Playground of Kings and Queens, this astonishingly beautiful river has followed its present course for half a million years. Over the centuries Royalty and the nobility developed a remarkable landscape of palaces, royal deer parks, and hunting lodges, many of which still survive today.
Our route along the Queens Highway is outside London and in the non-commercial upper reaches of the River Thames, through an area designated of 'Outstanding Natural Beauty'. Its banks and towpaths link parks, meadows, wooded valleys and stately homes, whilst within the river salmon, pike, gudgeon and many other fish feed and attract birds like great crested grebes, herons and kingfishers.
Pageantry abounds from ancient ceremonies like Swann Upping, when the Queen's Swan Master and representatives of the Vintners and Dyers (once powerful medieval Trades Guilds) row upstream recording and marking ownership of the swan population. There are also regattas and festivals, traditional boat rallies and much, much more - River Thames life is an intriguing marriage of interest and tranquility running happily side by side.
Cruising commences in the rich meadowland of South Oxfordshire and enters a changing, magical landscape. This takes us past elegant and luxurious riverside homes and alongside ancient medieval villages, populated with cottages so pretty that the heart of the beholder is forever lost. We follow part of the Ridgeway, a 5000 year old drovers path and thought to be the oldest road in Europe; we travel through 'Wind In The Willows' country where delightful tales of Toad, Ratty and Mole were penned; we travel the length of the world famous Henley Royal Regatta course, a highlight in the British Social 'Season' for 150 years.
Without encountering any commercial traffic, our cruise takes us through a total of seventeen locks and under numerous wonderful old 18thand 19th century bridges. Finally we arrive at our final mooring in the shadow of the magnificent, crenellated and largest occupied castle in the world, Windsor Castle, built in 1066.
Our route along the Queens Highway is outside London and in the non-commercial upper reaches of the River Thames, through an area designated of 'Outstanding Natural Beauty'. Its banks and towpaths link parks, meadows, wooded valleys and stately homes, whilst within the river salmon, pike, gudgeon and many other fish feed and attract birds like great crested grebes, herons and kingfishers.
Pageantry abounds from ancient ceremonies like Swann Upping, when the Queen's Swan Master and representatives of the Vintners and Dyers (once powerful medieval Trades Guilds) row upstream recording and marking ownership of the swan population. There are also regattas and festivals, traditional boat rallies and much, much more - River Thames life is an intriguing marriage of interest and tranquility running happily side by side.
Cruising commences in the rich meadowland of South Oxfordshire and enters a changing, magical landscape. This takes us past elegant and luxurious riverside homes and alongside ancient medieval villages, populated with cottages so pretty that the heart of the beholder is forever lost. We follow part of the Ridgeway, a 5000 year old drovers path and thought to be the oldest road in Europe; we travel through 'Wind In The Willows' country where delightful tales of Toad, Ratty and Mole were penned; we travel the length of the world famous Henley Royal Regatta course, a highlight in the British Social 'Season' for 150 years.
Without encountering any commercial traffic, our cruise takes us through a total of seventeen locks and under numerous wonderful old 18thand 19th century bridges. Finally we arrive at our final mooring in the shadow of the magnificent, crenellated and largest occupied castle in the world, Windsor Castle, built in 1066.
