Rowing on the Thames

Wikipedia says about the Thames: “The Thames is a river flowing through southern England, connecting London with the North Sea (estuary). After the Severn River, the Thames is the second longest river in Great Britain with 346 km.

Despite its popularity and river length, the Thames is usually not counted among the major European rivers. Because it is quite wide – even in the city of London – it flows very slowly.

The Thames rises at an altitude of 110 m above sea level. The source is Thames Head near the village of Kemble in the Cotswold Hills, a karst area with little surface runoff. The Halfpenny Bridge in Lechlade on the edge of the Cotswolds is considered the beginning of the navigable Thames. It then flows through Oxford, Wallingford, Reading, Maidenhead, Eton and Windsor, partly in pronounced meandering arches. These are also our rowing stations.

We usually row along the river from Oxford to Kensington for 4 or 5 days. A highlight on the way is the visit of the Henley Racing Track as well as the many beautiful locks, which are usually served by friendly and talkative employees. The tour concludes with a visit to our friendly club just outside London.

The tides of the North Sea make themselves felt from the Teddington lock about 90 kilometres before the mouth.

Between Maidenhead and Windsor, the Thames supplies an artificial side channel created for flood protection, the Jubilee River. There are also numerous islands in the Thames.