10 Bridges of London - Part II

Walk 10 km from Vauxhall Bridge to Tower Bridge

Below is the path for the second five bridges, starting at Blackfrairs Bridge on the south side:

Blackfrairs Bridge (Cross south to north - St. Paul's Cathedral) — This bridge was dedicated to Queen Victoria who opened the current bridge in 1869. The name of the bridge and its pulpit-shaped ends relate back to Blackfriars Monastery that was located nearby. The bridge became famous in 1982 when the body of Roberto Calvi, an Italian banker, was found hanging from it with $14,000 worth of money in his pockets.

Millennium Bridge (Cross north to south - Tate Modern) — Reopened in 2002 following adjustments that were made to keep it from swaying, the London Millennium Footbridge provides a perfect connection between Tate Modern and St. Paul's Cathedral. Look carefully as you walk over the bridge for 400+ miniature pieces of chewing gum art created by Ben Wilson.

Southwark Bridge (Cross south to north - Cannon Street Station) — Southwark Bridge is a Grade II listed structure with the distinction of having the least traffic of any London bridge. The bridge has been featured in movies and television, including Mary Poppins 1964, This Life (1996) and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007).

London Bridge (Cross north to south - Borough Market and The Shard) — The nursery rhyme "London Bridge Is Falling Down" is reference to the bridge's collapses over its 800-year hear history.  With up to 8,000 pedestrians and 900 vehicles crossing every hour, it is no wonder surveys showed that the bridge was slowly sinking.  It was sold in 1967 and rebuilt as 'Rennie's London Bridge' in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.  Today, London Bridge is regularly lit by red lights - left from D-Day National Remembrance Day, 2004.

Tower Bridge (Cross south to north - Tower of London and cross back again ending at South Bank) — Opened in 1894, Tower Bridge is heavily utilized - with over 40,000 people crossing every day. Visiting the Tower Bridge Exhibition, seeing the engine rooms and taking in panoramic views above the River Thames towards the east and west of the Thames are great ways to explore the most famous bridge in the world. In 2014, a glass-floor walkway was added 42 meters above the Thames. To make it truly memorable, plan your visit to coincide with the bridge lift times.

Beginning in 2018, bridges from Tower Bridge to Albert Bridge will be part of a permanent lighting project, The Illuminated River.  Stay tuned!


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