Old Father Thames is famous for its history, its culture and its amazing variety. Based on its size, a mere 215 miles, from its source in the Cotswolds through to the estuary at Southend it should hardly evoke great passions. The river has something for everyone. If you enjoy peace and natural beauty, then the gentle and often remote stretches of the upper Thames will suit everyone. The Thames then meanders its way through beautiful countryside reaches and historic settlements with an enormous variety of places to visit, pubs and restaurants to nourish both body and soul. For the energetic, there is the Thames Path which stretches from the source at Thames Head down to the Barrier. Passenger boats can be found in many towns including Oxford, Abingdon, Henley, Reading, Maidenhead, Windsor, Walton, Hampton Court and Kingston. Historic sites of interest abound from tiny hamlets such as Mapledurham with its working water mill to grand castles and palaces of Windsor and Hampton Court. Many riverside pubs and eating places are themselves part of the river's history, a reminder of the days when this was truly a Royal River Highway.