Royal Greenwich Observatory and the Cutty Sark

Some photos from my day visiting the Royal Greenwich Observatory and the Cutty Sark.

First I headed to the Observatory, walking up the hill to get there.

A large grassy park with people sitting and walking, surrounded by trees and a brick wall in the foreground. The sky is bright and partly cloudy with a few wispy clouds, and a hill with a building or monument is visible in the distance.

Then a look around the Observatory. It’s about time.

A globe displayed on a stand showing the Atlantic Ocean, Europe, Africa, and parts of North America and South America, with labeled countries and regions.

The Meridian Line.

A concrete walkway embedded with engraved names of cities and their geographic coordinates, with a metal strip running down the center, partially shaded by nearby trees, and a person standing at the top wearing sneakers and jeans.

I really enjoyed John Harrison’s timekeepers. He was trying to come up with one that worked at sea, and the problem with clocks at that time was they were all pendulum based, using gravity. They don’t work at sea because of the constant movement, so something else was needed.

This was his third attempt, H3. It’s still working today.

A vintage clock mechanism with visible gears and a brass finish, mounted on a wooden panel engraved with "John H. Harrison," displayed behind glass in a museum setting.

Close-up view of a complex, polished brass clock mechanism with gears, levers, and intricate metal components displayed on a table in a museum setting.

At the end of the Observatory visit, you get to see a telescope! This is the Great Equatorial Telescope.

Inside a large observatory dome, a telescope with a metal structure and support framework is pointed upward. The dome's interior is curved with a visible lattice of metal beams, and a monitor screen is lit up in the background.

By luck, I was there at 13:00, when the Time Ball is supposed to drop. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen today because of a “technical problem”!

The top of a historic brick building with a white decorative railing, a small tower with a weather vane, a red spherical ornament, and a tall black rod supporting a wind vane, set against a partly cloudy sky.

That’s about it for the Observatory. But before heading back down it’s well worth taking a few minutes to enjoy the view of the City of London.

A wide view of a lush green park with walking paths and scattered people, surrounded by trees and buildings, with a city skyline featuring tall modern skyscrapers in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

I then went on to the Cutty Sark.

A large sailing ship with three tall masts and multiple sails, flying colorful signal flags against a partly cloudy blue sky.

View of the deck on a tall sailing ship with wooden flooring, multiple ship wheels, coiled ropes, metal masts with rigging, and a city skyline in the distance under a partly cloudy sky.

View of a river with a city skyline in the background, a domed building with glass panels and a small spire on top on the left, a pier with people walking in the foreground, and part of a sailboat's mast and rigging on the right.

A wooden ship's helm with a brass plaque reading "CUTTY SARK" is situated on a deck with wooden flooring, surrounded by a chain-link fence, overlooking a cityscape with buildings and trees in the background.

Wasn’t expecting to see a fireplace on board. Apparently only used in port, otherwise it would be too dangerous (oh really?!).

A wooden dining table with chairs, an upholstered leather banquette along the wall, a small round window, a decorative chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and a black ornate fireplace mantel in a wood-paneled room.

After all this sightseeing, I thought I had earned a little rest. On the site of the Old Royal Naval College is the The Old Brewery, operated by the Meantime Brewing Company (makers of a very fine larger).

Interior of a brewery or restaurant with a large black and orange brewing tank setup, modern lighting, a spiral staircase on the left, and a colorful wall mural. There are tables with customers, a flower vase on the counter, and brewing equipment in the background.

Today it was just about warm enough for a beer in the courtyard.

Outdoor seating area with wooden tables and chairs, some occupied by people enjoying drinks under black and blue umbrellas, with a building labeled "Old Brewery" and green trees in the background.

Not a bad way to spend an afternoon. All photos are on Flickr.