Anything that celebrates the mighty river that roars through the capital is fine by us (heck, we even named this publication after it).
And the fourth annual TideFest event is back in September to offer Londoners the chance to discover more about it – mostly highlighting the recreational importance of the Thames and encouraging locals to enjoy it. Yay.
TideFest is part of the month-long Totally Thames Festival – and this year there’s a range of new attractions further down the river too (see box below). And it’s worth adding that there are activities both north and south of the water, at Chiswick Pier, Brentford, Barnes, Hackney and other locations along the Thames Tideway.
What to expect then? Think adventurous rural pursuits bang in the middle of the city: foreshore walks, boat trips, paddleboarding, river dipping, kayaking, nature reserve visits, live fish tanks, local artists, streetfood and music.
Oh and did you know the Thames holds over 120 different species of fish? Now there’s a thought to get you on your way.
Our Top 3 picks
1. Low tide river wade in Deptford Creek
A guided adventure in Deptford Creek for adults and accompanied children ages 9+. Wade in a wild river and experience a different perspective of London history and urban wildlife. Led by an experienced conservationist it’s set to be good muddy fun.
2. River dipping and netting on the foreshore
There’s river dipping, water testing and games designed to explain and increase understanding of what’s going on in the river run by the environmental charity Thames21. Alongside this will be seine netting supervised by ZSL and the Institute of Fisheries Management to show you what lives in the Thames.
3. River Lee Navigation reedbed boat tours
Thames21 has been working to improve the River Lea for the last five years, to provide new reedbeds and great habitat for wildlife. Join them on board the ‘Alfred Le Roy’ for a relaxed trip on the river with commentary from their knowledgeable project officers.
All activities take place from 9am to 6pm on Sunday 10th September, either free or subsidised. Full programme and more details here
