London, England

Thames River Paths and Bridges

Running along the Thames River embankment is one of the running/tourist treats of London. It’s a great way to see some of the sights, while also getting some exercise in. What’s also nice is that the main bridges of central London are fairly close together, so it’s easy to do loops of various lengths. Rather than proscribing a certain route, we have put together this table and accompanying map with the segment distance between the bridges. The total distance between Tower Bridge and Vauxhall Bridge is ~4 miles. On either side, there are brief road connector sections. Sites include, from east to west, Tower Bridge, City Hall, London Bridge, The Tate Modern, Millennium Bridge, The National Theater, the London Eye, and Big Ben. The best connection from the Thames to the Royal Parks is at Westminster Bridge (Big Ben), which is a few blocks from St. James Park, and 0.7 miles from Buckingham Palace.

  • Short Option, 3.4 miles: Start at Big Ben, run on north side, cross Jubilee Bridge, run on south side to Millennium Bridge, cross back to north side, and return.
  • Western Option: Westminster Bridge to Battersea Bridge. 6.5 miles. Follows the Thames Path on the south side to Battersea Park. Cross Albert Bridge and return on the north side. There’s a small road section o in the Battersea Park area. Add to the run by enjoying some of the trails in Battersea Park (~2 miles around the park’s paths), or further east along the Thames Path.
Table of Segment & Bridge Distances   Bridges and Tube Stops

 

Essentials
  • Multiple mileage and loop options - see table
  • 243 feet
  • Any point. Tower Bridge a good spot to start

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Essentials
  • Multiple mileage and loop options - see table
  • 243 feet
  • Any point. Tower Bridge a good spot to start