On our last trip to London, I discovered yet another hidden gem! Did you know there is a cable car that sails high over the River Thames taking you to/from places you probably haven’t explored yet? Who knew??? I’ve been lucky enough to visit London many times for both business and pleasure. In June on our way back from a few weeks in Italy, we dropped by to see the Mets play the Phillies at London Stadium, so we stayed on a new side of the town in an area called Canary Wharf on the River Thames. We took the Cloud Cable Car over the Thames and explored the Royal Observatory. We even saw a fox hiding in the woods on our adventure. A complete London experience!

On the far east side of London, Canary Wharf is a busy area near the Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. In addition to being a leading global financial district in the United Kingdom, Canary Wharf is famous for a cluster of the tallest modern commercial complexes and residential high-rise buildings. Built in the early 1990s, the district is home to the first tallest iconic skyscraper in the UK, One Canada Square. We stayed at the London Marriott Hotel Canary Wharf, which was ideally located and had a nice member’s lounge that we took great advantage of for drinks and snacks. Outside the hotel, the river was just steps away as well as lots of restaurants, shops and conveniently located near the Tube, DLR light rail and the Overground.

But back to the amazing cable car ride we took. For only 6 euros per person one way, you go up and over the river while enjoying a great view! We took an Uber to the cable car from our Canary Wharf hotel-short trip but a little too far to walk. Our Uber driver told us that locals use the cable car more than tourists. Getting off the cable car, we walked to the Greenwich bus station 5 minutes away. We picked up the 198 bus and off to the Greenwich Observatory we went. It’s all “tap to pay” for cable car and buses-no advance tickets needed. Climb the bus stairs and get the front seats on top of double decker for a good view.

Cable car details: IFS Cloud Cable Car – Transport for London (tfl.gov.uk)

The Royal Observatory, Greenwich

Situated on a hill in Greenwich Park in southeast London overlooking the River Thames, visiting this historic site is an all-day excursion. Pick a beautiful day and, after your awesome cable car ride, discover how this observatory played a major role in history of astronomy and navigation. Straddle the Prime Meridian and wander through the museum before walking to the river to check out the clipper ship Cutty Sark. Enjoy the park and surrounding forest areas-you might even see a fox hiding among the foliage.

Observatory details: https://www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Observatory,_Greenwich

Greenwich walking tunnel

Since we took the cable cars over the River Thames to get to Greenwich, we decided to go under the river to get back to the hotel. So, we walked from the top of the hill where the Greenwich Observatory is, through the village of Greenwich and on to the river, where we saw the Cutty Sark and right beside it is the entrance to the Greenwich Walking Tunnel. While there is an elevator, don’t count on it because it gets heavy use, and it was actually not working when we got to the other side. So, that means you have to be able to go down (and then up) LOTS of steps to get under the river.

While bikers are supposed to walk their bikes through the tunnel, they probably don’t based on what we saw, so be aware and avoid bikers speeding along the path. We walked through mid-day, and it was not very busy. I’m not sure I would recommend walking this route at night, as there are no security personnel on site, though there are security cameras along the way. Not to scare you off this route because it is unique and a must do if you are in the area. Enjoy the journey!

Greenwich walking tunnel details: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwich_foot_tunnel