| Thames and Royalty
Itinerary
8 nights/9 days or 6 nights/7 days
Ready
to reserve
Day One - London
 Arrive in London on Friday and check into your hotel located adjacent to the Thames and the London Eye and opposite the Houses of Parliament. There’s a lot to see very close by as you are in the very heart of the city. At a time to suit you make your way to our base a short walk away, which is open from 07.30 to 19.30 to pick up your cycling equipment. Your host will also meet you to run through your itinerary and to familiarize you with the route Day Two - London to Hampton Court
 11 miles (17km) or 23 miles (37km)
Start the day by boarding a river boat at Westminster with your bicycle and heading upstream to Kew. Your cycling begins there where you can explore the famous gardens and Kew Palace. Follow the river to Richmond with its chic shops and linger in the waterside cafes. There are many fine historic houses and parks to discover as you cycle along the waterfront to Hampton Court where you will spend the night.Those wanting a longer ride can cycle traffic free out of London to Kew. Day Three -
Hampton Court to Windsor
13 miles (21 km) or 33 miles (53km)
Explore Hampton Court Palace first today. Here is 500 years of royal history from Henry VIII to Queen Victoria , from state apartments to Tudor kitchens, and renaissance paintings to the maze. Then ride to Windsor along the classic riverscape of the Thames. There are houseboats and villas, famous islands and willow lined meadows, pretty lock cottages, attractive steeples & ancient waterside inns. Enjoy the tranquility and rural scene before making tracks to Windsor where your overnight stop is located. There is a circular ride from here into Windsor Great Park if you want more cycling. For those taking the 6 night tour, your host will meet you in Windsor with your cycling equipment.
Day Four - Windsor to Marlow
 Optional 19
miles (30km)
Enjoy Windsor and its castle this morning and take a peek at Eton across the river. After lunch, board the river boat to Marlow and enjoy this beautiful stretch of the Thames. If you wish to cycle, there is a pretty route that leads away from the river through old villages and hamlets. Your overnight stay is in the heart of this attractive town.
Day Five
- Marlow to Henley
Optional
10 miles (18km)
Take time to discover all the history of Marlow before cycling or cruising to Henley. The boat trip allows you to avoid the slopes of the Chiltern Hills whilst the bike ride enables you to enjoy fantastic views and wonderful scenery - its your choice! Once in Henley, famed for its rowing regatta, you will quickly discover its elegant atmosphere. Stroll along the waterfront, enjoy tea on one of a number of river islands or visit The River and Rowing Museum. Your overnight stop nestles in the heart of the town. Day Six
– Henley to Streatley
19 miles (30km)
Today's ride follows the river through some of its most magical settings. Pedal across weirs, spot the llamas, smell ancient beech woods and discover the prettiest village on the Thames. Spend the night in an old inn set in a tranquil village.
Day Seven
- Streatley to Oxford
13 miles (21km) or 29 miles (46km)
Crisscross the Thames today and take in pretty riverside villages and forgotten rural scenes. These dreamy waters of the Upper Thames are where many a famous tale has been dreamt. The shorter ride includes a boat hop to Abingdon and its ancient abbey. With Oxford and its dreaming spires beckoning, you pedal along the Thames to find your hotel for the next two nights in the heart of the city. Day Eight - Enjoy Oxford
Optional 12
miles (19 km)
Enjoy the treasures of Oxford today - by bike if you wish. There are the lovely colleges of the University with their magnificent architecture, museums galore, galleries and famous libraries. Add to these fine restaurants, unique shops and river backwaters dotted with punters and rowing eights and you will enjoy a fitting finale to your tour. Day Nine– Return to London At your leisure, take an easy train hop back to London (or Windsor) and return your bicycle to our base which is a short distance from the railway station.
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