Today had a spring like feel about it with high clouds and watery sunlight, I decided to get out and about, so packed up a picnic and hopped on a train to Grays. Unfortunately it isn't possible to walk around the coast to Tilbury as the footpath stops at the docks. It was very pleasant walking in the sunshine along Grays beach and through the riverside park.
After that it was a four miles slog through Grays and past Tilbury docks to rejoin the river at the Passenger ferry to Gravesend. The sun disappeared behind a huge cloud, thunder rumbled and it started to rain as the sun came out. Next to main cargo docks is the Cruise Terminal but services do not start until March when you take the Marco Polo to the Land of the Northern Lights, (Norway?). All the weird weather produced a very good rainbow over Tilbury power station.
The passenger ferry was a hidden delight because it turned out to have a floating car park equpped with a couple of benches where I ate picnic in lovely, bright and warm sunlight. The ferry seemed to have dropped anchor over in Gravesend and abandonned the timetable entirely. The views are very impressive; Gravesend directly opposite Tilbury is a historic town and port; to the east Hadleigh castle was clearly visible.
The river was very quiet with a few yachts and this freight ferry on its way to Purfleet. It is hard to imagine that Tilbury is still a major port with so few ships around. The pilot boat kept coming out to have a look around and then disappearing back to Gravesend. As it took me longer than expected to walk to Tilbury so I'll have visit Gravesend another day. I caught a little shuttle bus, which was free to ferry users, back to train station and home.
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