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Old Mar 14, 2019, 12:29 pm
  #1  
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Walking across Tower Bridge?

I will be going to a matinée next Saturday at the Bridge Theatre and from there I was thinking about walking across the Tower Bridge to the Tower Hill tube station. I've walked across the Millennium Bridge but not the Tower Bridge. Is this a nice thing to do around sunset (assuming it's not raining of course)? Or should I just walk to the London Bridge tube station? I'm planning on going to Piccadilly Circus and realize that walking across Tower Bridge might be out of the way but I'm wondering if it is worth the walk as it could be beautiful.

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Old Mar 14, 2019, 12:51 pm
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It can be a nice walk if the weather is good and you don't mind dodging other tourists and have the time anyway. Certainly more scenic than the walk to London Bridge. To get to Piccadilly Circus on the Tube from either station you'd need to change somewhere anyway although from LB it would be a bit quicker if you're in a hurry.
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Old Mar 14, 2019, 1:30 pm
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If you don't want to do the walk then take the train from LB to Charing Cross and then walk to Piccadilly Circus from there - much simpler than the tube trip.
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Old Mar 14, 2019, 8:35 pm
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Walking from Charing Cross sounds like a good option. If I do take the tube to Piccadilly Circus if it rains, which station has the easier transfer to another tube line to Piccadilly.

If the weather is good, I would like to walk across Tower Bridge. Is there signage to the Tower Hill tube station once I cross the Thames?

Thanks.
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Old Mar 14, 2019, 10:24 pm
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Originally Posted by Analise
Walking from Charing Cross sounds like a good option. If I do take the tube to Piccadilly Circus if it rains, which station has the easier transfer to another tube line to Piccadilly.

If the weather is good, I would like to walk across Tower Bridge. Is there signage to the Tower Hill tube station once I cross the Thames?

Thanks.
I don't recall any signage but it is straight ahead and then slightly to the left at the major intersection. It's pretty visible as you get closer, since the entrance is at a higher elevation than the bridge There is a "Citizen M" hotel just to the left of the station.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 1:43 am
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There is signage to Tower Hill when you get closer to the Tower of London itself.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 3:19 am
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Of course, it's not just the lower part of the bridge you can walk across:

https://www.towerbridge.org.uk/tower...e-glass-floor/
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 4:01 am
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If you are feeling in a walking mood, cross Tower Bridge and get on the District / Circle Line at Tower Bridge. Then, depending upon exactly where you are going, get off at either Embankment or Westminster and walk from there. If it's Westminster and you don't mind crowds, there are all sorts of interesting routes you can take.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 5:35 am
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Annalise, rather than thinking of Tower Bridge as being “out of the way”, can I suggest you combine a walk across the bridge with a visit to St Katherine’s Docks. Plan a drink and snack (food isn’t great there) at the Dickens Inn whilst you’re there.
Just make sure you go on a fine day, a bit miserable in the rain.
There’s a Guoman Hotel “the Tower” by the river if you need a different toilet stop during the excursion. Not the worst place to pop in to for a cup of tea or coffee, has some nice views.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 5:41 am
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Originally Posted by Analise
Walking from Charing Cross sounds like a good option. If I do take the tube to Piccadilly Circus if it rains, which station has the easier transfer to another tube line to Piccadilly.
Personally I would just walk even if it was raining

The Bakerloo LIne from Charing Cross is one stop to Piccadilly Circus but TBH these stations are so close together that walking is often far quicker.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 5:49 am
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Originally Posted by LapLap
Annalise, rather than thinking of Tower Bridge as being “out of the way”, can I suggest you combine a walk across the bridge with a visit to St Katherine’s Docks. Plan a drink and snack (food isn’t great there) at the Dickens Inn whilst you’re there.
Just make sure you go on a fine day, a bit miserable in the rain.
There’s a Guoman Hotel “the Tower” by the river if you need a different toilet stop during the excursion. Not the worst place to pop in to for a cup of tea or coffee, has some nice views.
St Katherine's Docks are fascinating - it's worth reading about them and how they worked before visiting to fully appreciate the design. The Museum of London Docklands has a good exhibit on this.

One of the best aspects of the view from the Guoman Hotel is that you can't see the Guoman Hotel from the Guoman Hotel...
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 5:52 am
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Originally Posted by stut
One of the best aspects of the view from the Guoman Hotel is that you can't see the Guoman Hotel from the Guoman Hotel...
Word!

Am pretty sure I remember it featuring prominently (back when it was an aptly named “Thistle Hotel”) in that daft Biggles Movie.

Edit to add - can be hard to visualise where the Docks are in relation to Tower Bridge. I’ve taken this image from Office Space | St. Katharine Docks
The Guoman Hotel is the ugly light grey building on the top, far left of the highlighted area, closest to the right side of Tower Bridge.
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Last edited by LapLap; Mar 15, 2019 at 6:01 am
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 11:02 am
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A walk along Tower Bridge is always worth the walk. Sunset might not be the best time of day however. My best recollection of making the walk was in the early morning of a brilliant, clear sunny day in the fall. IMO, one of the world's great urban walks is from the Tower to Westminster on either side of the Thames.
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 11:21 am
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These are great ideas. I’ve never heard of St Katherine’s docks. The play should be over by 5:00 so that gives me an hour of daylight to see the area and then enjoy a drink. If it is not pouring rain, this is something I will consider.

I have not made plans for the morning before the matinée. If the weather holds, perhaps I will walk from Westminster to the Tower Bridge. Does one side of the Thames have more benches than the other? I ask because I have a bad back. Maybe I will go to the Museum of London, Docklands. I will see where the morning takes me.

Thank you!
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Last edited by Analise; Mar 15, 2019 at 11:27 am
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Old Mar 15, 2019, 11:25 am
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Borough Market is always worth a wander around as well. Easily done before your matinee.
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