Thames Path Ramble 24: Saturday 30th July 2016 Vauxhall to Canary Wharf, which is about 6 ½ miles.

Thames Path Ramble 24: Saturday 30th  July  2016  Vauxhall to Canary Wharf, which is about 6 ½ miles.

Sue and Jem, Janet, John, Julie, Jane, Dot, Ann, Gervais, Peter and Sue, Ian and I have walked this part of the Thames, packed full of interesting sights, many of which are so familiar. The Houses of Parliament, followed by the London Eye was a good start. As a warm, sunny July day many people had thronged the riverside and we became part of the crowds enjoying entertainers such as Charlie Chaplin and rides on the Merry–Go-Round (as well as ice-creams).

Just looking at the ever-changing, spectacular skyline (with names like cheese-grater, walkie-talkie and gherkin) and watching the river traffic was thrilling. Tour boats of all sizes were out, as well as river buses, and the smaller inflatable ribs were giving punters thrills by weaving over the white water wakes of other boats.

We saw a busker playing a flaming tuba, a bright pink double decker bus and other unusual vehicles, a man-made beach with deckchairs and sand and many other unexpected scenes. Once past Tower Bridge things quietened down and Limehouse and Rotherhithe were comparatively calm. The interesting and poignant history of the Salter family, who did so much to help the poor, was related in Bermondsey with boards and statues. There is a connection with Northamptonshire in that Ada was born in Raunds.

We noticed the round brick buildings either side of the river – ventilation shafts and the original pedestrian access for the Rotherhithe road tunnel, Also, the Brunel Museum, in the engine rooms connected to the Thames Tunnel, looked like another interesting place to explore another time.

We finished our walk, as so often, in the café. This time, a little different, as it was in a Surrey Docks Farm, so donkeys, ducks and goats were just outside.

Salter's cat