But you can take a quick-trip down the River Thames from the Southend-on-Sea  to its source right here!!!

Southend-on-Sea

 Home of  the world's longest pleasure pier.   Opened in 1889, it has become Southend's most famous landmark.  Millions of visitors have visited the pier. 

At 1.33 miles (2.1 km) in length the pier stretches into the estuary of the River Thames, giving you the chance to enjoy a brisk walk, or ride on the unique pier trains.  Pass a few leisurely moments watching a fisherman reel in a cod or flounder and don't forget to save time for a trip on one of the many pleasure boats from the pier head.

Dartford River Crossing - M25 London's Orbital Motorway - TOLL CROSSING
North-bound via one of 2 tunnels - South-bound over the Queen Elizabeth Bridge

Thames Barrier

Woolwich Ferry

Free Ferry for vehicles and pedestrians (runs restricted hours)
 - there's a Foot Tunnel for pedestrians

London City Airport 

Build in the old London Royal docks this STOL (short take-off and landing airport) is the closest airport to the centre of London.

Spectacular views of the River Thames when you take-off or land at this convenient airport.

Flights to many major continental destinations in Holland, Belgium, Germany, France and Switzerland.

Blackwall Tunnel

 Greenwich Meridian - Longitude 0�

Greenwich

World Heritage Site of the Prime Meridian of the World and where Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is set; Throw in the birth-place of Henry VIII and his daughter Elizabeth I.  There's lot to see in Greenwich!

Cutty Sark

Magnificent tea-clipper with a chequered history.
 Now in dry-dock at Greenwich.

Greenwich: Take a boat trip on the River Thames from Central London

London Docklands

Docklands & Isle of Dogs - including the vast Canary Wharf Tower as its centre-piece.

Rotherhithe Tunnel

Rotherhithe

The Pilgrim Fathers  set sail from Rotherhithe.  

Today you can visit the Mayflower pub.

Tower Bridge

Completed in 1894 it has become an international symbol of London. Visit the inside to learn about the bridge's history and enjoy spectacular views from the walkways. 

Tower of London

Historic building, guarded by the famous 'Beefeaters' spans 900 years of British history and has served as a palace, prison and execution site. It is the most famous fortress in Europe and houses the priceless Crown Jewels, Royal Armouries & the ravens.  

H.M.S. Belfast

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London Bridge

Built on this historic site which was traditionally the first crossing of the Thames from the sea.  The previous London Bridge was demolished in 1968 and rebuilt in Lake Havasu Arizona, USA

Southwark Bridge

St Paul�s Cathedral

Rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire in 1666. Among its attractions are the Whispering Gallery, the Stone Gallery, and the Golden Gallery from which there are superb views of the Cathedral.

Millennium Bridge: footbridge that connects Shakespeare's Globe to St. Paul's Cathedral.  unfortunately it was closed immediately after its official opening because it wobbles!

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

SHAKESPEARE GLOBE THEATRE AND EXHIBITION

The fascinating story of the re-creation of Shakespeare's Globe, the most important public theatre ever built. Unique opportunity of seeing an Elizabethan theatre building reconstructed using material, techniques and craftsmanship of 400 years ago 

Tate Modern

TATE MODERN

Housed in the former Bankside Power Station, Tate Modern displays the Tate collection of international modern art from 1900 to the present day, including major works by Dal�, Picasso, Matisse, Rothko and Warhol as well as contemporary work by artists such as Dorothy Cross, Gilbert & George and Susan Hiller.

With 5.25 million visitors through its doors it the most popular modern art museum in the world and it is free!

Blackfriars Bridge

Oxo Tower

Beautiful roof top restaurant with spectacular views of London
 Book very early

Waterloo Bridge

Cleopatra's Needle

Charing Cross

National Theatre

MOMI - Museum of the Moving Image

National Film Theatre

Royal Festival Hall

Built for the Festival of Britain in 1951

Hungerford Bridge (footbridge from South Bank to Charing Cross Rail Station)
 under construction 

London Eye: Millennium Wheel

British Airways London Eye is the world's highest observation wheel
and offers passengers amazing views of Britain's capital city. The Eye
takes guests on a 30 minute flight, rising to 450 feet above the river
Thames, in 32 high tech fully enclosed capsules.

London Aquarium

London Aquarium, County Hall 

Westminster Bridge

Houses of Parliament 

Tate Britain

Tate Britain: (formerly The Tate Gallery) holds the national collection of British painting from 1500 to the present day, the national collection of 20th century painting and sculpture and the Turner Collection. 

Lambeth Bridge

Lambeth Palace - Home of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Vauxhall Bridge

Chelsea Bridge

Putney Bridge

Chiswick

Hammersmith

Varsity (Oxford v Cambridge) Boat Race every Spring

Tidal Limit - Locks

Kew Bridge Steam Museum

Kew - Royal Botanical Gardens

KEW GARDENS (ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS) Kew, Richmond, Surrey 
Location: map
Website:  www.kew.org.uk 
Tube/BR: Kew Gardens BR: Kew Bridge
300 acres which once belonged to the Royal Family; contains living collections of over 40,000 plant species and varieties. Also six glasshouses, two art galleries, an audio-visual exhibition and visitors' centre.  

Kew Palace

Eyot

Twickenham

Twickenham - Home of English Rugby

Richmond-upon-Thames

Kingston-upon-Thames

Thames Ditton

Hampton Court

HAMPTON COURT PALACE  Hampton Court, East Molesey, Surrey 
Location: map
Website: www.hrp.org.uk
Tube: Not on tube
BR: Hampton Court 
Boats: From Westminster, Richmond, Kingston-upon-Thames during summer. 

Henry VIII's magnificent Tudor palace, set in extensive gardens and park land on the banks of the River Thames. Tudor kitchens, tennis courts, maze and state apartments, King's Apartments. 

Walton-on-Thames

Why not take in a holiday on the river?

Staines

London's Heathrow Airport

Three Men in a Boat - Jerome K Jerome

Three Men in a Boat Books:
amazon.com | amazon.co.uk | amazon.de | amazon.fr

Runnymede

On 15th June 1215 King John met 25 barons on a field somewhere between Staines and Windsor.  This meeting at Runnymede fields resulted in the king attaching his seal to a document that became known as the Magna Carta.  A watershed in English, and World history.  Many of its statutes are still enshrined in English Law today.

In the late 1950's the American Bar Association built a memorial as a tribute to the signing of the Magna Carta which was seen as the origins of the principle of 'Freedom under Law'.

One of four surviving (of the 13 produced) exemplifications is in the British Library in London.  Two other survivors are now in the archives of Lincoln and Salisbury Cathedrals. 

Eton

Windsor

Windsor Castle

Historic Windsor dominated by the Royal Castle.  Windsor Castle is an official residence of   Queen Elizabeth II.  Windsor Castle has been a royal palace and fortress for over 900 years.
Eton and the World famous Eton College, founded in 1440 by King Henry VI,  on the North Bank just across the River Thames by footbridge.

River cruises, motorboats, punts and rowing boats for hire.

Maidenhead

Cliveden

Sir Charles Barry designed mansion is set in 375 acres of parkland high over the River Thames.

In the 1960's Stephen Ward used Cliveden's Spring Cottage for parties which were frequently attended by Christine Keeler and Mandy-Rice Davies. John Profumo had an affair with Keeler, whilst she was seeing a Russian diplomat. The ensuing scandal led to the eventual downfall of Macmillan's Tory government.

Marlow

Half-way between Oxford and London with its suspension bridge built by Tierney Clark in 1832, who also designed the Sz�chenyi Chain Bridge across the Danube in Hungary in 1849 connecting the towns of Buda and Pest (Budapest).

It has had many famous residents including Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein) and TS Eliot

Hurley

Henley-on-Thames - famous Regatta

River & Rowing Museum

Sonning

Reading

Goring

Wallingford

Abingdon - Britain's oldest town!

Oxford

Famous University Town on the River Thames or Isis.

Cricklade

The Cotswolds

The source of the Thames

Journey's End

The River Thames (Old Father Thames)