DoSouthwark and Lewisham

Walk the Thames Path

Southwark and Lewisham host a large portion of the London section of the 184-mile-long Thames Path, organised by National Trails. The route between London Bridge and Deptford Creek largely follows the river (with occasional excursions inland), passing Tower Bridge, the Brunel Museum at Rotherhithe and Greenland Dock. Just north of Deptford, it cuts inland around the Convoys Wharf site before resuming its riverside route towards Greenwich. There are shops, bars, restaurants, etc. around Tower Bridge, then occasional pubs along the way, including Deptford's Dog & Bell. Consider letting the train take the strain: catch the train from Deptford station to London Bridge (10-minute journey) then follow the riverside path back to Deptford.

Getting there: between London Bridge and Deptford Creek
Website: nationaltrail.co.uk (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: London/Southwark and Lewisham, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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SeeSouthwark and Lewisham
Tsar Peter the Great Monument
Tsar Peter the Great Monument, which is located at the waterfront adjacent to Deptford Creek and paid for by the Russian government to commemorate the cultural exchange between two great seafaring nations (it could be argued that Deptford Docks inspired the birth of the Russian navy). The writer and gardener, John Evelyn (1620–1706) who lived at Sayes Court, (now run-down and neglected) hosted the young, rowdy Peter the I (1672–1725) as a guest for about three months in 1698; during his naval apprenticeship on his great tour of Western Europe. Sir Francis Drake was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind in Deptford Docks too. Unfortunately the statue of Evelyn who stood next to Peter was damaged during an attempted burglary in 2022 and is still covered by a wooden box.
Free
DrinkSouthwark and Lewisham
The Dog & Bell
A quiet old-time boozer, known for its fine selection of ales (usually 3 handpumps), above-average meals, and occasional regional beer festivals. Features a bar billiards table and sometimes live music (Irish folk music during the Irish beer festival, for example). There is a quiz on Sundays, and a performing arts venue across the street, in a converted brick warehouse.
SeeSouthwark and Lewisham
St Paul's Church
Built in 1720, it has been called A remarkable example of English Italianate Baroque.and often has classical concerts and organ recitals. John Betjeman is said to have called the church "a pearl at the heart of Deptford". Adjacent to the beautiful (and quite eerie at night) church yard is Albury Street, which has some fine 18th-century houses which were popular with sea captains and shipbuilders. Christopher Marlowe, (a contemporary of Shakespeare) was murdered in a nearby house, and buried in an unmarked grave in the churchyard of St. Nicholas, the ancient parish church. It's a short walk from Deptford train station, which opened in 1836, and is reputedly the oldest railway station in London, and the oldest suburban station in the world to survive on its existing site.
BuySouthwark and Lewisham
Deptford Market
The old working-class area of Deptford still has a lively street market, which is real and neither trendy or touristy! Likewise, East Street Market in Walworth, which has a real mix of African-Caribbean food stalls and antiques and oddities dealers. The birthplace of Charlie Chaplin is here, with several landmarks named after him.
Wed/Fri-Sat 7AM-4PM