In the quaint Cotswold village of Lechlade is the first point in the river Thames where it's deep enough to launch a kayak or canoe. And for this reason it is where we started our 8 day expedition to canoe the length of the Thames which took us from Lechlade near the river's source to Teddington Lock which is the point at which the river becomes tidal and much trickier to navigate.

This was an epic trip that was a real investment of time and energy, therefore we doubt many people will be that keen on tackling the whole thing. But if you just want a taste of what this underratedly beauitful river has to offer then we rcommned taking on ther section we did on day one of our trip.

This section took us from Lechlade all the way to Eynsham Lock which was a gruelling 13 hours on the water paddling. It is also an extremely beautiful section of the river so in an ideal world we'd suggest splitting this day in two and really enjoying it. With peaceful curves in the river taking you through rolling countryside, tall willows and long grasses lining the banks and birds flitting too and fro - it really makes for quite an idyllic scene, especially if you're lucky enough to have some sun like we were.

There's something about the river that seems to draw in a certain type of person. Everyone we meet was friendly and eager to chat - an unexpected part to the expedition that really made it quite special.

Canoe Hire: We hired our canoes from Moose Canoe Hire in Marlow. They are extremely friendly and happy to hire the boats out for several days as well as deliver them to the right section of the river for you. (link below)

If you are just planning a single days hire however it would make sense to hire more locally - we have never used them but Cotswold Canoe Hire is located in Lechlade and worth exploring as an option.