A photo walk along the River Thames in London
Parliament building photographed at night from across the Thames. I used a Canon R5 with a 24-105 lens and used the railing to steady the camera during. the long exposure. All photos by John O’Boyle / The Empty Nest Explorers
A walk along the River Thames is a perfect way to see many of London’s famous attractions. The only thing better is to bring your camera along.
We’ll talk about walking along the south side of the River Thames from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge.
You’ll see and photograph icons such as the Parliament building on one end and Tower Bridge at the other end.
For parts of the walk, you’ll walk along the riverfront. The path doesn’t extend the whole way, so you’ll also wind through interesting side streets. These diversions lead you past lots of smaller attractions, pubs, and restaurants.
Walking across Westminster Bridge is a great place to start your river walk.
If you are primarily interested in making this a photography tour, I suggest dividing it into two evenings. The light on the buildings at sunset is fantastic.
For day 1, I’d start at Westminster Bridge and end at Millennium Bridge.
On day 2, I would suggest beginning by walking along the Millennium Bridge and finishing by walking across Tower Bridge.
Photographing Parliament and the London Eye
Coming out of the Westminster Underground station is like no other. You are instantly in the shadow of one of the world’s most iconic buildings: Big Ben, The Elizabeth Tower, or whatever you want to call it.
After soaking in the view from that side of the river, walk across the Westminster Bridge. Be sure to walk across on the same side as the Parliament Building. If you are looking to photograph the London Eye, then walk across on the other side of the bridge.
Once across the bridge, walk down the stairs, and you’ll find a wonderful view of Parliament and the Thames.
In most cities, this view alone would be more than you could ask for. Luckily, in London, this is only the beginning.
The middle of Westminster Bridge gives you a wonderful view of the London Eye.
Next stop is the London Eye. If you are looking across the river, you’ll want to walk to your right.
The most striking aspect of the London Eye is its massive size.
While it’s debatable whether the cost of riding the London Eye is worth it, it’s not debatable that it’s fun to play with the size and shape of the structure with your camera.
Walking under the London Eye with a wide angle lens allows some unique perspectives.
Photographing Millennium Bridge
My next favorite spot is the Millennium Bridge. In a city of many bridges, the Millennium Bridge stands out not only because of its unusual design, but it also offers a direct path to Saint Paul’s Cathedral.
It’s worth a walk at least halfway across the bridge for great views of St. Paul’s and Tower Bridge further along the river.
A fantastic view of St. Pauls Cathedral from Millennium Bridge.
Nearby, you’ll see Shakespeare’s Globe Theater. A cool replica of the original that hosts a full range of shows throughout the year.
Also nearby is Borough Market, with its countless food vendors. If you venture there for a bite to eat, just be warned, it is very crowded. Also, it closes early, 5 pm most nights and 4 pm on Sunday.
Luckily, there are many restaurants and pubs in the area too.
As you pass the warship HMS Belfast, you’ll notice the wide promenade and Tower Bridge ahead.
Photographing Tower Bridge
Many people gather at Tower Bridge to watch the sunset.
Tower Bridge is one of my favorite spots to photograph in the world.
Anytime of day is a great time to visit Tower Bridge, but it really comes alive at dusk.
Not only are you treated to great views of Tower Bridge as the sun sets, but the sky is also ablaze behind the tall buildings of London’s business district.
A long exposure blurs the river water under Tower Bridge. Low tide allowed me to photograph from the riverbank.
On our last visit to London, the sunset and the tides came together to allow me to photograph the bridge in a way I’ve wanted to do for years.
Did you know that you can climb up to the top of Tower Bridge? Read about it in our blog post Visiting London’s Tower Bridge
If you follow the walkway under the bridge and past the restaurant on your right, you’ll see the gate for Horselydown Old Stairs.
If it’s low tide, the stairs will lead you to the Thames riverbank. It’s a remarkable spot to watch the sun set behind the bridge.
That’s the end of a fantastic walk. But if you want one last treat, you can walk across Tower Bridge.
When you reach the other side, you can walk alongside the Tower of London. One last photo you can grab is the Shard behind the Tower of London.
Walk just a bit further and you’ll reach the Tower Underground station.
Thanks for joining me on a great photo walk.
Some great London attractions:
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A walk along the River Thames is a great way to see and photograph many of London’s iconic attractions.