The river rises at Thames Head in Gloucestershire and flows into the North Sea near Tilbury, Essex and Gravesend, Kent, via the Thames Estuary. From the west, it flows through Oxford (where it is sometimes called the Isis), Reading, Henley-on-Thames and Windsor. The Thames also drains the whole of Greater London. [1]
The Thames is some 205 miles (330 km) long, running 140 miles (226 km) from the source to the tidal waters limit—i.e., from Thames Head to Teddington Lock —and, as an estuary, a further 65 miles (104 km) from there to The Nore sandbank, which marks the transition from estuary to open sea.
The Thames is one of the World's most fascinating and beautiful rivers. From source to sea, its 215 miles flow from springs in Gloucestershire through rural and developed areas to London and on to the imposing tidal estuary into the North Sea.
The Thames River is the longest river entirely in England, stretching about 346 kilometers (215 miles). It flows from its source in the Cotswolds to its mouth in the North Sea, passing through London and several historic towns along the way.
Learn what there is to do by the River Thames with everything from boating and fishing to walking and dining. There are plenty of places to stay on the river, but to really experience the Thames at its finest, there are plenty of options for boating holidays.
The Thames is England’s longest river. It starts at Thames Head in Kemble, a village in Gloucestershire, and passes through London to the Thames Estuary between Essex and Kent.
Explore London's river Thames, home to Tower Bridge and the Thames Barrier. Take a Thames river cruise or speedboat ride, or dine at a restaurant by the Thames.