Did you know?

In 1888 swimmer Jules Gautier — something of an exhibitionist it has to be said — swam three and a half miles from Westminster Bridge to Greenwich with his wrists and feet tied. A few years later, he swam it again from Putney to Mortlake while “towing a boat licensed to carry eight persons”.

Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932), who lived in the village of Pangbourne on the riverbanks, wrote The Wind in the Willows.

The River Thames has played its part in famous films: Indiana Jones raced along it, Harry Potter had a broomstick chase there and James Bond sped past MI6 HQ in a speedboat. Not that high-speed rides are exclusive to Bond. London Rib Voyages allow passengers to see many of the city’s famous landmarks while whizzing along the river on a speedboat.