the headwaters of a river is often found at

The Thames River might be optimal known as the waterway that cuts a dash through the centre of London, merely there's such more to information technology than that. Beginning in Gloucestershire and conclusion someplace between Kent and Essex, there's a whole riches of quirky, unemotional and interesting facts about the River Thames I'll bet you didn't know.

Jump aboard people, let's dive into the weird and tremendous world of grey-headed father Thames.

Interesting Facts About the River Thames

It's Over 200 Miles Long

Yes, you heard me right – sort o than the little sliver we see in London, the River Thames is actually 215 miles (346km) long.

The source is at Trewsbury Mead in Gloucestershire and IT ends near Southend-on-Sea.

It's Spanned by Over 200 Bridges

O'er 200 Bridges twain the Thames – some, like Tower Bridge and the Millennium Bridge are amidst London's superior-known sights but the vast majority are just a practical way to get across the river.

The longest is the Queen Elizabeth Bridge which is 812 metres long.

You Used to Embody Able to Skate on the River in Wintertime

The London section of the River Thames regularly wont to freeze solid and Londoners accustomed take vantage of the event by skating on IT.

On that point even accustomed atomic number 4 Frost Fairs held connected its surface, though that hasn't happened since 1814.

Part of the River is Tidal

The segment of the Thames beneath Teddington Lock is periodic event, patc the rest, from the source to Teddington, is not.

It Provides ⅔ of British capital's Drinking Water

It's treated first of course… don't go dunking your chromatic straight into the river.

It's Named for the Fact that it's So Dark

The name Thames stems from the Italic Tamesis, itself stemming from the old Gaelic name for the river Tamesas, which is thought to have meant 'dark'.

It's Been Memorialised away Galore Recognised Artists

Amongst them Joseph Mallord William Turner, Claude Monet, Canaletto and James Abbott McNeill Whistler. It also pops up in many books and films – including Alice in Wonderland, Three Men in a Sauceboat and The Wind in the Willows.

You Can Swim the Full Length of the River

The first person to do so was Lewis Pugh in 2006 – helium did it to raise awareness of orbicular warming only had to scat kinda than swim the first section American Samoa the headwater had dried up.

The Famous Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race Has Been Running for Almost Two Centuries

It was first held in 1829. Entirely WWI, WWII and the current crisis have seen the race called off. Cambridge has won more times than Oxford but it's close (84-80).

It Goes aside the Name of the River Isis in Oxford

The Oxford stretch of the Thames Rive is commonly proverbial every bit the River Isis.

This is thanks to the fact that it was wrongly thought its germinal name Tamesis was a combination of Thame and Isis. IT wasn't but the name stuck anyway.

Its Flow Varies Depending on Location

The average menses varies dependant on the localization – at Teddington it's 53 cubic metres per second, rising to 130 cubic metres per second gear after heavy rains in winter.

The Thames Barrier is the Largest Moveable Photoflood Barrier in the Cosmos

Thames Barrier at new

The Barrier is 520m wide and was built to protect from dangerous and damaging surge tides.

It's the Longest River in England

Simply non the longest river in the UK – that award goes to the River Severn which is 354km to the Thames' 346km.

It Smelt indeed Bad Unmatched Year that it Was Christened The Big Reek

It smelt sol deplorable they had to close Parliament

In 1858, the befoulment and sewage in the Thames was so severe that IT gave off a foul malodor.

The smell was so speculative that parliament had to be suspended – it too gave impetus for the creation of the City's sewage system.

50 Days Ago, The Thames Was Considered Biologically Extinct

As in, too dirty for anything to equal healthy to live in IT. That's denatured as more protective legislation has seminal fluid into force and more wildlife has returned to the river.

The Depth of the Non Tidal Section of the Thames is Controlled

Aside the Surround Agency – they mastery it by adjusting the height of the weirs along the river.

You Buttocks Walk the Thames Path

This is a political entity chase after  covering  184 miles (294km) from the river's source in The Cotswold Hills to the Thames Barrier in Woolwich. It takes around 12-14 years to complete the whole trail.

Why is information technology So Mirky?

One reason is because it carries a huge total of sediment from its informant to the North Sea.

IT Forms the Epicentre of England's Rowing Tradition

There are over 200 clubs founded along the river.

There are 45 Inhabited Islands Along the Thames

Including Ham Island, Monkey Island and Boulter's Island.

FAQ About the River Thames

How Long-lived is the River Thames?

215 miles (346 km).

Where does the River Thames Start?

Thames Pass in Gloucestershire.

How Wide is the Thames

It varies wildly. The widest part of the river is 18 miles across (at the verbalise of the river), while it's narrowest point in Lechlade is fair-and-square 18 metres.

How Deep is the River Thames?

The profundity of the river changes drastically but it is 20 metres at its deepest.

How Old is It?

The Thames began its life in the Jurassic Period – between 170 and 140 million years agone.

Do Any Animals Live in the River River Thames?

125 species of fish untaped in the Thames Rive, but its wildlife extends well on the far side this.

Eels migrate up the river each summer, and it's even been known to have dolphins spotted as high up the river as London.

Plenty of birds live in the habitats encompassing the river, including the Phalacrocorax carbo and herring sea gull. There are also plenty of swans, including rarified black swans.

Many of the fish that live in the river are at threat thanks to the pollution leaching into the Thames, though this has lessened in recent age.

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the headwaters of a river is often found at

Source: https://www.londonxlondon.com/river-thames-facts/