Eight assembled at the appointed place and time and gave a 5 minute grace with one more arrival before setting off on a newer start to the walk than I had done before....Where the new start meets the old start, we were met by one more late starter, making for 10 on this chilly but clear evening . Disappointingly some of the works no longer seem to be on the route as indicated -- though there were a couple of newer pieces from 2022 and 2023. We opted for the alternate route bypassing Cody Docks which is a bit industrial..... We took the DLR to Victoria Docks and then enjoyed the ride across the Thames on the Cloud Cable Car which had fine views. We finished up with the final pieces along the Thames by the O2 and then all headed for Busaba Thai for heat and nourishment....

What time does it start?

Hi Gavin it's 7pm to clear the rush hour a little and give those working plenty of time to get to Stratford....

Meeting Point is "Robert the tank engine" at 7pm which is just outside Stratford Station

Gr8. I hope to be by Robert at 7.

Im not sure how my head will be for the pod in the air. If Robert can take us across the Thames that might be easier.

8 walkers on this mild calm evening.

We didn't see all of the artwork along the way but there's a wide range, from pictures drawn by local children to Anthony Gormley's/Damien Hirst's.

We were dismayed to find Cody Lock closed when we arrived, our onward path blocked and our only other option being to retrace our steps. Thank you to the member of staff who was still there and listened to our pleas and let us through. Then a scenic ride across the Thames in the cable cars, just as it was getting dark.

I plan to go back and and have another look (also around Cody Dock when it's open).

8

11 walkers met up at the agreed time and spot, initially in light spittle/drizzle, bumping into a 12 th walker as we left the Olympic Park. That dozen did not though include the person that had explicitly asked about the walk with the tidal mill needing to be posted. Anyway...

The rest of the walk was done in dry weather.

Nothing much to report about the route, other than that some of the artworks were difficult to spot in the darkness, and that - with Cody Dock closed for the evening, necessitating a diversion - all in it has quite a bit of industrial estates to walk through.

At Star Lane DLR, the train was just pulling out as we arrived, so we walked to Canning Town instead, past some rather unglamorous industrial buildings, and then across the bridge to City Island. Interesting for most, I'd think, as they had never been.

1 or other were dropping out at Canning Town, which left 10 to take the newly renamed IFS Cloud Cable Car (new sponsor = new name), and then on the other side 7 to go for dinner together. The independent outlets had their kitchens closed or closing already (and it wasn't even 21.00 yet), so chains were the only option. Wagamama it was to be, again.

6 at the meeting point at the agreed time (kind of), plus 2 joining along the route straight from work from whatever DLR stop was closest to the route. 8

Stratford was buzzing with West Ham supporters going to the game, 'buzzing' themselves with the prospect of their first proper European game in eons.

Sharing the route initially with the people going to the game, we then turned left along the water for a more sedate experience. There are indeed several new art works along The Line, but a handful of them are by one (local) artist alone. The route worked quite well in the dusk I thought, as lots of buildings are lit and the paths are certainly well lit. Until one gets to Cody Dock. Which is shut in darkness.... Blame the walk poster for slack research.

We had to turn back for 5 minutes and wiggle through an industrial estate to get back on route. No harm done. 1 then departed at Canning Town, the other 7 took the cable car, some of those for the first time ever!

On account of the extra kilometres walked, we retired immediately to the nearest hospitality establishment for food and drink: the Greenwich Bar & Kitchen.

autumnal but dry

Any takers for the Wiltshire walk yesterday? Would have gone if it wasn't so wet.

13 at the alloted time (about a handful of those MeetUp-ies), with 1 other catching up soon. 2 later caught us having slid down The Slide, i.e. 16 in pleasant if a bit cold weather. No new sculptures compared to past years (but plenty of new buildings), although someone reported that The Line's website states there will be new ones later in 2019. 1 bailed out at Star Lane DLR, the rest got to the 'Emirates Airline' in time for a ride in the early dusk (they have now slowed the speed for evening rides, so it's actually pretty good value for the £3,50 on Oyster PAYG), then we rounded the Dome at the Peninsula top to finish at just past 9 o'clock. 9 walkers went for a meal and a drink.

11 walkers in overcast with some drizzle conditions.

1 bailed out at Canning Town tube, 5 at North Greenwich tube (b4 rounding the Dome), 4 of the remaining 5 had a convivial dinner at a Mexican resto.

Disappointingly, The Line has not added any new sculptures to the line-up since or last outing(even to the contrary: one has been taken down compared to last year), but this is still an interesting outing, what with seeing lots of building sites signifying the accelerated regeneration of East London along the route, as well as the magnificent cable car run across the Thames.

Emirates Air Line's 'flight' over the Thames now comes with optional snazzy dining carriages (4 round trips for 4 courses, apparently, 4 diners per car), and most of those were occupied, so they're getting that one right.

Custom House DLR is shut until end of year for Crossrail works, so we had to improvise a little bit, but with the walk author on board, that was no problem at all.

...so the dining service on the cable cars was a one-day pop-up, I hear. disappointing

18 walkers today in balmy conditions, only a few of them being repeaters from last year. 3 bailed out at the two chances to do so, the rest finshed the newly revised route, with 2 new sculptures compared to last year.

Probably a bit late in the year for this walk (at least with a 19.00 start), as dusk was already well developed by the time we got onto the cable car, but the O2-dome and Canary Wharf arguably look better in the dark than during the day...

At the end, drinks for some, a meal at Wagamama for others...

Intend going.

Looking forward to this one, can you confirm that it's Wednesday evening please? not Thursday?

Yes it's Wednesday evening.

This is a little bit off topic, but I thought those of you who like to walk sections of the Thames path to the east of Tower bridge might be interested in the following article:

http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/feb/24/private-london-exposed-thames-path-riverside-walking-route

.. and perhaps get involved in some lobbying?

intend coming

15 light cloud The Walks poster was conspicuous by his absence (some say he was seen having a pint at a Pub in Mile End). Undaunted,the 15 made their way though the bustling thoroughfare at Stratford and headed south west along the high street AKA A118 for about a kilometre before swinging left onto the path by the Three Mills Wall river to view the first piece of art. Onwards to Three Mills to join the River Lea with a brief incursion onto the A12 and then Cody Dock, a great social enterprise and well worth a visit.

With some concern about the closing time of the Emirates Air Line, the group hastened to the DLR station at Star Lane caught a train to Royal Victoria in plenty of time to catch a "flight" to the 02 at dusk with the impressive London skyline below. A final stroll around the Dome to North Greenwich underground where some folks stopped to eat and others set of home. An interesting and varied walk well worth the effort.

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