11/01/20 - Bermondsey and Rotherhithe Urban Ramble - The Mayflower and the Angel.

Distance - 9 Miles
Geocaches - 16
Walk Inspiration - London's Hidden Walks, Volume 2

First 2020 trip to the smoke and its a special day.   My first Baggies away game since we lost 1-0 to Shrewsbury in 1986.   To indicate just how long before the premier league era of VAR this was, any errant balls kicked out of the ground had to be rescued from the river by a man in a coracle.

So what to do before a 3pm appointment in Charlton?   The usual - walking, geocaching and a couple of history rich, river side taverns.

My walk starts at London Bridge and ends at Rotherhithe station - but its a meandering route, aimed to finish at the pubs at a time when they are open.

First up - quiet London back streets - once the home of the Leather Trade - now an eclectic collection of mid rises, quaint housing that wouldn't be out of place in a mining village and former wharfs,  now offering loft style living.

Too early for this Good Beer Guide Tick - offering Harveys and TT Landlord

London Leather, Hide and Wool Exchange

Shard Views

Morocco Street

Enid Street - Part of the Bermondsey Beer Mile

Geocache Location - Looking upstream to the City and Tower Bridge

To wait for the scrape of the pub door bolt, I head inland for a crossing of Southwark Park to grab some Geocaches, before picking up Greenland Dock to finish the walk in spectacular style along the Thames Path around the Rotherhithe shoreline.   It doesn't matter how many times I walk this section, I never get bored of the views.   I can only imagine living in one of the many flats that look affordable to a white collar worker from the Black Country but certainly won't be.

Caching GZ in Southwark Park

Rotherhithe Shoreline - looking over Canary Wharf

And Back to all of London

A fine way to pass three hours.   Onto the pubs.

The Mayflower, 117 Rotherhithe Street, Redemption Hopspur

One of London's must visit historical pubs.   It was from this location that the Mayflower set sail to America in 1620.   The captain of that vessel is buried in the graveyard opposite.   The inside is full of enough nick nacks from a nautical past that you can spend all day investigating the nooks and crannies for bric a brac.

Greene King Pub - but several independent Real Ales on.  And if you are peckish - the build your own cheese board has prices ranging from 1 cheese to 10 cheeses. 

I leave you with the thought of a 10 cheese, cheeseboard.

Pub 1 - Mayflower - a Classic

Just how you imagine the inside to be

 

More of the same

The Angel, Bermondsey Wall East, Sam Smiths Stout

The Angel is a short walk upstream and a pub that I have never previously past whilst its open.  Another enviable location right on the Thames - with views from inside and out.

Glorious

There's no external marking to suggest its a Sam Smiths pub but I've read enough blogs to know what to expect when faced with such a scenario.   Beer Wise - the Stout has the highest recommendation.  It will be cheap.  There will be a ban of Mobile Phones.

All of these things proved true - but even I was taken aback by the Mobile Ban.   A huge sign, prominently displayed right next to the till.

How am I going to check in on UnTapp'd?  How will I find the most efficient public transport route to the Valley?   Is this even legal, under discriminatory laws?   Just some of the questions that I would have asked if I hadn't been in such flagrant breech of the rules.

No one could see me through the partitions.

Wait till the man turns his back and Untapp'd away

Route identified and I arrive at the Valley with 40 mins to spare. 

Walking, Geocaching, Classic London Pubs and Football.    I'd file it under "a good day".....

... if the Albion could defend set pieces.  2-2 an unfair reflection