Thames Landscape Strategy - diary

The Spiritual River

The spiritual connection between humans and rivers stretches back millennia. In almost all world cultures water plays some part in the way that people traditionally understand and celebrate their lives.

Great River Race in Reverse

Put September the 5th in your diaries and come down to Ham House to watch the finish and enjoy the festivities. The Great River Race is a truly magical event with almost 300 boats competing to find the world traditional rowing boat champion. Craft from across the globe enter – dragon boats from China, whalers from Canada, surf boats from Australia and Cornish gigs from the Isles of Scilly.

Vegetation and King Henry

So far, it has been an excellent summer down by the river. The mild and largely dry weather being just what the trees and flowers have needed to get them off to good start. The good weather has also attracted visitors to the Thames in their thousands – the towpaths have never been so busy with all manner of people out and about enjoying themselves.

Dry routes

Quite often a walk along the towpath can be disrupted by flooding from a high tide. Within the space of an hour water can overtop the bank and cover large sections of the riverside. This can be fun to watch but for someone who may not know the river all that well be confusing and quite scary.

Wind in the Willows

“Suddenly he stood by the edge of a full-fed river. Never in his life had he seen a river before—this sleek, sinuous, full-bodied animal, chasing and chuckling, gripping things with a gurgle and leaving them with a laugh, to fling itself on fresh playmates that shook themselves free, and were caught and held again. All was a-shake and a-shiver—glints and gleams and sparkles, rustle and swirl, chatter and bubble. The Mole was bewitched, entranced, fascinated”.