Over 12 million people live near the River Thames on either side from the source in the Cotswolds, through London an out to the estuary at Southend-on-Sea.
Surprisingly it is not longest river in the UK being a mere 215 miles and shorter than the Severn. But what a 215 miles .It has a remarkable history and an amazing number of cultural (www.riverthames.co.uk/thingstodo.htm) and historic places (www.riverthames.co.uk/thingstodo.htm) to visit, good restaurants (www.riverthames.co.uk/eating.php), interesting pubs (www.riverthames.co.uk/eating.php), clubs, theatres, galleries, parks and a wide variety of places to stay (www.riverthames.co.uk/accommodation.php) from 4/5 star hotels , good value B & Bs, camp sites and caravan parks.
You can fish or sail it, cruise or ski it, row, walk, cycle or cruise ( www.riverthames.co.uk/boat/cruise.htm) it! There’s a vast number of lovely corners of the rural (known as the Upper) Thames west of London above Teddington and as many that have architectural /commercial appeal east towards the capital and then to the sea (Tidal Thames).
It boasts the longest pier in the world at Southend-on-Sea, the oldest churches and some of the most impressive bridges (www.riverthames.co.uk/bridges/bridges.htm) in Britain if not Europe. Try finding an equal to Tower Bridge, Abingdon, Chertsey or Richmond's wonderful constructions 20 miles up from the Estuary lies industrial Tilbury, then historic Gravesend and Greenwich. Its the start of an amazing journey twisting and turning through London -richer plush parts alongside industrial, commercial and residential, regal and hugely grand, then onward and beyond the tidal reach to more gentle settings above Teddington.
Here, as in London but closer to the river and the swans you will find pubs, cafes and restaurants to delight, boats and boating, lush green parks and gentle hills occasionally broken by a Royal borough like Windsor or a nice little town such as Marlow or Henley. Here and there you will find a more complicated, urban sprawl like Reading or Oxford and the river’s attractions are spread across a larger, usually walkable area.
The Thames is vast and there is a month's holiday (www.riverthames.co.uk/holafloat.htm) in the making whether you visit all the pubs from Oxford to Westminster, the Churches from Chipping Campden to Dartford, or cruise through all the locks from Lechlade to Teddington, cycle or walk (www.riverthames.co.uk/walks.htm) the tow-paths and so on. Or, just do day trips, take a 45 minute round trip cruise from Westminster, or a couple of hours from Hampton Court, a picnic near St Johns and enjoy a pint at the Trout Inn. It will reward you in so many ways and most kids love it.
Then you might find that you too want to stay at one of those riverside B & Bs or small hotel, or a permanent roost in an out of town riverside property (www.riverthames.co.uk/properties.htm) or within one of the 33 big towns along the Thames.