{"id":16453,"date":"2022-06-09T14:53:52","date_gmt":"2022-06-09T12:53:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?post_type=purple_issue&#038;p=16453"},"modified":"2022-06-09T17:11:18","modified_gmt":"2022-06-09T15:11:18","slug":"discover-royal-thames","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/2022\/06\/09\/discover-royal-thames\/","title":{"rendered":"Discover Royal Thames"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h5 class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>DISCOVER<\/strong><span style=\"color:#4db0ef\" class=\"has-inline-color\">: JUBILEE SPECIAL<\/span><\/h5>\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center\">Royal Thames<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center intro\">From its spring in the Cotswolds, a wild river winds past dreaming spires and palaces to the city and the sea. <strong>Ben Lerwill <\/strong>marks Her Majesty the Queen\u2019s Platinum Jubilee by exploring the rich, regal heritage of a great river <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"no-tts wp-block-image alignfull size-large article-in-image photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/GettyImages_1081347572_preview-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16841\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/GettyImages_1081347572_preview-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/GettyImages_1081347572_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/GettyImages_1081347572_preview-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/GettyImages_1081347572_preview-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/GettyImages_1081347572_preview.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>First built of timber and earth by William the Conqueror and later rebuilt in stone, Windsor Castle has a key strategic position on a hill overlooking the Thames. Henry II (1133\u20131189) constructed the Round Tower and stone outer wall. Since the English Civil War, the castle has primarily been a royal palace  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-primary-dark-color\">T<\/span>he royal swans of the Thames have seen it all. These imposingly elegant \u2013 if occasionally headstrong \u2013 birds are said to have been introduced to Britain from Cyprus in the late 12th century, brought here by Richard the Lionheart after the Third Crusade. Their snowwhite feathers have now graced the waters of our most famous river for more than 800 years, swimming sinuously through wars, plagues and coronations, graduating in the process from dinnertable delicacy to protected species. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Today, as the legal property of Queen Elizabeth II \u2013 who has the right to claim ownership of all unmarked mute swans swimming in open water, though maybe has more pressing tasks \u2013 they remain a regal sight. And they find a suitably majestic waterway in the Thames, that noble artery that rises in a puddly field in the Cotswolds and flows for 215 miles to reach the coast, passing palaces, castles and cathedrals on its way. It runs through nine counties, drifts under 134 bridges and spends much of its time carving a scenic, serpentine course through the countryside. In his book <em>Thames: <\/em><em>Sacred <\/em><em>River, <\/em>historian Peter Ackroyd calls the vast waterway \u201ca museum of Englishness itself\u201d.<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"no-tts wp-block-purple-slider\" data-autoplay=\"true\" data-speed=\"300\" data-effect=\"fade\"><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/d21a3c15-c1b7-4562-8998-f8f62d876599.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"16439\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/d21a3c15-c1b7-4562-8998-f8f62d876599\/\"\/><figcaption>Blissfully oblivious to their status as crown property, two swans fly along the Thames in Oxfordshire. These large, graceful birds mate for life, and fly and swim faster than any other waterfowl <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/dd6faa8f-8d8b-400c-a040-eb54571f39e3.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"16440\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/dd6faa8f-8d8b-400c-a040-eb54571f39e3\/\"\/><figcaption>The Thames Path trail follows the river from its source near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier in Charlton, London <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/7ca79880-e23d-4d77-8199-2446f1023126.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"16441\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/7ca79880-e23d-4d77-8199-2446f1023126\/\"\/><figcaption>The bell-shaped purple flowers of snake&#8217;s head fritillaries pepper Cricklade North Meadow Nature Reserve, Wiltshire <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-large\"><p>\u201cBurnished tales and princely residences still clasp to the Thames like jewels to a necklace\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Among it all, from the whisper of the upstream reeds to the clatter of central London, the river\u2019s links with the monarchy have long been prominent. This year is the Queen\u2019s Platinum Jubilee, marking a decade since the huge, 670-boat royal pageant of 2012 and well over a millennium since Alfred the Great held the first English parliament in a riverside meadow in Shifford, Oxfordshire. Today, burnished tales and princely residences still clasp to the Thames like jewels to a necklace. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">It is also, officially, one of our four royal rivers, the other three being the Trent, the Severn and the Yorkshire Ouse. The designation stems from an edict by 11th-century king Edward the Confessor which, in brief, made navigability on these waterways more of a priority than mills and fisheries. But while there may be four royal rivers, there is emphatically only one Thames. <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1545\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/1c5b5665-2e17-42f6-815d-d9ad18777794.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16442\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/1c5b5665-2e17-42f6-815d-d9ad18777794.jpg 1545w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/1c5b5665-2e17-42f6-815d-d9ad18777794-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/1c5b5665-2e17-42f6-815d-d9ad18777794-773x1024.jpg 773w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/1c5b5665-2e17-42f6-815d-d9ad18777794-768x1018.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/1c5b5665-2e17-42f6-815d-d9ad18777794-1159x1536.jpg 1159w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1545px) 100vw, 1545px\" \/><figcaption>The upper Thames meanders through the low-lying landscape around Lechlade, Gloucestershire; the Thames Path can be walked from here to London <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<h5><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-primary-dark-color\">ROYAL LINEAGE <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">On the river\u2019s wider sections, many of England\u2019s most iconic royal locations stand on its banks \u2013 and we\u2019ll come to them \u2013 but even close to the source, connections to the crown can be teased out. <strong>Cricklade,  <\/strong>the first town reached by the fledgling Thames, was fortified by Alfred the Great in around 890 to safeguard it from the Danes, and even briefly had its own mint. Visit today in spring, incidentally, and you will also find the UK\u2019s largest bloom of rare snake\u2019s head fritillaries on the flower-rich floodplains just outside town. The Thames, at heart, is still as wild as it is royal. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Continuing downstream, past pretty settlements such as <strong>Kempsford  <\/strong>\u2013 where various monarchs, including a young Henry IV, are known to have knelt in the 12th-century church \u2013 and <strong>Lechlade,  <\/strong>where Catherine of Aragon was once lady of the manor, the river winds its way through open pastures and dappled copses to arrive at Port Meadow, on the edge of <strong>Oxford.  <\/strong>This enormous swathe of grazing land, famously never ploughed and now a magnet for waders and waterfowl, was gifted to the city by William the Conqueror. He lived before the time it was possible to enjoy a pint at tranquil riverside pubs The Trout Inn and The Perch, but you can.<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1546\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/091057cd-5928-45b9-8767-db78feacfb54.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16443\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/091057cd-5928-45b9-8767-db78feacfb54.jpg 1546w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/091057cd-5928-45b9-8767-db78feacfb54-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/091057cd-5928-45b9-8767-db78feacfb54-773x1024.jpg 773w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/091057cd-5928-45b9-8767-db78feacfb54-768x1017.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/091057cd-5928-45b9-8767-db78feacfb54-1160x1536.jpg 1160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1546px) 100vw, 1546px\" \/><figcaption>The spires of Oxford\u2019s Christ Church College and Lincoln College are reflected in the waters of the Isis, another name for the Thames in the stretch from its Cotswolds source to Dorchester in Oxfordshire  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The spires of Oxford itself come next. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">This stretch of the Thames, also known as the River Isis and routinely frequented by scullers, runs close to the prestigious colleges where Edward VII and Edward VIII studied (though not, cynics would point out, with much distinction), as well as the Norman castle where, in 1142, King Stephen besieged his cousin and rival the Empress Matilda. The city takes its name from being the site of a one-time livestock ford across the river, when these higher reaches were far less navigable, though by the time of the Great Fire of London in 1666, a system of locks and weirs meant that barges laden with Cotswold stone were able to sail through Oxford to rebuild St Paul\u2019s Cathedral. <\/p>\n\n<h5><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-primary-dark-color\">PROVIDER AND DEFENDER <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">There are good reasons, of course, why so many prominent buildings and institutions are found so close to the Thames. A river this broad historically provides not just water itself but also, among other things, rich soil, trade opportunities, a food source, a frontier, a wildlife habitat, a means of travel and a strategic location. It helps explain why Wallingford Castle \u2013 the ruins of which the river soon reaches after looping through the ancient town of <strong>Abingdon  <\/strong>and a bucolic sward of south Oxfordshire \u2013 became such a significant fortress. <\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"no-tts wp-block-purple-slider\" data-autoplay=\"true\" data-speed=\"300\" data-effect=\"fade\"><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/376753ce-9e88-451b-b9fb-810b1eeb0fac.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"16444\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/376753ce-9e88-451b-b9fb-810b1eeb0fac\/\"\/><figcaption>Beech woodland shrouds Spring Cottage at the National Trust&#8217;s Cliveden Estate, Berkshire <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/052745c9-0627-4440-9c14-7d301b463e9b.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"16445\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/052745c9-0627-4440-9c14-7d301b463e9b\/\"\/><figcaption>A gramophone playing punt drifts along the river at Henley-on-Thames during the Henley Royal Regatta<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/93aeae70-cf40-4863-9e12-4ef1520cd34f.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"16446\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/93aeae70-cf40-4863-9e12-4ef1520cd34f\/\"\/><figcaption>Wallingford Castle fell into ruin in the 16th century; building materials were taken to support repairs to Windsor Castle <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">From its beginnings as an 11th-century motte-and-bailey, Wallingford Castle went on to become an opulent medieval royal residence. Fusspot Henry VIII reportedly thought it too draughty, but the castle hosted all manner of dignitaries until its final act in 1646, as one of England\u2019s last royalist strongholds during the Civil War. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Today, willows and alder throng the water\u2019s edge near its remains, nodding in the river breeze as canal boats putter past. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">This is the Thames all over: swirling through different eras, furling across the map as though traced by a meandering quill, pulling natural and human history along in its current. It was 1839 when the first Royal Regatta was held at <strong>Henley  <\/strong>\u2013 our next stop as we head downriver \u2013 and the Champagne-popping extravaganza remains a fixture in the upper-class social calendar. As of this year, it also includes the Prince Philip Challenge Trophy. On a related note, London\u2019s Royal Thames Yacht Club \u2013 the oldest of its kind in the world \u2013 was established when George III\u2019s brother sponsored a prize in 1775, and originally also held its races on the river.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">But back to our journey downstream. It would require a hefty compendium to list every royal connection to the Thames, but there is no overlooking the presence of Windsor Castle, reached after the river passes beneath the glorious beech woodland of the Cliveden Estate. The castle might today be the Queen\u2019s turretladen home of choice, but it dates right back to the days of William the Conqueror and was, at least in part, first built as a way of overseeing a vital stretch of the river.<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"no-tts wp-block-purple-slider\" data-autoplay=\"true\" data-speed=\"300\" data-effect=\"fade\"><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/b18e148a-17a5-4eb8-be42-131765129521.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"16447\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/b18e148a-17a5-4eb8-be42-131765129521\/\"\/><figcaption>The Thames winds between Eton and Eton College on the left bank and Windsor on the right. Windsor Bridge connects the towns, carrying pedestrians, cyclists and the Thames Path over its iron-and-granite frame <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/19a52c40-7cc3-40da-8371-78a6ee52702c.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"16448\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/19a52c40-7cc3-40da-8371-78a6ee52702c\/\"\/><figcaption>Queen Elizabeth II is rowed down the Thames near Windsor in the newly built Gloriana to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee in 2012<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"no-tts blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/bfb580b8-20d9-41f4-a096-78256bced878.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"16449\" data-link=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/bfb580b8-20d9-41f4-a096-78256bced878\/\"\/><figcaption>Erected in 1957 at Runnymede, the Magna Carta Memorial celebrates the role the 13th-century document played in the formation of modern democracy <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Even today, it looks at its most imposing from the water. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Continuing on towards the coming vastness of <strong>London,  <\/strong>the Thames twists and turns past Eton College \u2013 alma mater to Princes William and Harry \u2013 before reaching the river meadows and woollytreed island of <strong>Runnymede,  <\/strong>where King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The 2,000-year-old Ankerwycke Yew, one of England\u2019s oldest trees, still stands close by, predating the royal charter of rights by more than a millennium. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">And even beyond this point, as the river approaches the giddy grandeur of Hampton Court Palace, there\u2019s still space for nature to shake off human shackles, notably through the species-rich grassland of <\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-large\"><p>\u201cFor centuries, the lower Thames was a royal thoroughfare, a tidal high street for luxurious barges\u201d <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Dumsey Meadow, one of only a few unimproved riverside pastures this far upstream. Hampton Court, by contrast, with its Tudor-Baroque architecture and stunningly manicured gardens, is every inch a monument to monarchy. <\/p>\n\n<h5><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-primary-dark-color\">ENTER THE CITY <\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">From here onwards, it\u2019s easy to conjure visions of royal barges and pennant-flying pageantry. For centuries, the Lower Thames was a royal thoroughfare, a tidal high street for luxurious barges, many with silken canopies and seats for musicians. Henry VIII owned two such vessels, the <em>Lyon  <\/em>and the <em>Greyhound,  <\/em>limousines of their day for cruising between palaces. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Neatly summing up the vagaries of British history, meanwhile, is the fact that Anne Boleyn made two fateful river journeys into central London, the first in a flotilla of magnificent barges for her 1533 coronation, the second in far less pomp for her 1536 execution. <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1546\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/c10a6909-39e0-41e1-9e3c-6fccbac319eb.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16452\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/c10a6909-39e0-41e1-9e3c-6fccbac319eb.jpg 1546w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/c10a6909-39e0-41e1-9e3c-6fccbac319eb-226x300.jpg 226w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/c10a6909-39e0-41e1-9e3c-6fccbac319eb-773x1024.jpg 773w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/c10a6909-39e0-41e1-9e3c-6fccbac319eb-768x1017.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/c10a6909-39e0-41e1-9e3c-6fccbac319eb-1160x1536.jpg 1160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1546px) 100vw, 1546px\" \/><figcaption>In order to impress Henry VIII, Cardinal Wolsey began the ambitious transformation of Hampton Court Palace from country house to regal splendour. His plan worked too well, as the king eventually took the palace for himself <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Queen Elizabeth II\u2019s official row-barge, the <em>Gloriana,  <\/em>was the first royal barge built for more than 250 years when it was constructed for 2012\u2019s Diamond Jubilee \u2013 a sign of how royal links with the Thames have simultaneously changed and stayed the same. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">And on flows the river, now slipping past the Royal Botanic Gardens at <strong>Kew  <\/strong>\u2013 where George II once lived, at Kew Palace \u2013 the Tower of London, and the Royal Borough of <strong>Greenwich,  <\/strong>as it flows inexorably through the capital towards the sea. Here among the urban thrum it feels somehow altered, but of course it\u2019s the same Thames as it was far upstream, where swans dabble in the shallows, and where history takes shape among the sedges and rushes. <\/p>\n\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><figure class=\"no-tts alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/cfda26a9-34cd-45e4-afe2-39eebc0f4a8a.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16450\" width=\"43\" height=\"57\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><strong>Ben Lerwill <\/strong>has spent much of his life living near the Thames, in London and Oxfordshire. He finds the river fascinating, and in 2017 wrote an award-winning feature for <em>BBC  Countryfile Magazine <\/em>on walking from the source to Oxford.<\/p>\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-uagb-section uagb-section__wrap uagb-section__background-color uagb-block-32276db2-ab52-4a1c-b7ff-079a9c23bfbd article-boxout\"><div class=\"uagb-section__overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"uagb-section__inner-wrap\">\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center article-subhead\">SWAN UPPING <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Traditions don\u2019t come much more British than the annual practice of swan upping, which takes place each July on the Thames, usually over five days. Essentially a swan census, it involves a flotilla of traditional rowing skiffs moving upriver while gathering up swans and cygnets to be measured, examined and, in some cases, ringed for identification. Still led by the Queen\u2019s official Swan Marker \u2013 complete with scarlet jacket and a swan\u2019s feather in his cap \u2013 the custom dates back hundreds of years, but while its original aim was to secure prime food for the royal table, its aims today are centred on conservation and education. It takes place on the stretch of river between Sunbury-on-Thames and Abingdon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"613\" height=\"407\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/019ccf71-a0bd-4d66-90fe-08f0d1021106.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16451\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/019ccf71-a0bd-4d66-90fe-08f0d1021106.jpg 613w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/019ccf71-a0bd-4d66-90fe-08f0d1021106-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 613px) 100vw, 613px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center\">NOW GO TO ROYAL THAMES<\/h4>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center sans-serif article-full-lead\">Where to stay, visit, eat and drink, by <strong>Ben Lerwill <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"532\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/River-Thames-colour_preview-1024x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16846\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/River-Thames-colour_preview-1024x532.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/River-Thames-colour_preview-300x156.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/River-Thames-colour_preview-768x399.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/River-Thames-colour_preview-1536x798.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/River-Thames-colour_preview.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-ccp-primary-dark-color has-text-color\"><strong>STAY <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2GGD9H4_preview-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16848\" width=\"512\" height=\"341\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2GGD9H4_preview-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2GGD9H4_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2GGD9H4_preview-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2GGD9H4_preview.jpg 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\"><strong>The Mitre Hampton Court<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">A mere stone\u2019s throw from Hampton Court Palace is this newly renovated boutique hotel. It dates back to the 1660s but has been given the full 21st-century treatment \u2013 expect fizz on arrival, riverside terraces and luxurious rooms; from \u00a3188 for a double. <a href=\"http:\/\/mitrehamptoncourt.com\">mitrehamptoncourt.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\"><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/B1GF5R_preview-1024x686.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16849\" width=\"512\" height=\"343\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/B1GF5R_preview-1024x686.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/B1GF5R_preview-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/B1GF5R_preview-768x514.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/B1GF5R_preview.jpg 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\"><strong>The Swan at Streatley<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Taking its name from the archetypal Thames waterbird, The Swan sits a few miles downstream from Wallingford Castle. It\u2019s relaxed and stylish \u2013 splash out on a river-view room if you really want to make a night of it; from \u00a3120 for a small double. <a href=\"http:\/\/theswanatstreatley.com\">theswanatstreatley.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2A22RB7_preview-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16847\" width=\"512\" height=\"342\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2A22RB7_preview-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2A22RB7_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2A22RB7_preview-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2A22RB7_preview.jpg 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\"><strong>Sir Christopher Wren Hotel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Standing next to the Eton Bridge in Windsor, this enjoyable four-star hotel is spread across a cluster of different buildings, meaning its rooms range from beamed Tudor-style affairs to modern riverside suites; from \u00a3170 for a double. <a href=\"http:\/\/sirchristopherwren.co.uk\">sirchristopherwren.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-ccp-primary-dark-color has-text-color\"><strong>MUSEUMS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/GettyImages_522680724_preview-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16850\" width=\"512\" height=\"342\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/GettyImages_522680724_preview-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/GettyImages_522680724_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/GettyImages_522680724_preview-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/GettyImages_522680724_preview.jpg 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\">River and Rowing Museum<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Opened in 1998 by the Queen herself, this Henley museum focuses on both the sport of rowing and the history of the river, with a permanent <em>Wind <\/em><em>in <\/em><em>the <\/em><em>Willows <\/em>gallery as well as a caf\u00e9 and shop. <a href=\"http:\/\/rrm.co.uk\">rrm.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\">Thames Museum<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Currently \u201cin the early stages of conception\u201d, this London attraction will be dedicated to the archaeology and history of the Thames, centred on artefacts found in the river. <a href=\"http:\/\/thamesmuseum.org\">thamesmuseum.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-ccp-primary-dark-color has-text-color\"><strong>HERITAGE PROPERTIES WITH ROYAL LINKS <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/90f16782-2905-4291-8815-f9ab85811d08.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16461\" width=\"805\" height=\"568\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/90f16782-2905-4291-8815-f9ab85811d08.jpg 1609w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/90f16782-2905-4291-8815-f9ab85811d08-300x212.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/90f16782-2905-4291-8815-f9ab85811d08-1024x722.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/90f16782-2905-4291-8815-f9ab85811d08-768x542.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/90f16782-2905-4291-8815-f9ab85811d08-1536x1084.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 805px) 100vw, 805px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\">Hardwick House <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">This property (above left), set on a private Oxfordshire estate, dates to the early 16th century. Charles I was reportedly allowed to play bowls on the lawn while being kept prisoner nearby. Riverside camping available. <a href=\"http:\/\/hardwickestate.co.uk\">hardwickestate.co.uk<\/a> <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\">Cliveden House <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Now a luxury hotel (<a href=\"http:\/\/clivedenhouse.co.uk\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"clivedenhouse.co.uk\">clivedenhouse.co.uk<\/a>), this grand house (top right) was built in 1666 for the Duke of<span> Buckingham. It played host to the first performance of <\/span><em>Rule  Britannia  <\/em>at a party in 1741. A decade later, the Prince of Wales died here after being hit by a cricket ball. The National Trust gardens and parkland are open to the public. <a href=\"http:\/\/nationaltrust.org.uk\/cliveden\">nationaltrust.org.uk\/cliveden<\/a><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\">Monkey Island Estate <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Set on an island close to Bray, and now also a high-end hotel, the estate (above right) has welcomed various royals. A photo from 1905 shows Edward VIII having afternoon tea under the walnut trees. <a href=\"http:\/\/monkeyislandestate.co.uk\">monkeyislandestate.co.uk<\/a> <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"sans-serif article-subsubhead\">Richmond Park <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Sitting above a bend in the Thames on London\u2019s outskirts, this is the largest and most \u2018rural\u2019 of the Royal Parks. It was originally created as a deer park by Charles I in the 17th century. <a href=\"http:\/\/royalparks.org.uk\/parks\/richmond-park\">royalparks.org.uk\/parks\/richmond-park <\/a><\/p>\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-ccp-primary-dark-color has-text-color\"><em><strong>WALK\/RIDE IT <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"441\" height=\"458\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/d89af76c-4124-4dc3-a587-ceb25d25c4f1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16462\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/d89af76c-4124-4dc3-a587-ceb25d25c4f1.jpg 441w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/05\/d89af76c-4124-4dc3-a587-ceb25d25c4f1-289x300.jpg 289w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 441px) 100vw, 441px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The wonderful Thames Path National Trail is a 184-mile walk that traces the river from source to sea, sticking close to the banks for the vast majority of the route. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Being largely flat, and offering plenty in the way of wildlife, refreshments and accommodation, it\u2019s a superb walk. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Cycle it: The Thames Path isn\u2019t aimed at cyclists, but there are several stretches where you are allowed to pedal next to the river, including the section that passes through Oxford, and the path between Weybridge and Hampton Court. <\/p>\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-ccp-primary-dark-color has-text-color\"><strong>THAMES EVENTS FOR 2022 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"no-tts wp-block-image article-in-image photo is-style-default\"><figure class=\"no-tts aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/WNGTR5_preview-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16851\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/WNGTR5_preview-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/WNGTR5_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/WNGTR5_preview-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/WNGTR5_preview-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/WNGTR5_preview.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">\u2022 Henley Royal Regatta, 28 June\u20133 July <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">\u2022 Thames Traditional Boat Festival, Fawley Meadows, near Henley, 15\u201317 July <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">\u2022 Swan Upping, 18\u201322 July <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">\u2022 Egham Royal Show, 27\u201328 August <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">\u2022 Totally Thames, arts and culture festival, 1\u201330 September <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">\u2022 Thames Path Challenge, 100km event for walkers\/runners, 10\u201311 September <\/p>\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-uagb-section uagb-section__wrap uagb-section__background-color uagb-block-c5d6574d-cb3e-480f-8f2c-03d620603916 article-boxout\"><div class=\"uagb-section__overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"uagb-section__inner-wrap\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-primary-dark-color\">DRINK AND EAT <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"no-tts wp-block-image size-large article-in-image photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"579\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2FWFP57_preview-1024x579.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16852\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2FWFP57_preview-1024x579.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2FWFP57_preview-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2FWFP57_preview-768x434.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2FWFP57_preview.jpg 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Ye Olde Swan, Radcot <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">This pub-restaurant sits right next to Radcot Bridge, a former packhorse bridge said to be the oldest crossing of the Thames. The pub itself is a characterful one, with a large terrace. <a href=\"http:\/\/yeoldeswan.co.uk\">yeoldeswan.co.uk<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The Trout Inn, Oxford <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">This 17th-century pub sits close to Oxford\u2019s Port Meadow but feels a world away from the city. It has connections to various cultural and literary icons, from Lewis Carroll to Colin Dexter\u2019s <em>Inspector  <\/em><em>Morse.  <\/em><a href=\"http:\/\/thetroutoxford.co.uk\">thetroutoxford.co.uk<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The Plough, Long Wittenham <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Sitting on a bend in the river, The Plough has been a fixture in the <em>Good  <\/em><em>Pub  <\/em><em>Guide  <\/em>since 2015. There\u2019s a large garden for fine weather, and log fires for chilly days. <a href=\"http:\/\/theploughinnlw.co.uk\">theploughinnlw.co.uk<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"no-tts wp-block-image size-large article-in-image photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/PXMW45_preview-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/PXMW45_preview-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/PXMW45_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/PXMW45_preview-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/PXMW45_preview.jpg 1181w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Sindhu, Marlow Bridge <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar is the brains behind this sophisticated Indian restaurant, which forms part of the Compleat Angler Hotel in Marlow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">It blends traditional Indian techniques with quality British ingredients. <a href=\"http:\/\/sindhurestaurant.co.uk\">sindhurestaurant.co.uk<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">The Folly, Oxford <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">A classy restaurant on the Thames, The Folly is open for everything from afternoon tea to six-course tasting menus. You can even book a river launch for a 30-minute pre-dinner cruise. <a href=\"http:\/\/no1-folly-bridge.co.uk\">no1-folly-bridge.co.uk<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-uagb-section uagb-section__wrap uagb-section__background-color uagb-block-8bd00bcf-7fa8-4a4a-a3b4-310debb69014 article-boxout\"><div class=\"uagb-section__overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"uagb-section__inner-wrap\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><span class=\"has-inline-color has-ccp-primary-light-color\">THAMES CRUISES <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"no-tts wp-block-image size-large article-in-image photo\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/dj9jqhxgw9833.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2GK4EBK_preview-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"no-tts wp-image-16854\" srcset=\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2GK4EBK_preview-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2GK4EBK_preview-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2GK4EBK_preview-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2GK4EBK_preview-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2022\/06\/2GK4EBK_preview.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">There are various options for river cruises in central London, with Thames River Sightseeing one of the most established. <a href=\"http:\/\/thamesriversightseeing.com\">thamesriversightseeing.com<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">New for 2022 is the Terrible Thames tour from <em>Horrible  <\/em><em>Histories,  <\/em>an entertaining 45-minute journey departing from Tower Bridge Quay. <a href=\"http:\/\/terriblethames.com\">terriblethames.com<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"article-full-body sans-serif\">Thames Rivercruise is based in Caversham near Reading, and offers boat trips and charters along the Upper Thames. <a href=\"http:\/\/thamesrivercruise.co.uk\">thamesrivercruise.co.uk<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<p class=\"footer\">Photo: Getty, Alamy, Oliver Edwards Map: Liz Pepperell\/www.illustrationx.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ben Lerwill marks Her Majesty the Queen\u2019s Platinum Jubilee by exploring the rich, regal heritage of a great river 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Lerwill marks Her Majesty the Queen\u2019s Platinum Jubilee by exploring the rich, regal heritage of a great 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