Log No 321. Wed 21st May 2014 - Gravesend to Woolwich, 21 miles (4955 miles walked)

After getting back to Gravesend on the train I was walking by 08.15, there was a bit of cloud cover which thankfully kept the temperature down a bit.

My original planning for down here was based on the assumption that I could get across the Thames at Dartford and consequently my maps only went that far.

However, the route was straightforward, just follow the signs for Cycle Route No 1 as far as Woolwich.

I left Gravesend on the main road and once I was away from the built up area the cycleway was quite good, it was just a pity I was deafened by the noise of the constant traffic, especially by the A2.

I had 9 miles of walking along the roads to get to Dartford and on to Crayford where the cycle route left the road and then went on the embankment of the River Darent to the Thames.

Initially the cycleway was a stony footpath but once it came into the industrialised area it was all tarmac or concrete.

There was certainly no need for a map now as it was the Thames Way right to Woolwich and beyond.

As part of the Flood Prevention Scheme the rivers flowing into the Thames had large flood gates.

I met very few folk on the path, just the odd bird watcher and a couple of cyclists.

There were plenty of signposts along the route showing the distances and with about 6 miles to go I started to get twinges in my left leg, I had been walking quite hard and my leg has obviously not fully recovered from a couple of weeks ago.

I slowed down a bit, I've one more long day tomorrow to get to the campsite where I'm meeting Mick, he's not arriving until Friday night so I'll be able to have a full rest day.

Coming into Woolwich the cycle route goes through some narrow paths between old or disused industrial areas and I can't say that I was 100% comfortable walking past discarded beer cans and the like but it did improve.

I felt that I was truly in London now with the Royal Arsenal Woolwich complex, the Thames Barrier and The Millennium Dome up ahead, to say nothing of the planes taking off every 5 minutes from the north side of the river.

I got to the entrance of the Foot Tunnel at 15.15 then made my way to the station to get back to Abbey Wood and the campsite.

21 miles in 7 hours.