Borough Exploration Blog Post

Borough Tour

Before heading out to Southwark with Jessica on Friday, I did a little more research into cool places to go see. The one I kept coming back to was the Canada Water Library. The story behind it and the reason it was built were very interesting and also sort of rebellious. After the government made cuts to the boroughs spending policies, many of them began to close libraries first. Southwark, however, listened to its inhabitants and instead cut back hours and such. And to make it even more of a screw you to the government, they built an entirely new and architecturally awesome library. Hence, the Canada Water Library.

    So that is where we headed first when arriving at my borough. I was excited by the idea of having class in a library but, unfortunately, you need to be a member to rent out a study room. Also, there’s no AC. Instead of having us all start memberships we’d probably never use again and then sweat to death of 1 to 2 hours, I decided against the Canada Water library.

    At that point, I didn’t really have any options close to where we were except for the Surrey Docks. Our hunt for them, while technically a failure, turned into a really relaxing stroll through the neighborhoods along the south bank of the Thames. We started walking east not really knowing for sure where we were going due to google maps issues. We headed down Surrey Quays Road partly because it was named Surrey Quays Road and that seemed like a good start in finding the docks and also because it was right next to the library. We saw that there was a little stream running under the road and took a set of stairs down to the walkway. It was insanely beautiful. Calm and quiet, shady and green. Basically the complete opposite of the underground. Thank God.

    After walking along this stream for a while, it opened up into a larger body of water called Surrey Water. Again, you would think that’s a good sign. But just wait.

    Surrey water was adorable. It had a couple of swans skimming the top of the water for what I presume were bugs and some other type of little bird with little babies. In this random body of water, there were these mini wooden islands for the various birds to rest of and make nests. There were a lot of benches and shady areas I was thinking we could have class at but no grassy patches to make it more comfortable.

    We then crossed Salter Road and Rotherhithe Street and finally made it to the Thames.  Without a single sighting of the actual, official Surrey Docks. Right across the way, there was a restaurant and bar called The Salt Quay and so we stopped for some lunch. After sitting and enjoying our food, the breeze, and the sound of the river lapping against the sides of the dam, we continued our search for the Surrey Docks. I was really starting to hate these docks, but I’m stubborn. And I wanted to find these stupid docks.

    So, we walked along a path that follows the River Thames heading towards the Globe Theatre. I knew there was a museum down that way and thought it would be a good place to go in case it rained. The walk was really nice and very shady at 1 o’clock in the afternoon which was a real plus.  Along it, there are lots of cute little sitting areas with trees and benches. Very nice for scenic pictures if you’re into that.

    We were getting kind of tired and thirsty at that point, so we walked into this miniature café. Which turned out to be the café attached to the itsy bitty Brunel Museum.  And, while super cool and historical, costs 6 pounds a person. So that idea was shot. And it was starting to seem like the Surrey Docks thing was too.

    Our walk continued with a stop outside The Mayflower Pub for some flower-filled pictures and moved on to a plaza. This little plaza has a beautiful view of the Thames, the Tower Bridge, and the Shard. After that, we made our way to the Bermondsey tube station to head home. On the way, we stopped to see the Dr. Salter statues, the King’s Stairs Garden, and the ruins of King Edward III’s manor house.

    So we never found the Surrey Docks. I am starting to think maybe they just made up that whole long history of these docks to make us think there is more economical history to this borough than there actually is. Or maybe Jessica and I are just really bad at finding things. But also, we tried to google them when we got back and found nothing, but some pub named after them. Who knows.

My Proposed Plan

    I, honestly, would like to do this exact same thing. It was super peaceful and relaxing and calm and just everything I am about. It probably wouldn’t be quite as sprawly as the way we did it considering we were just blindly trying to find the Surrey Docks. But I definitely want to take us by the little river and Surrey Water. I was thinking maybe we could have one class there and then go get some food at the Salt Quay (it seemed pretty classically British). And then continue the walk along the river until we got to the King’s Stairs and have our second class there.

    I know it sounds like a lot of walking, but it really isn’t. Also, it’s very shady and pretty. I think starting earlier in the morning might be a good idea just to make sure we have enough time to get to the Southwark Playhouse by 2:30. I’d say either meet at South Kensington Station by 9:30 or 10, or at the Canada Water station by 10—10:30.