints. The little gallery is always bright and inviting. There is a very well stocked gift shop which has a wonderful selection of artist’s cards and books and there are browsers to look through as well as the art on the walls. If a work of art does catch your eye and it is over £100 in price it can be bought in instalments through the Own Art Scheme.

We hope you’ve enjoyed joining us on our stroll by the Thames. The last time we were able to do this was before lockdown. As you know restrictions are still in place. We will add some links at the end of this piece that you can refer to for any relevant information should you wish to take your own stroll along the river. It really is an exciting place to visit. There’s always something new to see, lovely views across the river and lots of places to stop for a coffee or a meal. If you’re very lucky you can see some of London’s wildlife too. We’ve been lucky enough to see Peregrine Falcons and other people have seen the occasional whale or dolphin. 

Borough Market https://boroughmarket.org.uk/

Southwark Cathedral https://cathedral.southwark.anglican.org/

The Golden Hinde https://www.goldenhinde.co.uk/

Clink Prison Museum https://www.clink.co.uk/

Shakespeare’s Globe https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/

Tate Modern https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern

Bankside Gallery https://www.banksidegallery.com/