From North Woolwich, let’s head south into the archives.
Why isn’t it called South Woolwich ?
More interesting aerial views for you from my drone.
Thames Barrier, Woolwich Arsenal, Thameside parks, the little ferry with the hidden Mikkeller bar on board…
Better for you to walk it. Mrs RM enjoys the 20 minute slog through the tunnel (Mr RM – 8 minutes) which is great for the calf muscles.
You’re greeted with fantastic views of Canary Wharf and other parts of the capital without GBG pubs.
Woolwich is London in miniature for American tourists on a tight schedule.
Proper markets with Hi Vis jackets, Caribbean caffs, weird fonts, gentrification and high rise. Win some, lose some.
The most interesting looking pub is the Elephant & Castle, the market traders boozer near the DLR.
Despite the Courage Best, Mrs RM wouldn’t let me pop in here.
No, she made me head away from authentic South London,
to the safety of the (gorgeous) craft beers and pizza at Hop Stuff. Stafford Paul will hate it.
Here’s me socially distancing from her preemptively in 2017.
The other “safe for normals” pub is the inevitable Antic at the Equitable, with its impressive fake 70s vibe.
If you want the real ’70s London pub experience, you need to head for Rose’s on the way back to the river.
I wrote “A party atmosphere, like you get in the best east London pubs, and a place to hide away from the chain shops starting to dominate Woolwich High Street.”
“And the music. Wow. We’d had Deep Trance in the Tap House, and the Beach Boys Stars on 45 here.”
Still essential, I thought.
Sadly, the Good Beer Guide won’t bring you here, or anywhere near.
But as you’ll know by now, the best fun is found well outside the GBG these days.
Posts like this really show what an amazing city London is when you burst out. I realize what a small portion I’ve seen when I read these articles. Mrs RM is quite the sport. Not many would go on that jaunt.
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“Quite the sport” is her middle name.
Incidentally, the north Woolwich tunnel is only an hour drive from Waterbeach with cheap parking. Quite an effective way to explore London if you’re not drinking.
Takes an age on the Docklands Light Railway but that’s an attraction in its own right.
Now I’ve finished the Deserter book I’ll highlight a few more South London places if I’ve got enough photos.
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These are interesting posts. Love the street scenes.
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Ah, yes, the Elephant and Castle, a populism of “La Infanta de Castille”, “The Child of Castille”…
Castille…pastille…did you know, that Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles are known in Australia as Wonka Fruit Pastilles, as Fruit Joy in Italy, but as Frutips, in Canada, in China, in Hong Kong, in Singapore, and in Taiwan?
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Hope you’re well, Reg. This is the content we all need.
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I like Roses. It is a proper South London boozer with decent beer although I haven’t visited for several years. When I was a child my father and I used to walk through the Woolwich Foot Tunnel to North Woolwich and catch the ferry back. North Woolwich looked very rundown then but the Royal Docks were closed/closing. The railway museum at North Woolwich old station was very good but they didn’t charge for admission and it was quiet the times I visited.
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I agree, Charlie, the railway museum was great. My lads enjoyed the trip down from Cambridge for the museum, ferry and sweets from Woolwich market before it closed.
I was surprised how unchanged Roses was on last visit 3 years ago. Great local.
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