In part V of this series of the best day trips from London, we will be travelling by river on the River Thames which has played an integral part in London’s history. One of the reasons the Romans settled in the city of Londinium since AD43 was because they could easily build a bridge over the river at that point. Then some 800 years later Viking longboats sailed up the Thames to raid London. On one of the raids, the Vikings were led by Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye! What a great name! In 1013 another greatly named king, Forkbeard of Denmark, the son of Harold Bluetooth, occupied London. A few years later the English king, Ethelred the Unready, and King Olaf of Norway sailed up the Thames to retake the city, pulling down London Bridge as part of the attack. It is thought that this could be where the nursery rhyme ‘London Bridge is Falling Down’ comes from.
Although the river has brought the occasional invading force to the city, it also brought trade to London, helping it to flourish. London’s docks were established by the Romans and the docks grew until they were the busiest in the world. It was said that in the 1800s, the Thames in London was so crowded with ships that you could walk across the river by simply stepping from boat to boat. Tower Bridge was built with bascules that lifted up so as not to impede this important trade. Strong maritime history can still be seen across London. Just keep an eye out and you’ll see images of ships on buildings and lamp-posts throughout the capital.
River Cruises in London are a great and relaxing way to enjoy afternoon tea, live entertainment, a lunch, dinner or simply admire the beautiful sights of London including Kew, Richmond, Hampton Court Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral, the London Eye, the Shard, Tower Bridge (often confused as London Bridge) and much more as you sail along the River Thames. There the most diverse ranges of Thames River boats including Bateaux, City Cruises, The London Eye River Cruise, Showboats, party boats, elegant private boats, speed boats, New Year’s Eve cruises and public river transport to enjoy.
Upstream – From Westminster to Kew, Richmond and Hampton Court
The service from Westminster Pier to Kew Pier, Richmond and Hampton Court is subject to availability mainly due to the tide being high enough to sail. Surprisingly, a sustained lack of rain will affect sailings too! The cruise takes place on a traditional river Thames passenger boat with indoor & outdoor seating, a fully licensed bar and washroom facilities. It passes through the City of Westminster, Chelsea, Putney, Kew, Richmond, Kingston and arrives at Hampton Court Palace.
The journey from Westminster Pier to Hampton Court takes between three and three and half hours. The first half of the journey cruises through the London Boroughs of Chelsea, Wandsworth and Putney, the Starting line for the Boat Race, an annual rowing race between the Oxford University and the Cambridge University Boat Clubs since 1829 before cruising into the more peaceful reaches of the Tidal Thames.
The second part of the journey follows the winding course of the river past islands and stately homes before stopping at Kew, an 18th century English village for an optional visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens. Kew Gardens sits on 300 acres of landscapes, glasshouses, historic buildings magnificent vistas with precious specimen trees and rare plants. Also in Kew are the Royal Palace, the Pagoda, the Royal Kitchens and Queen Charlotte’s Cottage which are fascinating historical attractions.
From Kew, the cruise then sails up to Richmond Riverside where you can go on a relaxed and tranquil riverside walk or have a go at boating. There also plenty of restaurants, fashionable boutiques, antiques shops, traditional pubs, bars and cafes. Richmond Park, originally enclosed by Charles I for hunting is famous for the herds of deer that roam wild there and Isabela Plantation, a Victorian woodland was planted in the 1830’s and has been opened to the public since the early 1950’s. It is best known for its evergreen Azaleas.
The cruise passes through locks and ends at Hampton Court Palace, a Royal Palace, built in 1515 by Cardinal Wolsey and presented to King Henry VIII in 1529. The palace houses a large collection of arms, armour, tapestries and fine paintings. It is well known for its maze and gardens as well as the largest Vine in the world. The Great Vine was planted in the mid-18th century.
Since this trip is a long one, you may not be able to explore and travel back by boat unless you intend to stay overnight. Therefore, it may be best to travel back by mainline train or London Underground.
Downstream – Westminster, Tower of London, Greenwich and The Thames Barrier
Going downstream has a lot more piers and attractions to explore. You can enjoy an entertaining day out on a double deck Thames sightseeing cruise which provides informative commentary on both historic and modern-day London. With panoramic views of London’s historic sites including the London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral, The Tower of London, Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge and more, it’s a great way to take in the capital’s iconic riverside landmarks.
Most cruises also have bars serving drinks and snacks. The services can start from either Westminster Pier, The London Eye Pier, Tower Pier and Greenwich Pier or vice versa and are a lot shorter than going upstream. Forty minutes for the shortest one up to The Tower of London and about an hour to Greenwich. Lunch, Tea and Dinner cruises are a different operation and usually last between 2 and 4 hours as do private hire and party boats.
Speed Boats
A high-speed boat trip is wild and thrilling for most ages but it’s not for the faint hearted or those of a nervous disposition or heart condition. The engines can reach speeds of 30 knots as they whizz under the capital’s bridges, passing landmarks down to the Thames Barrier. Be aware that for safety reasons, there are minimum heights usually around 1.35 metres (4 ft. 5in.). In addition, these experiences are not friendly for those with disabilities and suitable clothing will be needed as it can be a bit cooler on the river. However, life jackets, sailing and wet weather gear will be provided.
Public River Transport
Probably the cheapest way to explore London by river is from the back deck of the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers! Note that it’s a single with the back deck that’s open and not a double deck boat and there’s no commentary either. However, with that said, they are supposed to be the fastest fleet of public transport boats on the River Thames. The Uber Boat by Thames Clippers operates daily with departures from key London piers every 20 minutes to 30 minutes departing from many piers (24 at the last count) including Embankment, Waterloo, Westminster, Tower and Greenwich. It’s a great way to sail along the river enjoying views of London’s landmarks that line the River Thames.
Points of Interest
The following are some of the points of interest whilst on you are on a cruise. These are just some of the iconic and historic places and not a definitive list is there are too numerous for this article but it’ll give you an idea of what you are in store for. You may also find it interesting to do a combined sightseeing tour with a one-way river cruise and re-join the tour. That way you can enjoy the city of Westminster and the City of London from both perspectives.
Houses of Parliament and Big Ben
This magnificent historic building which is more commonly known as the Houses of Parliament is also known as the Palace of Westminster. It has been the site of government for more than 900 years. The first parliament took place in the 13th century and the current building was built after a fire in 1834. The oldest surviving part of the building, Westminster Hall, was built in 1097 on the site of a Saxon palace. It’s used by the government for laying-in-of-states, banquets and speeches and is where Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II lay in state for four days until 19th September 2022. Westminster Hall was used as a courthouse until 1882. Many were tried here including William Wallace, Guy Fawkes and King Charles I.
The clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, known as Big Ben was originally the nickname of the Great Bell that chimed the hour, but is now often used to describe the Great Clock or even the tower itself. It is officially known as The Elizabeth Tower and was renamed The Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th year on the throne.
London Eye
At 135 meters, The London Eye is currently Europe’s tallest observation wheel, with 40 kilometre panoramic views on a clear day. There are 32 glass capsules and it takes approximately 30 minutes to complete the cycle, offering wide-ranging views of London and its famous landmarks. It dominates the Southbank a popular entertainment district since the Festival of Britain in 1951.
St Paul’s Cathedral
The City of London with its modern skyscrapers also has the unmistakeable dome of St Paul’s Cathedral. The domed church was built by Sir Christopher Wren to replace the medieval one which was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. There’s been a church dedicated to St Paul on this site since 604 AD. There are some 528 steps to climb leading you the acoustic quirks of the Whispering Gallery and to the Golden Gallery for panoramic views across London.
St Paul’s Cathedral is where Prince Charles (now The King) and Diana were married in 1981 and is where Winston Churchill’s state funeral was held in 1965 as well as Margaret Thatcher’s funeral in 2013. Admiral Nelson and the Duke of Wellington are both buried here. Sir Christopher Wren, the architect, is buried in the church with a simple stone with a Latin inscription that translates as “Reader, if you seek his monument – look around you”.
Shakespeare’s Globe
The original Shakespeare’s Globe was actually just at the end of Southwark bridge quite near the Anchor pub. It was built in 1599 as a permanent home for Shakespeare’s theatre company. However, a few years later it burnt down because a cannon used as a special effect during a production set fire to the thatched roof. Nobody was hurt but one unfortunate man was forced to use his beer to extinguish his burning breeches.
The reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe was the dream of Sam Wanamaker who tried to replicate the original theatre as closely as possible by consulting original drawings and descriptions. The modern Globe Theatre opened in 1997.
Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral is London’s oldest Gothic church. It became a cathedral as recently as 1905. It’s where William Shakespeare’s brother, Edmund, was buried in 1607. John Harvard, who gave his name to the American university, was baptised here in the same year.
London Bridge
There’s been a bridge at this point in the river since the Romans built the first London Bridge in the first century. Norwegian king, King Olaf who later became St Olaf helped to resist a Danish invasion of the City of London in 1014. With the help of the English king, Ethelred the Unready, he pulled down the wooden London Bridge and successfully repelled King Forkbeard of Denmark and his army. Fabulous names by the way! The incident was immortalised in a Norwegian saga of the time, the first line was ‘London Bridge Has Broken Down’ which is said to be the origin of the popular nursery rhyme ‘London Bridge is falling down’.
The current bridge which replaced a bridge built in 1831 was opened in 1972. The Bridge was sold to an American businessman who rebuilt it in Lake Havasu City in Arizona. It’s said that he thought he was buying Tower Bridge!
The Shard
The tall glass building is known as The Shard. It’s 310m or 1,016 feet tall and was designed by Renzo Piano to be a vertical city. It has a hotel, offices, residences, restaurants and right at the top, an observation deck which is open to the public. The Shard was completed in late 2012. The View from The Shard enjoys breath-taking 360° panoramic views day and night.
HMS Belfast
HMS Belfast is part of Imperial War Museums and tells the stories of life on board this warship since the Second World War. There are nine decks to explore, from the heavily protected Shell Rooms to the sights and sounds of the interactive Operations Room.
The Tower of London
The Tower of London is London’s castle, but it is universally known simply as the Tower. It is Europe’s best preserved medieval fortress, and within its concentric walls of fortification were forged through horror and bloodshed, doggednesss and faith, the eventual liberties of the English – speaking peoples. Wherever you are from in the world, the events that have taken place here have shaped the lives of almost everyone in the world. In the very centre is the White Tower, built by William the Conqueror shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066, the last time that this country was successfully invaded. It was built to intimidate and impress Londoners, and for centuries, the one who controlled the Tower of London effectively controlled this country.
The Tower has been many things over the centuries, from an observatory to a zoo, from a royal palace to a tourist attraction, but be under no illusion, it is mostly known as a state prison. Two wives of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were executed here in the religious upheaval of the 1500’s, the Reformation. In the same century, the uncrowned queen of England, Lady Jane Grey, was executed at the age of 17, just one hour after seeing the headless corpse of her young husband pass in front of her.
However, it’s not all horror and bloodshed! Here too are the Crown Jewels, the most glittering regalia in the world, including the enormous diamond the First Star of Africa, the Black Prince’s Ruby and the legendary Koh-i-Noor Diamond of Mumtaz Mahal, for whom Shah Jehan built the Taj Mahal in India.
The yeomen Warders or Beefeaters will explain it all to you; and look out for the ravens too. According to tradition, if the ravens fly away, the Tower will crumble, and so will the kingdom. And so, with our marvellous sense of fair-play, we have clipped their wings, so they ‘ain’t going anywhere’!
Along the river wall of the Tower of London is an archway called Traitor’s Gate. This is where traitors were brought to be incarcerated in the notorious prison. For many it was a one-way trip. A much nicer fate awaits you though. Tower Pier is the location from which river cruises also depart from.
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge was built as the result of an architectural competition in the late 1800s. They needed a bridge here for road traffic but it could not be allowed to impede the shipping traffic going in and out of the docks. The winning design featured two bascules that lifted up to allow tall-masted ships to pass through. The engineer, John Wolfe-Barry, designed the combined bascule and suspension bridge with steam driven hydraulic engines to lift the 1,000 ton bascules. The bridge was opened by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, in 1894. The bridge is raised about 1000 times a year and is a popular spectacle.
Greenwich
Greenwich was designated a World Heritage Site in 1997. Major venues include: Greenwich Royal Observatory, the home of Greenwich Mean Time and the famous Prime Meridian, the National Maritime Museum which tells the story of Britain and the sea and the importance of the ocean in our lives today, Queen’s House dating back to 1638, the Old Royal Naval College and the Cutty Sark, the last surviving tea clipper, and the fastest of her tim,.
The iconic buildings stand on the site of Greenwich Palace, Henry VIII’s favourite royal residence, and include the Discover Greenwich Visitor Centre, Painted Hall and Chapel. You can find out more about the ORNC’s intriguing past by joining one of their daily guided tours.
The O2 and Cable Car
The O2 is a music, sport, entertainment and shopping outlet multi complex within the Greenwich Peninsula. You can experience climbing Up at The O2 and adventuring over the roof of The O2. At the summit’s observation platform you can take in a spectacular 360° degree panorama of London’s most recognisable landmarks.
The Cable Car runs between the Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks over the River Thames and is London’s first and only urban cable car experience. You can enjoy spectacular views of the city as you travel between the Greenwich Peninsula and the Royal Docks.