Let's draw at St Katharine Docks - Saturday 28 July 2018

We meet this month at St Katharine Docks, a marina just to the east of Tower Bridge.  This day offers the chance to draw the boats in the Docks, and the former warehouses and modern buildings which surround them.  We will also have river views towards the City and Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, and across the river to the former warehouses of Shad Thames.

The day is free of charge, no need to book, just turn up with your art kit.

Key times and meeting points

11am: Meet at Starbucks, Cloister Walk, inside St Katharine Docks (see photograph – it is a small round building inside the Docks, there are other branches in the Tower Bridge area)

1pm: Meet in front of The Dickens Inn (see photograph below) to look at drawings done so far.  There is some cover at the entrance to the Inn if the weather is wet.

3.30pm: Meet at The Dickens Inn, as at 1pm, to look at drawings done, and take group photographs.

We can then go to a pub or café locally – we can decide on the day.

Options for drawing

St Katharine Docks is a marina with three basins.  It is mostly used by luxury yachts, although there are some older boats.  It is surrounded by restaurants, shops and residential developments, some in former warehouses, some modern.  The docks were originally designed by Thomas Telford and opened in 1828.

There is a wide range of boats, walkways, bridges and nautical paraphernalia to draw in St Katharine Docks, as well as the buildings, old and new

There are views of the Thames from the riverside walk, including Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, and the City skyline

If the weather is wet, some cafes have seating under arcades and umbrellas

Practical information

The nearest underground station is Tower Hill (District and Circle lines) or Tower Gateway (Docklands Light Railway).  From Tower Hill station, turn left towards the river, then follow the signs through the underpass to St Katharine Docks.  Alternatively, you can walk from Aldgate (Metropolitan Line), or from London Bridge, follow the riverside walk (south bank side) and cross Tower Bridge.  St Katharine Docks are immediately beyond Tower Bridge, on the north side of the River Thames.

There is a wide range of cafes and restaurants, with indoor and outdoor seating.  There are public toilets, indicated on the maps on display at several points.

The day is run by Jo Dungey and Gafung Wong.  The sketch is by Gafung Wong, and the photographs are by Gafung Wong and Jo Dungey

Let's draw at St Katharine Docks - Saturday 28 July 2018