The Thames Barge Driving Race under oars' or "sweeps" and ride tidal river currents alone, up river. The event commemorates the skills of lightermen who moved freight this way along the Thames up until the 1930s and in a wider context it encourages ongoing interest in moving cargo via water and as a way to recruit younger people back into river trades.The teams are normally made up of employees of Thames Lighterage companies, Port of London Authority or are sponsored by local businesses. The best places to view the race are Tower Bridge, London Bridge and Westminster Bridge. During the 1970s Britain suffered a major
Thames meander sponsorship. The normal start of a meander for craft is Halfpenny Bridge, Lechlade. The finish is often Teddington Lock but other points in London are used. A "Giant meander" for craft goes all the way to Gravesend Pier. The Thames Meander run begins at Reading, Berkshire. Thames meander Thames meander refers to a long-distance journey over all or part of the River Thames in England. Walking the Thames Path is itself a meander, but the term usually applies to journeys using other methods such as rowing, punting, running, or swimming. A Thames meander can be a social expedition over a