Tag Archives: River Thames

2021 Update

London Mudlarker Lara Maiklem to hold book signing at this year’s Tidefest

London’s Mudlarker and best selling author, Lara Maiklem, will be at this year’s Tidefest on September 12th leading two foreshore walks and signing copies of her new book ‘A Field Guide to Larking’. This is a brilliant opportunity to meet the author and get your hands on a rare signed edition !

The book itself is a practical, interactive and inspiring guide to ‘larking’ – meaning to get out and about, to explore the world around us and to discover the little treasures hiding in plain sight. In this beautiful field guide, Lara teaches us how to lark for ourselves. There are maps and charts, tips and lists, and colour illustrations throughout to help identify finds. From tide tables for mudlarkers to a flint guide for fieldlarkers, this book is richly informative and yet small enough to pop in a pocket. Lara Maiklem has become synonymous with “Mudlarking” along the Thames foreshore and her first book, Mudlarking, was published in 2019 and quickly became a best seller.  

Lara’s two walks are already sold out but she is looking forward to meeting Thames enthusiasts at her book signing at the Strand on the Green Embankment between 12.00 and 1.30pm.

Lara says:

“Tidefest is my favourite river festival,  a proper chance to get hands on with the Thames in a beautiful setting.”

Tidefest is now in its 8th year and celebrates the recreational opportunities available on the River Thames in London withactivities for all the family. These include boats trips, paddle boarding, kayaking, foreshore walks, island visits, London’s biggest angling competition and much more.

Local wildlife organisations, river and environmental groups and community associations have been involved in organising  Tidefest since its inception in 2014. It is part of the month long Totally Thames Festival and is sponsored by Thames Water with support from the London Borough of Hounslow, Port of London Authority and the Environment Agency.

Visitors can enjoy river dipping with experts to discover what lives in the Thames or find some hidden corners with trips to the historic Oliver’s Island or the Eel Pie Island museum – celebrating the 60s music venue which saw the start of the careers of Eric Clapton and The Rolling Stones.

Full details including ticket bookings can be found at www.thamestidefest.net and on our Facebook page.

Tidefest Chairman Martin Salter from the Angling Trust said:

“Tidefest is now a well-established annual event with a loyal band of followers who turn out every year.  It is an event which aims to help reconnect Londoners with their river and we do this by getting into and onto the water through a whole range of educational and recreational activities. I’m so pleased that Lara Maiklem is joining us once again to give us the benefit of her great knowledge of the history of this wonderful river that has enhanced and sustained our capital city for generations.  Please put September 12th in your diary and visit our website to find out what the River Thames has to offer.”

                                                         Come and Enjoy the River!

INFO

History of the Festival

One of the brilliant things about Thames Tidefest is the atmosphere that is generated around Kew Bridge and Strand On The Green during the event. It’s absolutely joyful !

Thames TideFest took place for the first time in 2014 on World Rivers Day to highlight and celebrate the recreational importance of the Thames Tideway to Londoners. In the years since we have built on this success and the festival has firmly established itself as a key date in the London diary. We concentrate on free events and encouraging those who attend to use the wonderful local shops and pubs, learn more about the river, it’s wildlife and it’s history and just spend some time enjoying the the Thames !

News

Amazing Tidefest – It’s London’s Family River Festival !

“Wow what an amazing day by the river…I absolutely LOVE Tidefest”*

Now in it’s 5th year, Thames Tidefest 2019 is set to be the bigger and better than ever before. Dubbed “London’s Family River Festival”, Tidefest offers an eclectic mix of free and low cost events centred around the River Thames in London.

Thames Tidefest offers fun and enjoyment for everyone and most of it is absolutely free !

Live music, paddlesports, river cruises, riverside pubs, secret island adventures, historical walks, guided photography sessions, Rock ‘n Roll history, stalls, fishing, river dipping and much, much more and all with an environmental feel, Tidefest is an event for the whole family and one that won’t put a dent in your pocket.

Various paddlesports have always been a huge part of Tidefest and it’s a brilliant opportunity for absolute novices to try their hand.

Much of the Festival is absolutely free, just come along to Strand On The Green  in Chiswick on September 8th and join in the fun, or why not buy tickets for one of our amazing low cost special events ? River Cruises for a fiver, Historic tours for £3.00, Bird-watching walks for £2.00 and that’s just the start, all our events are either free or offer amazing value. So what are you waiting for ? Take a look at the ticketed events HERE or find out more about what’s absolutely free HERE.

We’d love to meet you at Thames Tidefest, so please come along and let’s all enjoy the river together !

 

 

*first time visitor feedback from last years event.

News

Visitor discounts for museum and wildlife attractions at TideFest

Visitors to this year’s TideFest on 20th September will be able to benefit from discounted or free access to three great West London attractions by simply turning up with a TideFest programme or mentioning TideFest when booking. The discounts are available at the popular London Wetland Centre in Barnes and the award winning London Museum of Water and Steam in Brentford whilst Thames Water have agreed to open the doors to their internationally important wetland nature reserve at Kempton.

TideFest is a new River Thames event which took place for the first time last year on World Rivers Day to highlight the recreational importance of the Thames to Londoners. TideFest 2015 takes place on September 20th at Chiswick, Kew, Brentford, Barnes, Isleworth and at other locations along the Thames Tideway. TideFest is organized by river and wildlife organisations and is part of the Totally Thames Festival and is sponsored by Thames Tideway Tunnel and Thames Water.

Discounts at the London Wetland Centre

London Wetland Centre nature reserve is a haven for birds, butterflies, bats, amphibians and water voles, with six hides, kids’ adventure zones and cafés.

Nestled in a loop of the Thames, London Wetland Centre is an urban oasis for wildlife and people; a rural idyll in the heart of the capital.  It is perfect for a relaxing stroll along the paths that meander among the lakes, meadows and gardens.

A 20% discount will be offered on the standard admission fee of £12.75, and all other tickets, for Sept 20th when mentioning TideFest or presenting a programme.

London Wetland Centre nature reserve is a haven for birds, butterflies, bats, amphibians and water voles
London Wetland Centre nature reserve is a haven for birds, butterflies, bats, amphibians and water voles

Discounts at the London Museum of Water & Steam

London Museum of Water & Steam is home to magnificent collection of steam pumping engines and tells the history of London’s water supply. This great little museum by Kew Bridge is offering a special Sept 20th package where all kids go free and adults can have a special £8.00 rate, instead of £11.50, if quoting Tidefest or presenting a Tidefest programme.

London Museum of Water & Steam is home to magnificent collection of steam pumping engines.
London Museum of Water & Steam is home to magnificent collection of steam pumping engines.

Kempton Nature Reserve Community Day

Kempton Nature Reserve will be opening its doors free of charge to the community to come and explore this internationally important 20-hectare wetland nature reserve in West London.

  • The site has deep-water areas with reed fringes, extensive areas of gravel and mud attractive to wading birds, a network of channels and islands for safe nesting refuges.
  • On offer during the open day will be a range of interactive activities to explore the biodiversity of the wetlands and the need to conserve it.
  • There will also be a mini bio-blitz with species surveys focused on aquatic habitats and guided birdwatching walks, suitable for adults as well as children.

Compton Nature Reserve is haven for wildlife such as this beautiful Sedge Warbler.
Kempton Nature Reserve is haven for wildlife such as this beautiful Sedge Warbler.

TideFest Organiser, Martin Salter of the Angling Trust said: “Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and partners we are able to offer a great range of activities either free of charge or at substantially discounted rates at this year’s TideFest. We want to encourage people to appreciate the wildlife, history and recreational potential of the Thames Tideway and the surrounding area and create a genuine celebration of all that the river has to offer.”

 

1.Venue Details

London Wetland Centre, Queen Elizabeth Walk, Barnes, SW13 9WT. Opens: 9.30am – 6pm

London Museum of Water & Steam, Green Dragon Lane, Brentford, TW8 OEN. Opens: 11am – 4pm

Kempton Nature Reserve, Snakey Lane, Feltham, London, TW13 6XH. Opens: 10am – 5pm

2016 Update

Angling Competition to grow in 2016

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Following the hugely successful 2015 event, we are proud to announce that the date for a bigger, better, 3rd Thames TideFest Angling Championship has been announced. The prestigious event, organised by the Angling Trust and Thames Water, will be held on Sunday, September 11th, 2016 on the tidal Thames in London.

bream

The match will extend upstream to Ham, an area renowned for big bags of dace and bream, in addition to the existing sections at Strand on the Green at Kew and downstream at Barnes. With just 20 pegs in each zone, anglers will have a lot more room between pegs.

As well as the pools payouts the competitors will share £1,000 in prize money, split over the three zones, thanks to sponsorship from Thames Tideway Tunnel and Thames Water. All ticket monies will be donated to the angling charity Get Hooked on Fishing.

Martin Salter, Keith Arthur and Will Barnard with a cheque for the 'Get Hooked on Fishing" charity, raised at Tidefest 2015
Martin Salter, Keith Arthur and Will Barnard with a cheque for the ‘Get Hooked on Fishing” charity, raised at Tidefest 2015

Despite bright sunny conditions and low flows the river fished well in this year’s match and bream to 7lbs showed throughout, together with some huge dace at Strand on the Green and some quality roach at Barnes.

kid bream

Andriks Lekstutis took first place with 31lbs 13ozs of slabs from just below Kew railway bridge at Strand on the Green while Tackle Up proprietor Nigel Newport from Fleet in Hampshire recorded the top weight at Barnes of 21lbs 8ozs

Tidefest Angling Champion 2015 Andriks Lekstutis proudly showing off his winners trophy.
Tidefest Angling Champion 2015 Andriks Lekstutis proudly showing off his winners trophy.

Angling journalist and Thames regular Keith Arthur said: “I am delighted to hear that plans are in hand for an even bigger and better event next year, bringing a section of semi-tidal Thames at Ham into the match and with it lots more activities on the ample grassland next to the river. The way the river has fished this year, 2016 should be even better. One of the big surprises for me was the appearance of some serious roach on the downstream section at Barnes. Next year the pegging will be more generous so I expect even more fish to be caught.”

TideFest organiser Martin Salter from the Angling Trust said: “It has been great to see so many people out enjoying the river right in the heart of London and for angling to be at the centre of celebrating the fabulous potential of the Thames. Including new sections upstream allows us to cater for a minimum of 60 anglers, and maybe more in the future, whilst giving everybody a bit more room to maximise the potential from their pegs.”

Will Barnard, Angling Development Manager for Thames Water said: “Thames Water are pleased to be supporting the Thames TideFest Championship and to be promoting angling opportunities in London. The tidal Thames is already a good fishery but it will only get better once the new Tideway Tunnel is built and the water quality improves still further.”

Will Barnard of Thames Water get's ready for the weigh-in
Will Barnard of Thames Water get’s ready for the weigh-in

This year’s TideFest raised £225 for Get Hooked on Fishing.

To book a place for next year’s TideFest contact Ron’s Tackle, 465 Upper Richmond Road West, London SW14 7PU. Telephone: 020 8876 4897 or email sandra.drew@anglingtrust.net

2016 Update

Stand up in the middle of the Thames !

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Stand Up Paddleboarding

paddle board girls

Amongst the huge variety of events on offer at Tidefest, perhaps one of the most exciting is Stand-Up Paddleboarding. You really can walk straight off the street and find yourself standing up in the middle of the river. Paddle boarding is fun, safe and great exercise, but best of all it allows you the chance to have a swans eye view of London from the middle of the river.

paddleboarders 1

Tidefest offers absolute beginners the chance to learn how to take to the water and navigate yourself around on the amazing Tidal Thames. It’s an experience not to be missed and was a sell out in 2015, so keep your eyes peeled for updates on when tickets for the 2016 event will go on sale !

paddleboard 3

 

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