Hammersmith Riviera
Relax in Furnivall Gardens near Hammersmith Bridge and enjoy the fine view, or refresh yourselves at one of the many historic riverside pubs with balconies and terraces overlooking the water.
Eating and Drinking
BLACK LION - raise a glass to poor old Thomas Millwood whose body was laid out in the bar in 1804. He was a local brickie who happened to be covered in white plaster dust one evening - someone mistook him for a ghost and shot him.
THE DOVE - started life in the 1600s as a coffee house. Reputedly a trysting spot for the Merry Monarch Charles II and Nellie Gwynne in the 1660s. Great atmosphere and quirky interior with old fireplaces and the smallest bar recorded in the Guinness Book of Records at 3.12 sq metres.
THE BLUE ANCHOR - thought to date from the 1700s, the Blue Anchor catered for sailmakers, boat builders and brewers that traded on the riverfront. Composer Gustav Holst, who wrote the famous Planets Suite, loved to wet his whistle here.
Riverside Studios
Crisp Road W6. Tel: 020 8237 1009 www.riversidestudios.co.uk
World renowned arts and media centre in an old water pump factory turned BBC recording studios! An exciting venue featuring experimental theatre and international films, great value at £5 for a double bill. Good bar and lively restaurant with groovy lighting and comfy sofas. Outdoor terrace overlooking the river with great views of Hammersmith Bridge.
Rural Thames- from Chelsea to Hampton Court
London's Rural Thames stretches from Hampton Court Palace - one of the great icons of Tudor England - to fashionable Chelsea Harbour. Within this span of 22.5 miles the river rolls out a dazzling string of world-famous attractions in a rural setting of vast parklands, sumptuous gardens and secluded green spaces which delights visitors and takes most Londoners by surprise.
You can take London's Rural Thames in bite-size chunks on a day off or when you have an afternoon to spare, or you can follow the whole length of The Thames Path from Hampton Court to Chelsea in a long weekend.