Thames meander refers to a long-distance journey over all or part of the River Thames

River Thames

The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...

 in England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. Walking the Thames Path

Thames Path

The Thames Path is a National Trail, opened in 1996, following the length of the River Thames from its source near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier at Charlton. It is about long....

 is itself a meander, but the term usually applies to journeys using other methods such as rowing

Watercraft rowing

Watercraft rowing is the act of propelling a boat using the motion of oars in the water. The difference between paddling and rowing is that with rowing the oars have a mechanical connection with the boat whereas with paddling the paddles are hand-held with no mechanical connection.This article...

, running

Cross country running

Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...

, or swimming.

A Thames meander can be a social expedition over a few days. However more specific meanders are competitive events, or record breaking attempts. Means of propulsion include swimming and running and propelling virtually every type of small craft

Watercraft

A watercraft is a vessel or craft designed to move across or through water. The name is derived from the term "craft" which was used to describe all types of water going vessels...

 that floats on water. Meanders are often associated with charity sponsorship. The normal start of a meander for craft is Halfpenny Bridge

Halfpenny Bridge

Halfpenny Bridge is a bridge across the River Thames, at Lechlade, Gloucestershire, England. It marks the start of the navigable Thames.The bow-backed bridge was built to a design of James Hollingworth in 1792. It carries the A361 from the south into Lechlade...

, Lechlade

Lechlade

Lechlade, or Lechlade-on-Thames, is a town at the southern edge of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England. It is the highest point at which the River Thames is navigable. The town is named after the River Leach that joins the Thames near here....

. The finish is often Teddington Lock

Teddington Lock

Teddington Lock is a complex of three locks and a weir on the River Thames in England at Ham in the western suburbs of London. The lock is on the southern Surrey side of the river....

 but other points in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 are used. A “Giant meander” for craft goes all the way to Gravesend

Gravesend, Kent

Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...

 Pier. The Thames Meander run begins at Reading, Berkshire

Reading, Berkshire

Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....

.

Examples of Meanders

• Polar explorer and endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh became the first person ever to swim the length of the Thames. His journey started on 17 July 2006 close to the source of the river in Gloucestershire and ended 147 miles later in London. Pugh undertook the challenge to raise awareness of climate change.

• The record row by an individual from Lechlade to Gravesend was set by Malcolm Knight in a skiff
  Thames skiff
  A Thames skiff is a traditional River Thames wooden rowing boat used for the activity of Skiffing. These boats evolved from Thames wherries in the Victorian era to meet a passion for river exploration and leisure outings on the water.-Construction of a skiff:...
  
   at 43 hours 40 minutes 56 seconds in April 2005. http://www.dittons.org.uk/records/singlemeander/index.php

• In August 2010, inspired by Lewis Pugh, a team of eight swam the entire non-tidal section of the River Thames in a non-stop relay. The team comprised Claire Mans, Ben Watkiss, Sarah Downes, Sam Carson, Louise Hewlett, James Hilditch, Jo Crisp and Tim Endersby. This was the first time this has been done. The Swim for Heroes http://www.swimforheroes.co.uk team started at the source in the Cotswolds and finished just downstream of Teddington Lock covering a distance of 236km in 3 ½ days (and nights). The purpose of the swim was to raise money Help for Heroes
  Help for Heroes
  Help for Heroes is a British charity launched on 1 October 2007 to help provide better facilities for British servicemen and women wounded since September 11, 2001. It was founded by Bryn Parry OBE and his wife Emma Parry OBE after they visited soldiers at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham...
  
   – a charitable organisation supporting British servicemen and women.

• The Thames Meander 54 mile race is an annual cross country running event that takes place every February. http://www.thamesmeander.com

• The comedy classic Three Men in a Boat
  Three Men in a Boat
  Three Men in a Boat ,The Penguin edition punctuates the title differently: Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog! published in 1889, is a humorous account by Jerome K...
  
  describes the misadventures taking place in a boating trip from Kingston to Oxford.

Follow a water-based meander by stepping through the locks

Locks on the River Thames

The English River Thames is navigable from Cricklade or Lechlade to the sea, and this part of the river falls 71 metres . There are 45 locks on the river, each with one or more adjacent weirs...

, starting with St John's Lock

St John's Lock

St John's Lock is a lock on the upper reaches of the River Thames in England, near the town of Lechlade, Gloucestershire. It is the highest lock on the river. It is named after a priory that was established nearby in 1250, which no longer exists. The lock was built of stone in 1790 by the Thames...

Follow a land-based meander along the Thames Path, starting at Water Eaton House Bridge

Water Eaton House Bridge

Water Eaton House Bridge is a footbridge across the River Thames in Wiltshire, England. It is situated between Cricklade and Castle Eaton near Water Eaton House. It is one of the first bridges on the Thames Path....