The Thames Mugs

Looking over the parapet of Halfpenny Bridge in Lechlade at the final navigable stretch of the River Thames for launches and narrowboats. Now it quickly becomes shallower and narrower - so only small craft such as canoes can carry on travelling upstream. Lechlade is at the southern most edge of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire and boasts the first (or last) lock on the Thames - St John's. Lechlade itself is a picturesque market town with plenty of welcoming cafés and pubs.

A digital sketch of sailing dinghies near Goring-on-Thames just above Cleeve Lock. This is where the River Thames makes its way between the North Wessex or Berkshire Downs and the Chiltern Hills - this stretch being known as the Goring Gap. A variety of boats are found here - launches, racing boats, canoes, kayaks - and sailing boats. Seen on a bright summer day on a walk along the Thames Path National Trail which stretches from Cricklade in the Cotswolds to the Thames Barrier.

Seen here from the Thames Promenade at Reading, club boathouses along The Warren at Caversham. This stretch of the Thames is always busy with boats of all sorts, including racing boats, canoes and kayaks attached to the clubs.

The River Thames as it flows through the market town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire, produced here as a digital painting, This is the scene looking upstream towards the road bridge to Dorchester-on-Thames on the way to Oxford. Behind us the river flows on to Reading and evntually London and the sea.

A digital pencil drawing of the riverside at Abingdon-on-Thames in Oxfordshire, a narrowboat moored by the bank, seen here on a sunny February day. This lovely old market town is about six miles south of Oxford, the river from here making its way towards Wallingford and Reading. St Helen's parish church lies next to the river. Dating from the early C12th, it is notable for being the second widest church in England and having five aisles!

A view downriver at Marlow on Thames in Buckinghamshire captured on an autumn afternoon. The suspension bridge spanning the river was constructed in 1832 and was designed by William Tierney Clark' It was the prototype for the Szechenyi Bridge in Budapest and bears a plaque linking it with that city. The landmark church of All Saints was built in 1835, replacing a 12th century building demolished in 1802. Nikon D7100 Nikkor 18-200

A digital pencil drawing of the scene along the Thames Path as it leads from Henley-on-Thames towards Marsh Lock, a little further upstream. Here a yellow-painted widebeam barge is moored opposite Rod Eyot, an island sitting in the middle of the river. On the island are several chalets and a brick cottage - only accessible by boat.

The view from the north bank of the River Thames at Goring in Oxfordshire, England, looking across to Streatley village and Streatley Hill, or Lardon Chase in Berkshire. Here the Thames flows between the North Wessex or Berkshire Downs to the south and the Chiltern Hills to the north, this feature being known as the Goring Gap. The weirs here once provided the power for water mills and now control the flow of the river. Only one working mill survives, further downstream at Mapedurham. Nikon D7100 Nikkor 18-200

Two people leaning on the rail of the bridge at Goring-on-Thames watching the river as it flows through the lock and weir. A calm and peaceful way to pass the time! Here the Thames flows under the bridge on its way towards Pangbourne and Reading - and thence to London and the sea. Through the bridge can be seen the Thames Path, a National trail leading from near Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier in London. A digital sketch from my original photograph.

A view across the Thames Valley from Aldworth in Berkshire, England. This is the scene looking from the Berkshire or North Wessex Downs across the Thames into Oxfordshre. In the distance are the Chiltern Hills, Captured on a sunny summer evening with the light just catching the edge of the hills.

The river scene at Goring on Thames as viewed from the road bridge. This is one of the most picturesque places along the length of the river at the point where it flows between the Chiltern Hills and the North Wessex Downs known as the Goring Gap. A lock has been here since the 1500s when a local miller needed a head of water. The present lock was first constructed in 1787 and was rebuilt in 1921.

This is as far you can take a river boat on the Thames. The scene is just above Lechlade and the boats moored in the distance cannot go further upstream for here it narrows and becomes shallower as it heads towards Cricklade. Just behind us is the roundhouse which marks the beginning of the now derelict Thames and Severn Canal which once allowed working narrow boats to travel further. In the distance is the spire of St Lawrence's church at Lechlade - a picturesque market town.

A digital oil painting from my original photograph of a large vintage boat moored on the bank of the River Thames at Henley in Oxfordshire. This lovely old boat is almost a floating garden with containers of plants on the deck! The image was captured on a walk along the Thames Path just above Henley. Across the river is the Berkshire bank of the river. After a sunny day it's now clouding over!

Vibrant image of the River Thames at Greenwich

A boat named 'Snapdragon' moored at Goring-on-Thames - digital art developed from my original photograph. It's a late afternoon in August and the low sun lights up the scene just below the lock and weir. Here the Thames is passing through the Goring Gap - an opening between the Chiltern Hills and the North Wessex (Berkshire) Downs - before flowing past Pangbourne and Reading en route to London and the sea. Not surprisingly this area has been a haunt for artists - including JMW Turner!

Stunning monochrome photograph of the London Thames Barrier

I PAINTED MANY THAMES SAILING BARGES, THIS SHOWS THE BARGES TRYING TO BEAT THE STEAM TUG IN GALLEONS REACH, RIVER THAMES. OIL ON CANVAS

*By the Thames, near Henley, August 2020* Riverside properties by the Thames, near Henley (Oxfordshire, England). Date: 4th August 2020.

Looking out over the beautiful Thames Valley from the North Wessex (or Berkshire) Downs. This view was captured just above Streatley-on-Thames and looks north towards the Chiltern Hills. This is an area of lush farmland. Cultivated fields lie next to green meadows - frequently inhabited by sheep.

A digital drawing of the superb view over the Thames Valley from Lardon Chase. Below is the village of Streatley-on-Thames in West Berkshire, whose church can be seen in the centre. Then further across, passing over the Thames (invisible here) to Goring-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. Beyond that the lower slopes of the Chiltern Hills. Lardon Chase, also called Streatley Hill, is a nature reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on chalk grassland rising steeply above the village.

A boat moored on the bank of the River Thames not far from Wallingford in Oxfordshire. Here we are walking along the Thames Path National Trail between Wallingford and Benson. A lovely stretch of the Thames with trees crowded along the banks but with the occasional gap allowing for nice, peaceful moorings. To our left the towpath takes us to the quaint market town of Wallingford with its many independent shops - and a frequent setting for Midsomer Murders!

Sunrise in mid Winter at the Thames barrier London England

Vintage GWR travel poster The Glorious Thames. Please note that this is taken from an original vintage poster and there may be some imperfections, marks, patina etc

The boathouses on the River Thames belonging to the Oxford colleges as viewed from the Thames Path. They are situated between Folly Bridge in Oxford and Iffley Lock. These buildings replace the barges which were established as clubhouses in the 1800s, the first being built in the 1930s. Many of them have a distinct Art Deco style. The newest, however, was constructed in the late 1980s. Here you can often see the rowing crews in training as they power they way along the river.

An impressionistic view of the Thames as it flows past Remenham in Berkshire, very near Henley-on-Thames. Having crossed the river at Henley we are now on the Berkshire bank walking along the Thames Path - a long distance footpath. Just ahead is Temple Island - the start of the Henley Royal Regatta course which is 1 mile 550 yards long, finishing just downstream of Henley Bridge. Temple Island, is named after its folly, built as a fishing lodge ion 1771 and now used for such things as corporate events. Nikon D7100 Nikkor 18-200

The lock keeper's house on an island next to the lock at Goring on Thames, Oxfordshire. This is the view from the southerly river bank at Streatley on Thames in Berkshire. Linking these two villages is a fine iron bridge built in 1923 which can be seen in the background. Here the Thames flows through a gap in the hills - the Chilterns to the north and the North Wessex Downs to the south, This is thought to be one of the most beautiful; stretches of the river. Nikon D7000 Nikkor 18-200

A digital art image of the bridge over the river at Goring-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. This is actually half of the bridge as a second identical length crosses the river to the Berkshire bank at Streatley-on-Thames. This is the view from the Thames Path National Trail which starts life at Cricklade in Gloucestershire and finishes at the Thames Barrier in London. This particular bridge was constructed in 1923. A previous toll bridge which dated from 1837 in turn replaced a ferry.

The River Thames as it flows between the villages of Streatley in Berkshire, England to the south and Goring in Oxfordshire to the north. This is a break between the North Wessex (Berkshire) Downs and the Chiltern Hills known as the Goring Gap. This is the view looking west from the bridge. Moored on the left is one of the old Oxford College barges - now an events venue for the hotel on the river bank. To the right the Thames rushes over the weir, boats passing through the lock. This is a popular scene with artists. Nikon 7100 Nikkor 18-200

A view looking across the River Thames at Marlow in Buckinghamshire. In the background is the fine suspension bridge opened in 1832 and designed by by William Tierney Clark. This is also the model for the Szechenyl Chain Bridge over the River Danube in Budapest. Next to the bridge is the Compleat Angler Hotel. This stretch of river is famous for rowing, having produced Olympic champions such as Sir Steve Redgrave.

A digital art view of the Thames Path as it wends its way towards the village of Goring-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. The Thames Path is a national long distance trail 184 miles (296 km) long which starts at Kemble in Gloucestershre near one of the attributed sources at Thames Head (the other being Seven Springs). It finishes at the Thames Barrier flood defence in London. Here it passes through the Goring Gap - a narrow space between the North Wessex (Berkshire) Downs and the Chiltern Hills.

Looking across the River Thames at Lechlade in Gloucestershire, towards the parish church of St Lawrence. This picturesque market town, at the southernmost tip of the Cotswolds, is also the highest navigable point on the Thames. Further west and it becomes increasingly narrower and shallower. St John's Lock just down river from here is the first (or last if you're travelling westward) on the Thames. This is a digital art image with added textures.

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The River Thames as it flows past the village of Pangbourne in Berkshire, England. This view, captured on an evening in late summer, looks towards the Whitchurch toll bridge which joins Oxfordshire and Berkshire. The river here was immortalised by Kenneth Graham in his book 'The Wind In The Willows'. This stretch of river is often alive with canoes and kayaks from the adjacent activity centre and above the weir boat crews from Pangbourne College can often be seen training.

A digital drawing of the lane next to the watermill at Goring on Thames leading over the mill race which plunges under the mill, then on to pass under the road bridge to the lock. Turn left at the bridge to follow the Thames Path to Pangbourne. The mill features in a painting by JMW Turner. The Thames here passes through the Goring Gap between the Chiltern Hills and the North Wessex Downs.

The scene looking eastwards along the River Thames from the road bridge at Goring-on-Thames on the Oxfordshire/Berkshire border. A variety of river boats are moored along the towpath which is part of the Thames Path long-distance trail. A launch is heading towards to lock and a couple of paddle boarders are moving downstream. Here the Thames flows through the Goring Gap between the Chiltern Hills and the North Wessex Downs.

I've always loved this image, well since 1982. It was originally captured on film when I was wandering around London during the winter, shortly before moving to Canada. In the foreground is a lamp standard, which is one of hundreds of similar ones that line the south bank of the Thames as it flows through central London. It's obviously is a reminder to me of my home town, but it does make a cool image.