Taking the Docklands Light Railway to Greenwich is an experience in itself. The DLR travels overground through  London's regenerated Docklands, and gives panoramic views of Canary Wharf. The stations have evocative names, like Mudchute, Custom House and Gallions Reach. You can almost smell the tar and hear the boards creak. Plus the trains are driverless, so if you fancy the experience of taking the controls as the trains dive into tunnels and carve their stately progress in and out of cityscapes more reminiscent of Dallas than London, grab the front seats before someone else does.

Our walk starts at Island Gardens (Zone 2). Take the DLR from Bank (Central Line) and when you alight, cross the road and enter the Gardens from where there is a view over the river to the old Royal Naval College. Then cross under the Thames through the Victorian pedestrian tunnel. Scary or what? Not really - there is a lift at both ends (currently the North side lift is closed) and the only peril is avoiding the speeding illegal cyclists.

The steps or lift on the south side emerge into the magnificent view of Cutty Sark. You can visit this clipper, then walk along the river in front of the old Naval College, now home to Greenwich University and the Trinity College of Music.

Turning inland, we enter the park, and climb to the Royal Observatory. Like most of the attractions in Greenwich entrance is free. Don't miss the collection of wooden clocks. These were the first seagoing chronometers accurate enough to solve the problem of calculating longitude. Their invention saved literally thousands of lives.

After seeing all the other buildings in the park, descend to the town centre. Don't miss the Market, which operates on Saturdays but is worth a visit for its shops and quirky signs at other times too. Then there is St Alphege Church and a number of interesting craft, antique, book, and bric a brac shops.

Finally there is the wonderful Goddards pie and mash shop. Order pie with mash and liquor if you dare, and eat on scrubbed board tables with the locals. Wash it down with a bottle of warm beer. Try Bishops Finger.

The walk ends at Cutty Sark DLR (Zone 2).

A great walk. Enjoy it! Take your GPS along if you have one, and check its accuracy as you stand astride the east and west hemispheres.

The mid Victorian era was a time of keen interest in industry, inventions, science, the arts, music, poetry, commerce and manufacture. Great Britain not only held sway over a third of the world, but let the way in innovation.

The young Queen Victoria fell deeply in love with the German Prince Albert. She relied on his advice and guidance in everything, and never recovered from his untimely death from Typhoid in 1861.

The Prince Consort had a vision for Brompton Fields in South Kensington. He planned a grand avenue. There would be a museum of the arts and sciences, a huge National Gallery, museums of trade, industry and inventions. Learned societies. A concert hall.

The Victoria & Albert Museum was the only building erected in his lifetime, but although what we see now is rather different from what Albert had in mind, we owe the rich heritage of culture to his memory.

Today's walk starts at the Albert Memorial. Take the Underground to High St Kensington (Circle and District Lines Zone 1). Turn right outside the station and walk 0.6 miles along Kensington Gore. You can avoid the noise of the traffic by crossing the road and walking through the Flower Walk in Kensington Gardens.

Walk with me as I describe the Albert Memorial, Royal Albert Hall, Imperial College, Royal College of Art, Royal College of Music, Royal College of Organists, Royal Geographical Society, National Sound Archive and much more.

Links: Science Museum Geological Museum Victoria & Albert Museum

We finish at South Kensington Underground (Circle and District Lines Zone 1).

Please consider a small donation to cover the costs of travel and bandwidth if you want these podcasts to continue. You can make a donation with any credit card by clicking on the PayPal button on the right. Thank you.