Rotherhithe
There are some areas of London that really feel like communities in their own right. Rotherhithe is just such a location. Ask any local why they love living here and they will undoubtedly tell you it’s all about the sense of community. This community spirit possibly has its roots in the fact that Rotherhithe was once an island and it still retains a certain undiscovered allure. Maritime history is the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Rotherhithe. This is where the Mayflower set sail for America in 1620, giving its name to the ever-popular Mayflower pub. At the centre of London’s commercial maritime success, Rotherhithe was home to the best and largest ship builders in the world. Today the working docks are gone, but the Rotherhithe peninsular is a mini paradise, with its docks attracting watersports enthusiasts and offering novices the chance to try their hand at sailing. Budding engineers will also enjoy the Brunel Engine House Museum, all about Brunel and the Thames Tunnel.
There are some beautiful green spaces in Rotherhithe, making it a great place to visit with children. Samuel Pepys records visiting Rotherhithe Cherry Gardens in his famous diary to buy cherries for his wife. Whilst a recent initiative has seen cherry trees start to be planted in the area once more, nowadays families are more likely to take a walk around lovely Southwark Park, possibly stopping off at the Café Gallery by the lake to see an exhibition by local artists. Alternatively, the Russia Dock Woodlands, created in 1980 in the former dock basin is a lovely place to explore. A bronze relief map by Michael Rizzello, cleverly designed to fill with rainwater, shows the docks as they were in 1896. The Surrey Quays shopping and leisure complex is a leading example of how redundant docklands can be given new life and contains all the big high street names as well as a multi-screen cinema complex and a bowling alley — great for families with teenagers.
