London Southern Marshlands Walk – From Gravesend to Cyberman.

Another unique InspiralLondon walk and exploration through South London Marshlands from the origins of the in/spiral at Gravesend to the foundations of Queen Elisabeth Bridge at Dartford.

Join the inspiralLondon Team for our penultimate autumn walk:

We will meet at 11 am sharp outside Gravesend mainline Rail Station to walk to the Gravesend Pier and start of the Inspiral trail. Then joining the Thames Path and through the site of Rosherville Pleasure Gardens encountering the last dancing bear of England. After, the route then becomes quite industrial wending through Northfleet, haunted by the remnants of cement industry, before reaching Swanscombe Marsh (recently made a SSSI protected by Natural England), one of the most bio-diverse parts of the city’s watery commons. Passing Botany Marsh Northfleet (to the north part of Swanscombe Marsh peninsula). This marsh and former quarry site is home of rare invertbrates like the jumping spider and numerous other hidden species. Swanscombe Marsh also retains the ghostly memory of our prehistoric origin. From there we walk along the fringe of the Thames to the looming arch of Queen Elisabeth Bridge where a surprising encounter awaits with the Last Cyberman on Earth.

The end is the beginning which is also the end the truth is there is only one path which is defined by the end which is also the beginning (Cyber-song). Reversing the walk we took this time last year we find ourselves destined for a rendezvous with the Last Cyberman on Earth at the foot of the QE2 bridge. Essex artist Ralph Overill has forged a virtual entanglement with this denizen of the capitalist edges, exploring his connection to wildernesses and wastelands – landscapes at the periphery of, or between, places. Ralph will begin the end of our walking ritual in symbiotic union between monster and margin.

This walk will take around five hours including stops. The Thames footpath runs out from Gravesend, then to end at Dartford (Bridge Development area) passing through the old Littlebrook power station site to return south – for buses to Dartford or back to Gravesend.

This exploratory Hydrodetour is another collaboration between InspiralLondon and UEL Visual Arts foundation and InspiralLondon Associate artists and Ralph Overill.

This developing entanglement of the UEL Art Foundation encounter with InspiralLondon is part of their continuing Cultural Landscapes walks: “This process based student project is an example of how intuitive research can enfold us into a material tapestry of collective understanding” Dr Mikey Georgeson. With thanks to Susie Bearman, UEL Foundation and Dr. Mikey Georgeson and the Last Cyberman? Image curtesy of Calum F Kerr and Ralph Overill.