More than 100 years ago, a solution was found for plugging the gap created by the River Thames at Woolwich in London. Not a bridge, but a tunnel going beneath the water for the use of foot passengers. It’s still very much in use and important to local people, not to mention a draw to photographers from further afield. The stretch and curve of the eerily lit tunnel is an irresistible capture, but there are other details too…
A set of glinting, silver bulwarks protect riverside capital London from being overwhelmed by flooding. If you walk along the Thames Path from Woolwich, this is the sight you get, with the lofty might of Docklands beyond the barrier. A stretch of the walkway is etched with the high water marks of communities down the Thames – including Hammersmith, a familiar neighbourhood.
The barriers look like hoods swathed in bumpy tin foil, but this is a stirring sight and an absorbing place to photograph.
On a walk around London, a camera can be your best companion. It encourages you to take in the landscape, architectural details and other people enjoying the views. This absorbing walk, on the south side of the River Thames, took me from Woolwich to the Greenwich peninsula. My starting point was Woolwich Arsenal station (DLR), ending up at North Greenwich station (Jubilee Line). Here’s what you’ll see along the route:
