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HMS Belfast, London

The Queen's Walk, Greater London, England

Description

HMS Belfast is a light cruiser built for the Royal Navy and launched in 1938; it was named after Northern Ireland capital city. The ship struck a German mine shortly after the outbreak of WW2 late 1939 and spent 2 years undergoing repair before returning to duty in 1942. It was used to escort Artic convoys to the Soviet Union and took part in Operation Overlord in June 1944, supporting the Normandy landings. It was then involved in the Korean War in 1950-52 and finally entered reserve in 1963. The ship was finally transferred to a trust in 1971 and moored near Tower Bridge on the River Thames where she can be visited. Nine decks are open to visitors, from the top of the flag deck to under the waterline.

Access & Transport

London Bridge train and underground stations are a 5mins walk away whilst the closest bus stops are on Tooley st (200m away) and London Bridge. There is no parking in the immediate vicinity so best to come by public transport and walking from/to another activity in the area. Accessibility restrictions (to be expected on a war or sailing ship).

Instructions & Recommendations

Best to book your ticket ahead of time. This activity is best combined with Tower Bridge, The Shard (possible to go up to the observation decks) and Borough Market.

Meta review

Visitors' reviews are very positive overall with the key issues pointed out being the confusing directions and the risk of hitting your head and the like in those narrow passageways. What people enjoyed the most was being able to experience the living conditions of the crew as well as the information about the ship's history.

Environmental & Social

We deem this activity to be neutral from an environmental standpoint and slightly positive socially due to its educational and historical aspects.

Conclusion

HMS Belfast is a well preserved ship that has seen (very) active duty - we think anybody should think about this visit, provided it is within your budget because learning about war and the military is key for people to appreciate peace and the people who keep us safe. Most visitors should find something of interest across the various desks, if only just the narrow corridors, cramped living quarters and steep ladders.

Key positive

Informative and maintains a realistic touch of what living conditions would be like for the crew

Should be of interest to children - boys especially

Good location and makes for great pictures with Tower Bridge in the background

Key negative

Several decks are inaccessible for people with reduced mobility, hard to solve for that on a warship

Signage and guide map combination needs improvement

Suitability

Suitable for all ages in theory but older people and young children will likely face issues moving across decks. Limited access for visitors with reduced mobility

About this Rating

TYPE

Desktop

RESEARCHED IN

May 2024

PROVIDER

Koreval

Included Items
None
Timing
Duration of visit
Closed 24-26 Dec. Last admission is 1h before closing

av. transport time:0h 30m

est. visit time:1h 30m

Regulated hours

Monday10:00 - 18:00

Tuesday10:00 - 18:00

Wednesday10:00 - 18:00

Thursday10:00 - 18:00

Friday10:00 - 18:00

Saturday10:00 - 18:00

Sunday10:00 - 18:00

Pricing
Age band
Age band
Regular price / pers.
Senior
65 - 99
£22.9
Adult
16 - 64
£25.45
Child
5 - 15
£12.7
Infant
0 - 4
£0
Price for students is £22.90

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