+ ON TOUR: The River Thames

Over the Spring Bank Holiday TNU decided it would be a good idea to educate the grandchildren on what London’s river has to offer.

When you think of river trips on the Thames the norm is to investigate the busy section from Putney to Greenwich centred on Westminster Pier.  It provides commuter services and sightseeing tours.  In 2024 the fleet of river vessels carried around 10m passengers. 

Thames River Boats is different and pure leisure.  It offers a selection of sailings from Westminster to the west with a small selection of destination piers.  Kew, Richmond, Hammertons Ferry Pier and Hampton Court Landing Stage.  You can join at any one you choose.

So it was off to Westminster on the Underground emerging into the ticket hall, turning left and into a tunnel under the road and forward to the pier.  

Our boat was the M.V. Connaught, built by Salter Brothers of Oxford in 1911.  She is a beautiful example of an Edwardian river cruiser with spacious open decks, elegant carpets and polished wooden panelling.  Connaught carries up to 193 passengers for sightseeing cruises.  There is a fully licensed bar on board and simple snacks are available.   You can charter it too with full catering.

Our Captain and commentator for the day really knows the river but how he has managed to visit all the pubs noted by him is beyond us.  Extraordinary!

Our journey was upstream and the daily 11:00 departure to Hampton Court Palace, once the home of Cardinal Wolsey before being confiscated by Henry VIII.  The journey is up to 3.5hrs but you can get off at Kew or Richmond and pick up a sister boat for the return.  The reverse journey to Westminster leaves at 15:00.  As alternatives the local railway stations are a short walk from the landing piers.  

From Hampton Court to the Tower of London it is 16 miles.  That is a long row in earlier times and particularly harrowing for Queen Katherine Howard as she took her final journey.  

Just like the Mississippi (see TNU ON TOUR June) the Thames is a complicated river, tidal until the Richmond locks and subject to floods and heavy water flow.  With the river high we had no need to use the 1894-built structure, important enough to be opened by the then Prince of Wales.  

The London Eye is impressive as we started our journey but just past the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) is a lesser-known building, The Jewel Tower built by Henry Yevele between 1365-1366.  It is not part of the Palace of Westminster and is well worthwhile visiting in itself. 

The famous London landmarks came through thick and fast.  On the left-hand side (port) there was Lambeth Palace (as noted by our Captain there is no current occupant – the position of Archbishop available), starboard (right) Tate Britain art gallery, followed by Dolphin Square, flats and apartments, and on the other bank Battersea Power Station now very successfully redeveloped as a shopping mall.  Soon we were past the Royal Hospital Chelsea, and Chelsea Old Church, and then the starting point of the Oxford vs Cambridge boat race and Fulham football ground.   

On the north bank English Heritage’s Chiswick House and Gardens stood out.  This was a busy part of the river with plenty of leisure waterborne traffic.  

First stop was Kew, world famous for its horticultural gardens followed on the north side by Syon House, owned by the Percy family, then looming up on the same side we passed by a famous drinking hole The London Apprentice.  

Richmond stood out with its many riverside pubs and restaurants.  Next up starboard was Eel Pie Island, accessible by footbridge and in the 1960s the venue for rock concerts and some notoriety by The Rolling Stones, The Who and Screaming Lord Sutch. 

Along came Teddington Lock which in its present form dates from 1856.  Measuring 198.12 metres (650ft) long and 7.54 metres (24ft 9in) wide, this lock has an extra pair of gates one third of the way along the chamber. To handle the heavy river traffic here, there are five lock keepers, manning the lock 24/7 throughout the year.  Our passage was slow as we patiently waited for the river traffic going downstream  

Next up Kingston.  How did it get its name?  It was here 10th Century Saxon Kings of England were crowned.  The Kingston Bridge dates from 1828 and was given protection as a Grade II* listed structure in 1951.  

Including the Hampton Court Bridge (we did not pass under), there are 22 crossings of the river between Westminster and Hampton Court, five for trains only.

Our trip down the Thames was something of a gamble.  We were not sure if the children would get bored but they clearly enjoyed the journey, sometimes sitting on the front deck, then going atop, and from time to time visiting the cabin for refreshment.  These were perhaps more mature kids, 12, 14, 17.  And rather like their carers they were amazed by how many people live on the river, houseboat after houseboat on certain legs, and also stretches of perfect tranquillity.  

This part of the Thames is not affected by aircraft noise into Heathrow.

We did not visit Hampton Court Palace on this occasion.  That is for another day using land-based transport.  There is a later departure at 16:00, but it is only to Richmond.  Hampton Court also offers a railway station.

Do check the timetable.  It can change from day to day.  

The Thames is a vibrant river.  Well worth a day out, kids and grownups alike. 

www.thamesriverboats.co.uk

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READERS' COMMENT

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Sarah Jones, Mill Hill London

I’ve done the trip. Much more interesting than going East from Westminster. We got off at Kew and picked up the returning boat to Westminster. And getting to and from the pier was so easy.