The Thames: A River Rich with History
The 215-mile River Thames is often thought of as a ‘London river’. But England’s second-longest river (after the Severn), actually begins in the Cotswolds and flows through Oxford out to the North Sea. The Thames used to be so polluted, that Parliament would have to regularly close down due to the stench. Today it’s much cleaner.
Tower Bridge was built in the late 1800s, to give people better access to the East End. Often confused with London Bridge (half a mile away), the urban (denied) legend is that an American (who wished to move the bridge to Arizona) bought the wrong one!
The bridge opens for ships to pass. In 1952, a double-decker bus began to slide as the bridge accidentally opened. Driver Albert Gunter made a split-second decision to accelerate to clear the gap (like the film Speed, when the road wasn’t built). There were no serious injuries. So he was awarded the princely sum of £10!
Life on the Thames is an illustrated journey along a river that sustains a staggering number of birds and mammals. Swans, geese, herons, and cormorants are regular sights, as are 120 species of fish. Otters have made a comeback upstream, as water quality has improved.
Opened in 1984, the Thames Barrier is one of the world’s largest movable flood defences. It sits downstream of central London and protects the city from storm surges. The barrier can be raised in less than two hours, when high tides and storms threaten the capital.
The Thames Path is a 184-mile (294-kilometre) walking trail following the river from its source to the sea. You can join it in city or countryside. The path takes in urban parks, rolling fields, and bustling towns.
