On a hot summer evening, the South Bank can be a lovely place to hang out, taking a stroll along the banks of the Thames and watching the river boats gliding up and down.
Here’s a series of photos taken this week, straight after I’d seen the wonderful Klanghaus music installation at the Southbank Centre.
I don’t like seeing corporate branded buses parked up on the walkway, but this gets a pass because of (a) the wonderful lighting and (b) it’s a Routemaster bus.
Happily, at this time of night, the place wasn’t plagued by those tedious human statues all pulling off the same one-trick-pony with the ‘levitating’ frame.
At this time of night, there was just one musician playing by Hungerford railway bridge, which is now flanked by two pedestrian bridges. See how it looked in 1995 and see its famous skateboard graveyard.
London Eye in the background.
Food and drink stalls under the bridge.
Looking north.
Festival pier, a stop for river boat services on the Thames.
Southbank Skatepark in the undercroft of the Southbank Centre.
Having a pint by Waterloo Bridge.
Walking under Waterloo Bridge.
Drinkers outside Denys Lasdun’s National Theatre, one of London’s most divisive Brutalist buildings whose rough concrete appearance was once described by Prince Charles as being like “a nuclear power station.”
Under the riverside trees, which are illuminated by fairy lights at night.
Looking east, with the dome of St Paul’s centre left.
Low tide sees a beach appear. There’s been some wonderful parties there!
To the right can be seen the abandoned pillars of the Blackfriars railway bridge. Read more here.
See more photos and walks around the Thames here.
Related posts:
A walk along the Thames riverfront and beach by Vauxhall, south London
Southbank London – beach huts, boats and ice cream
London’s South Bank in the April sun: 1001 photos, luxury flats and a tennis racket acrobat
Practising parkour on the sandy beach of the River Thames, South Bank, London
An early Christmas London walk – baubles, gas lamps, ice rink, South Bank and ICA art launch
Pic of the day: Bagpipes and big drum, South bank, London
Pic of the day: lone fire eater, South Bank, London
The incredible fire-breathing tuba on London’s South Bank
