Gabriel's Wharf Lookout - London

Gabriel’s Wharf is found on the South Bank of the Thames, just a couple of minutes away from the Oxo Tower, apart half way between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge. At this point the promenade that runs from Wesminster all the way down to Tower Bridge juts out into the Thames a little providing an excellent place from which to admire the view up and down the river.

Set back from the Thames is a shopping area, called Gabriel’s Wharf, in which you will find a lovely collection independent small shops and boutiques selling a variety of arts and crafts, many them made on site by the shop owners. At the weekends there is also a craft market in the area. Gabriel’s wharf has, therefore, an refreshing display of both creative talent and entrepreneurial spirit sorely lacking in much of the rest of the city where large chain stores have taken over much of the areas.

From Gabriel’s Wharf lookout you can clearly see St Paul’s Cathedral and the skyline of the City of London. Oxo Tower is but a couple of minutes away. The tower also contains a number of galleries as well as a fantastic, and equally expensive, restaurant on the top floor with fabulous panoramic views up and down the Thames. About 5 minutes further on down the Thames you will find the Tate Modern and the Millennium Bridge. In the other direction is Waterloo Bridge and 5 minutes beyond that is the London Eye.

Gabriel’s Wharf is more often ‘discovered’ by people than deliberately visited, but it is well worth the effort for those wanting to discover a quieter spot in London offering original talent. Take a pause here before continuing your walk.

Gabriel’s Wharf is also the location of the Coin Street Festival in the summer. The nearest tube stations to Gabriel's Wharf are Waterloo and Blackfriars.

The full panoramic image taken from the top of Rose Gardens can be found on the London tour by PanoramicEarth.com. An enlargement of this photo can be found on Flickr.

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