stokebailey

Even before recent high water, I've been interested in what sounds like an engineering marvel, the Thames Barrier. Is it worth a trip out there? If so, how to get to a good vantage point by foot or public transport?

While out in that general direction, I don't suppose there's anything interesting to see at Tilbury, where Eliz I made that nice little speech long ago? Or would I be better off comparing actresses on youtube?

jamikins

It's pretty easy, from London Bridge train station take the overland train to Charleton and walk.

http://www.visitlondon.com/things-to...n-centre#venue

I think charleton is in zone 3 so you may need to buy an extra ticket or add some cash to your oyster if you only have a zone 1-2.

Southam

In pleasant weather it's an interesting cruise, although of course more expensive than mass transit. Google will turn up various cruise possibilities.

stokebailey

Thank you, jamikins and Southam.

jamikins

Tilbury is on the north side of the river and the info centre for the Thames Barrier is on the south side so not really in the same direction if that is what you want to see.

I can't imagine going all the way out to Tilbury...there might be something of interest but I have never heard of it. Most of the old docks are in industrial areas now so unless you know of something of interest you want to see I wouldn't bother.

In the same direction as the info centre you could continue out to the Royal Arsenal complex in Woolwich at Woolwich Arsenal. It is two stops from Charleton in zone 4. There is a fire power museum and a good pub called the dial arch.

http://www.dialarch.com

http://www.firepower.org.uk

If you just want to see the barrier you can take the Thames Clipper through it onto Royal Arsenal dock to see the above, or take the DLR from Bank to Pontoon Dock and walk through the park to view the barrier. It is also in zone 3.

No river boats stop at the barrier to my knowledge so they would just be ride by journeys.

MmePerdu

Best & easiest is not always the same thing, as we all know. On my next visit I plan to walk my last leg of the Thames Path, Richmond to the Barrier, over several days and I'm so looking forward to it.

Here's some information on the section London Bridge to Thames Barrier:
http://walklondon.org.uk/section.asp?section=52

More on the whole path for when the flood recedes:
http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/thames-path

PatrickLondon

Bear in mind that the Clippers won't take you to the Barrier if it's raised (and it's been up and down like the proverbial in the recent weather).

There are also buses from Greenwich, with a short walk down to the river from the main road.

jamikins

Good points Patrick!

The buses from Greenwich are the 177 or the 180

stokebailey

Jamikins, thank you. I hadn't heard of the artillery museum.

I'd love to read about your walk, MmeP. What a great idea. Do you wear a backpack with your clothes and so forth? I'd been looking at the Path for upstream, obviously problematic now. (Is my flying there worsening the situation? I won't think about that this time. Tickets bought.) Maybe a boat to the O2 dock, then walk on Path.

I heard the Barrier has been raised, and it would be interesting to see it doing its intended thing from shore, Patrick. I'm glad you all have a few clear days forecast. We'll see how it looks next week when I'm there.

Thanks for all of your help.
(Helen Mirren gets my vote, and her Dudley, though Cate looks the best on a palfrey.)

MmePerdu

Stokebailey, I do indeed walk with a small pack and the bare minimum of stuff for a few days. The minimum gets less as the years go by and I get older. I scope out B&Bs along the way in advance. This last section will be nice because of transport, I should be able to leave the pack behind and return to it each night, a real luxury.

I suspect some of my former accommodations up the river a bit - Shepperton, Staines, Bourne End, Marlow, Henley, may be damp at the moment. I wish them a quick recovery.

stokebailey

Amen.

jamikins

Sounds like a lovely way to spend a few days!

We will be in Marlow 1 March so I can report back on the state of things!

MmePerdu

Jamikins, yes, please do.

PatrickLondon

(I suspect Marlow might have been one of the towns that has been favoured by flood management since the 2007 flooding, though Staines certainly appears not to have been - I've just watching a TV programme that points out that only about one-tenth the number of houses have been flooded this time, even though the overall weather has been far worse than in 2007. But the powers that be can't satisfy everyone on this sort of thing).