Greenwich and the Cutty Sark

Hello, I have just returned from a trip to Kent to see our good friends and their 8 year old twins. It's was so nice to catch up after not seeing them for just over a year. Yesterday, we took a trip to Greenwich:

We combined a fair few methods of transport to get from Kent to Greenwich, first by driving to Orpington, train to Lewisham, then by Dockland Light Railway to Greenwich. Later we took a boat trip before taking the train home again! Our first stop was the Cutty Sark.

The Cutty Sark's first role was in transporting tea from China between 1870 and finishing in 1877 when it arrived in China to collect tea, only to find that steam ships were now transporting tea, and was left transporting a range of goods such as coal and jute until it could find a more permanent cargo.This came in the form of Australian wool, but after 12 years, the Cutty Sark was once again usurped by steam ships. In 1895, the Cutty Sark was sold to a Portuguese company. In 1923 she was purchased by a English skipper and she has remained here ever since.

From the deck of the Cutty Sark, there was a brilliant view of the London skyline, including the Shard, and although you can hardly see it in this image, the London Eye is on the far left.

We walked up through Greenwich park to the Royal Observatory to the Meridian Line. After paying £58 for two families to visit the Cutty Sark, we were stunned to find out that we would have to pay more to visit the Meridian line! My husband spoke to an assistant and she let us in free!

The Meridian Line marks the two hemispheres: east and west, and is longitude 0. All time zones are measured in respect to the Prime Meridian.

There is a bright red time ball on the top of Flamsteed House. It begins to rise at 12:55, reach the top at 12:59 and falling at exactly 13:00.

Before leaving London for the day, we took a riverboat from Greenwich Pier to London Bridge City Pier.

Brilliant day out!

Love Mrs Jones x