Pool of London: A Self-Guided Walking Tour

This self-guided walking tour traces nearly 2000 years of history along the Thames, between London Bridge and Tower Bridge, once Britain's busiest port. You'll hear about the traitors, prisoners and warships once moored here, and see how old warehouses now hold restaurants and flats. The tour starts at the Southern Gatehouse, where traitors' heads were once displayed on spikes. You'll cross London Bridge, pass Billingsgate Market and the Custom House, then continue over Tower Bridge to Shad Thames, Butlers Wharf and HMS Belfast, before returning to the Southern Gatehouse. Along the way, learn about Doggett's Coat and Badge, Britain's oldest sporting event, spot a Thames sailing barge, and see the safety chains that have lined the tidal river for centuries. Wear comfortable shoes and give yourself 90 minutes to follow the river where London's fortune, and infamy, began.