This was the longest I had walked in one sitting and I knew it would be a challenge but the scenery as well as the camaraderie with the other hundreds of people completing the walk made the time pass a lot quicker than I thought.
For those data geeks among you, here are the highlights:
- 25 kilometers walked
- 16 bridges crossed
- 43,254 steps stepped
- 1,043 calories burned
- 2 sore feet
- and the worlds largest blister
Bridge One - Putney Bridge
Originally known as Fulham Bridge it was the second bridge to cross the Thames and was first built in 1729 out of wood. It originally has 26 arches as opposed to the current five. The replacement bridge was built in 1886.
Bridge Two - Fulham Railway Bridge
This bridge was opened in 1889 and is 418 meters long. It was designed by Brunel's former assistant William Jacob.
Bridge Three - Wandsworth Bridge and the 4k mark
Opened in 1940 and is 200m long. The steel panels on the side of the bridge were painted different shades of blue in an attempt to camouflage the bridge from air raids.
Bridge Four - Battersea Bridge
Build in 1890 it is the narrowest surviving road bridge over the Thames in London, it is one of London's least busy bridges. The location on a bend in the river makes the bridge a hazard to shipping, and it has been closed many times due to collisions.
Bridge Five - Albert Bridge, reaching 7k along the way
Opened in 1873 it was known as the 'Trembling Lady' because it shook when being used by soldiers from the Chelsea barracks. It is one of two road bridges over the Thames that have never been replaced.
Bridge Six - Chelsea Bridge, marking the 10k point
The bridge is self-anchored so there is no 'abutment' support at either end of the bridge. The original bridge was built in 1858 with the replacement bridge being put in place in 1937.
Bridge Seven - Vauxhall bridge, the last bridge before the halfway rest point, at 13k
Opened in 1906, Vauxhall bridge is unique - attached to the bridge's piers are eight colossal (they're twice life size) statues of allegorical figures, the 2nd of which is is a figure of St Paul's Cathedral.
The halfway point at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens was a very welcome sight. We got 'scanned' in before being presented with a vast array of treats. Crisps, chocolate bars, fruit, sweets - and the largest pastries I have ever seen! We sat down for our only break of the day and enjoyed a quick toilet break and a refuelling before setting off again.
Bridge Eight - Lambeth Bridge
It was opened in 1932 and is 237 long. Supposedly the red colour of the bridge represents the colour of the seats of the House of Lords. Members of the house of parliament would walk along this bridge while those of the house of commons would use the Westminster Bridge.
Bridge Nine - Westminster Bridge, 15k
Opened in 1862 it is the oldest road bridge across the Thames in central London. The detailing of the bridge was done by Charles Barry the architect of the Palace of Westminster.
Bridge Ten - Golden Jubilee Bridges
The first bridge was opened in 1845 as a suspension footbridge. The two 4 meter wide foot bridges were completed in 2002 and were named the Golden Jubilee Bridges in honour of the fiftieth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession.
Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott who also designed the red telephone box who was not an engineer making the plans very difficult to build, however once it was opened it became London's first concrete bridge across the river Thames. Opened in 1945 it is also know as the Ladies bridge - as whilst designed by a man, it was largely built by a female workforce during the war, after over 500 men were called to fight.
Bridge Twelve - Blackfriars Bridge
The original bridge was opened in 1769 with the replacement being opened in 1869 and is 281m long. The piers of the bridge are decorated with stone carvings of birds, with the carvings of freshwater lords reflecting the role of Blackfriars as the tidal turning point of the Thames. On the north side of the bridge is a statue of Queen Elizabeth, to whom the bridge is dedicated.
Bridge Thirteen - Millennium Bridge, 19k point half way across the bridge
The first bridge built and opened in over 100 years, in 2000 and named 'the wobbly bridge' after it wobbled alarmingly on the opening. It was then repaired and opened again in 2002 - said to cost £18.2m. Today there are over 400 different pieces of art on the bridge - which is the work of street artist Ben Wilson who paints scenes, shapes and figures on the trodden, dropped chewing gum of passersby.
Bridge Fourteen - Southwark Bridge
Over 13,000 litres of paint were used on the restoration in 2010. It was originally built in 1921 - today Southwark bridge has its own website. Check it out here.
Bridge Fifteen - London Bridge
This was the first bridge in central London crossing the Thames. The first stone version was built in 1176. there used to be buildings and shops on the bridge, but in 1758 all of them were removed. The London Bridge that we refer to now was opened in 1973.
Bridge Sixteen - Tower Bridge, 22k, the last bridge!
The bridge was opened in 1894 and was considered the most sophisticated of its type in the world. In 1952 while the bridge was opening the number 78 double decker bus was still on it so had to accelerate and it managed to jump the gap.
If I thought the half way point was a welcome sight, that was nothing compared to the end, where toilets, food, chairs and FREE PROSECCO was waiting. Once we had rested up we needed to get home but my feet were having none of it. Thankfully I had packed a change of shoes, they bought some relief for me feet but I was still struggling to walk by this point - but I did it!!
So, if you fancy a challenge, why not give its go yourself. The route is below, green pin to red pin - I dare you.
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