Forget the hype: London is a rubbish city!
Rejoice in the junk and wonder at the waste on this winding trail of muck and trash.
On this 2 mile ramble over the Isle of Dogs and under the river to Greenwich we’ll pass historic dumps and landfills and hear the stories of castaway communities. We’ll ponder the sounds and smells of the city’s waste, past and present, and marvel at its transformation.
This unusual guided walk is devised and led by Rosie Oliver, founder of Dotmaker Tours. Rosie has a background as an environmental lawyer, and now divides her time between leading Dotmaker Tours and producing podcasts and audio features. Listen to Rosie introduce A Rubbish Trip.
What to expect
A Rubbish Trip is perhaps best described as a cross between a sustainability tour and an alternative London history walk. Tour goers will:
- • find out about London’s garbage – past, present and future – and the environmental and sustainability issues to do with how it has been dealt with;
- • explore a seldom-visited part of London – the Isle of Dogs – taking in Millwall Dock, Mudchute Park & Farm, Island Gardens with its spectacular views of the Royal Naval College, and the Greenwich Foot Tunnel;
- • learn about the history of the area;
- • end the tour by the river in Greenwich, with its rich collection of historic rubbish.
Our Rubbish Trip was amazing. I learned a huge amount of interesting things about this unusual subject – what London’s rubbish is, where it comes from, where it goes and how that has changed through the ages. Rosie, who is a font of knowledge on the subject, made it all incredible fun. — Declan, Hampstead
Brilliant walk taking in unexplored and unknown parts of London. Taken at the right pace can full of interesting information. Loved it and look forward to the next one. I would fully recommend it! — Sue, Somerset
… rifling through someone else’s rubbish has never been so much fun. — Sunday Times Travel supplement feature on the Rubbish Trip
Key details
Tour starts: Mudchute DLR, by the entrance to Platform 2 (northbound).
If travelling from Central London, you will need to exit the platform and walk round to the entrance to the platform on the other side.
Tour ends: In Greenwich by the river/Old Royal Naval College. Nearest station is Cutty Sark DLR.
Duration: Usually about 2hrs 30mins (but the tour can be shortened if needs be).
Dress for the weather, and wear boots/sturdy shoes as we’ll walk across paths and grassland that can be muddy.
Facilities: There are no facilities, shops or cafes at Mudchute DLR. Our loo opportunity is not until about 50 minutes into the tour. Come prepared!
Private group bookings
This tour is available for private groups to book throughout the year.
It has a broad appeal, but has proved particularly popular with student groups and corporates interested in the environment, sustainability, waste management, design and British history. It is also available to groups of friends and family.
Scheduled public walks
Our scheduled walks programme ended in October 2024.