Epic Hikes of the World ( PDFDrive )

catering for office workers and tourists. Your eyes will be drawn to French pastries,
Welsh cheeses and North Sea fish; but your nose will win, tempted by Indian dosa,
Dutch pancakes and English bacon. Grab a taste from as many stalls as you can,
make your choice, then sit under the spire of Southwark Cathedral to eat. If good
food and drink make a hike epic, there would be no competition.
© Justin Black | Shutterstock
stopping for supplies at Borough Market
But what about a bit of history, art and culture to add to the all-round epic-ness?
Easy. This next stretch of the Thames is historic even by London standards. Whether
you choose to stop for a show at Shakespeare’s Globe, whisper across the dome of
St Paul’s, or contemplate the works of Picasso, Rothko and Warhol at Tate Modern,
your main problem is getting this tiny hike done in just one day when there’s so
much to stop you in your tracks.
But as you walk further and become accustomed to the changing views, the
mishmash of architecture and the human wildlife on show, two subtleties of this
particular epic hike become apparent. The first is the presence of the river. At the
start of the walk it is no more than a handy gap between you and the view, a
handrail to stop you getting lost. But spend a few hours in its company and you see
the tide change, watch eddies swirl behind the piers of the bridges as the current
flows swift. You notice the traffic on the river, not just the roads – pleasure cruises