10 Bridges of London - Part I

Walk 10 km from Vauxhall Bridge to Tower Bridge

As part of a weekly hiking group, we would take a break from the Surrey hills and hit the bridges of London. Below is the path for the first five bridges, starting at Vauxhall Bridge on the south side:

Vauxhall Bridge (Cross south to north - Tate Britain) — Opened in 1906, Vauxhall Bridge is a Grade II listed structure to preserve it from alteration. If you cross at low tide, keep an eye out for posts discovered in 1993 which are believed to be the first bridge-like structures in London and pre-date Caesar's expedition of Britain in 55 BC.

Lambeth Bridge (Cross north to south - Lambeth Palace) — Another Grade II listed bridge - the current structure was opened in 1932. With the southern end of the Palace of Westminister located nearest to the bridge, it is painted the same red as the leather benches in the House of Lords. At either end of the bridge there are stone-shaped pineapples, which are said to pay tribute to a Lambeth resident who grew the first pineapple in Britain.

Westminster Bridge (Cross south to north - Big Ben & Houses of Parliament) — With the northern end of the Palace of Westminister located nearest to the bridge, Westminster Bridge is painted green, the same color as the benches in the House of Commons. This iconic Grade II listed bridge is often featured in films - most recently in James Bond's Spectre where a helicopter crashes into Westminster Bridge.

Golden Jubilee Bridge (Cross north to south and cross back again south to north - Embankment Tube Station) — These two 4-meter wide (13 feet), award-winning foot bridges were completed in 2002 to commemorate the 50th anniversary reign of Queen Elizabeth II. It is estimated that these are the busiest foot bridges in London with approximately 8.5 million pedestrians a year.

Waterloo Bridge (Waterloo Bridge cross north to south - National Theatre) — Named after the Battle of Waterloo, this bridge is one of the best spots to take a photo of London at ground level. With its location in the bend of the river it boasts picturesque views of London Eye, South Bank and Westminster to the west and Canary Wharf and City of London to the east.

Covering the second half of the walk, 10 Bridges of London - Part II will feature the path between Blackfriars Bridge to Tower Bridge. 

For more: Download the London via Surrey Book App