Oxford & the Royal Palaces along the River Thames

5/5 (1)
8 nights
17 miles/day
Self guided from GBP £ 2585
Bike tour in England
Rider Level: Recreational Electric bike tours

Oxford & the Royal Palaces along the River Thames

5/5 (1)

Rider Level: Recreational Electric bike tours

8 nights
17 miles/day

Self guided from GBP £ 2585
Bike tour in England

Tap above to jump to different sections of this tour

  • Cycling the Dreaming Spires and Thames Valleys on an idyllic journey through Oxfordshire to Hampton Court

    The River Thames threads its way serenely through sleepy, rural villages, pretty landscapes, and through the heart of bustling historic towns including Oxford and Windsor. Royalty and history beckon, whilst water meadows, old inns, wildlife, and weirs lead you through your adventures.

    The tranquil river path guides the route for much of this trip - we love it because it is flat and traffic-free. The itinerary is relaxed and includes several optional riverboat trips with bikes aboard. What a great way to discover the sights and smells of quintessential England!

    • Hampton Court, Molesey, East Molesey, England. Tom Podmore@Unsplash
    • Tea Time in England! Sebastian Coman Photography@Unsplash
    • Pub Food in England! Laurenz Kleinheider@Unsplash
    • Windsor Castle - Changing of the Guard - Berkshire, England. Flickr:Timo Newton-Syms
    • Windsor Castle - Queen's Guard Chamber. Flickr:Llee_wu
    • Oxford & the Royal Palaces along the River Thames Bike Tour in England
    • Stained-glass windows at Hampton Court, Molesey, East Molesey, England. Tom Podmore@Unsplash
    • Hampton Court & Gardens. England. CC:Andreas Tille

    View more photos

    Highlights

    • Windsor Castle & Great Park
    • Waterfront of the Thames River
    • The River and Rowing Museum in Henley
    • Oxford

    Learn More

    Learn more about self-guided tours.


    Oxford and Royal Palaces

    Photos 

  • Traveler photos

    •  (photo by Jeff and Sue Ross)
    •  (photo by Jeff and Sue Ross)
    •  (photo by Jeff and Sue Ross)
    •  (photo by Jeff and Sue Ross)

    Oxford and Royal Palaces

     Tour Description Daily Program 

  • Daily program

    Day 1: Arrival to Oxford
    Arrive in Oxford and check into your hotel located at the center of the city. Take some time to relax before hitting the town to stroll the 'city of dreaming spires'. Visit the gardens of University and its historic colleges. Either tonight or tomorrow morning, you will meet with a representative to review the itinerary and fit your bicycle.
    Overnight in Oxford.

    Day 2: Oxford (12 miles/19 km)
    Enjoy the treasures of Oxford today - by bike if you wish. There are the lovely colleges of the University with their magnificent architecture, museums galore, galleries and famous libraries. Add to these fine restaurants, unique shops and river backwaters dotted with punters and rowing eights and you will enjoy a fitting finale to your tour.
    Overnight in Oxford.

    Day 3: Oxford – Streatley (17-24 miles/27-38 km)
    Crisscross the Thames today and take in pretty riverside villages and forgotten rural scenes. These dreamy waters of the Upper Thames are where many a famous tale has been dreamt. The shorter ride includes a boat hop from Abingdon with its ancient abbey (only available in July and August). Continue pedalling along the Thames to Streatley where you will spend the night in an old inn set in a tranquil riverside village.
    Overnight in Streatley.

    Day 4: Streatley – Henley (19 miles/30 km)
    Today's ride follows the river through some of its most magical settings. Pedal across weirs, spot the llamas, smell ancient beech woods and discover the prettiest village on the Thames. There’s a 5-minute train hop at the start of the day from Streatley to the start of your cycling route. Once in Henley, famed for its rowing regatta, you will quickly discover its elegant atmosphere. Stroll along the waterfront and enjoy tea on one of a number of river islands. Your overnight stop is nestled in the heart of the town.
    Overnight in Henley.

    Day 5: Henley – Marlow (10 miles/18 km)
    Take time to discover all the history of Henley and visit The River and Rowing Museum before starting your cycling to Marlow. Today there are some slopes through the Chiltern Hills and beech woods with fantastic views and wonderful scenery. Then drop down into the historic small town of Marlow further downstream on the banks of the river.
    Overnight in Marlow.

    Day 6: Marlow – Windsor (19-36 miles/30-57 km)
    There is a pretty route to cycle that leads away from the river through old villages and hamlets, across village greens and along hidden bridleways whilst crossing the river a few times. Take a peek at Eton across the river as you cycle across the Thames to reach Windsor and its famed castle. Tonight your hotel is near the castle and you will have time to discover the royal history of the area. There is an option to extend the cycling route by adding a circular route into Windsor Great Park.
    Overnight in Windsor.

    Day 7: Windsor – Hampton Wick/Hampton Court (23 miles/37 km, Classic)(18 miles/29 km, Luxury)
    Ride to Hampton Court today along the classic riverscape of the Thames. There are houseboats and villas, famous islands and willow-lined meadows, pretty lock cottages, attractive steeples and ancient waterside inns. Enjoy the tranquility and rural scene before making tracks to Hampton Wick or Hampton Court where your overnight stop is located for the next two nights.
    Overnight in Hampton Wick(Classic) or Hampton Court(luxury).

    Day 8: Circular Ride Hampton Wick to Kew (16-20 miles/25-32 km, Classic)(19-23 miles/30-37 km, Luxury)
    Your traffic-free ride today is glorious along the river and takes in Richmond with its Old Palace and Park, chic shops and waterside cafes, and the fine historic houses along the waterfront. The longer ride includes Kew Palace and the Internationally famed Kew Gardens. You may be able to enjoy a boat ride too with bikes aboard to help you along your way. Wow, what a finale to the tour!
    Overnight in Hampton Wick(Classic) or Hampton Court(luxury).

    Day 9: Departure day
    Depart on your own.


    Oxford and Royal Palaces

     Photos Accommodation 

  • Accommodation

    Hotels

    These are sample hotels and may vary based on availability.

    • Centrally located, hand-picked hotels and inns

      Oxford: Oxford Spires

      Streatley: Swan Streatley

      Henley: Hotel Du Vin

      Marlow: Premier Inn

      Windsor: MacDonald Windsor

      Hampton Wick: White Hart

    • Characterful and historic 4- and 5-star hotels

      Oxford: Randolph

      Streatley: Swan Streatley

      Henley: The Relais

      Marlow: Macdonald Compleat Angler

      Windsor: MacDonald Windsor - Superior room

      Hampton Court: The Mitre


    Interested in visiting other areas before or after your tour? Visit our hotels page to learn more about lodging options.


    Oxford and Royal Palaces

     Daily program Bikes 

  • Bikes

    Bikes available and included in the tour package (must be reserved in advance at the time of booking):

    • Standard touring bikes

    Bikes available to rent (must be reserved in advance at the time of booking):

    • Electrically assisted bikes*
    • Tandem bikes (availability may be limited)

    *More about electrically-assisted bikes >

    Bikes come equipped with the following at no additional cost:

    • Pannier
    • Bike pump
    • Bike lock
    • Toolkit and spare inner tube
    • Waterproof phone holder and back up power bank and charger
    • Helmet

    Bike Protection:
    Bike protection can be purchased at the time of booking. You can read more about that HERE.

    Pedals:
    The bikes will have flat pedals. If you want to bring your own pedals, please bring your own shoes and also the necessary equipment to change the pedals.

    Helmets:
    Helmet rental is available on this tour. However, we recommend that you bring your own helmet for safety and hygiene purposes.


    Oxford and Royal Palaces

     Accommodation Dates & Prices 

  • Dates

    Sundays, Apr 1-Nov 30, 2024 (other starts dates may be available for surcharge)

    Prices

    • Per person, double occupancy

      £2585

      *Single room pricing is available if you have at least 2 people in your party

    • Per person, double occupancy £3690

      *Single room pricing is available if you have at least 2 people in your party


    Bike Rentals

    Electrically assisted bike £285

    Included services

    • 8 nights accommodation in rooms with en-suite bathrooms
    • Breakfast daily
    • Luggage transfers between hotels
    • Adventure Handbook - packed full of information, history and photos of the area your tour
      covers
    • Waterproof mobile phone holder
    • Emergency service line
    • Local host to welcome and brief you
    • Standard touring bike
    • Advice, help, and guidance
    • Train tickets from Pangbourne on Day 6
    • Route Directions on GPS route to download to your phone and OS maps

    Single room pricing is available if you have at least 2 people in your party.


    Tour Company


    Oxford and Royal Palaces

     Bikes Other Details 

  • Surface and terrain

    This tour takes place on flat terrain, on nearly traffic-free routes. The cycling is gentle, with low daily distances and very gentle grades. You will face occasional slopes, but no extended climbs on this trip. No cycling in London is required.


    How to get there

    Tour start
    Nearest airport: London Heathrow Airport (LHR), United Kingdom
    Nearest train station: Oxford (direct from London Paddington)

    Tour end
    Nearest airport: London Heathrow Airport (LHR), United Kingdom
    Nearest train station: Windsor either Central or Riverside Stations into Waterloo or Paddington.

    Tips on getting to and from your tour


    Oxford and Royal Palaces

     Dates & Prices Tour Reviews 

    • Jeff and Sue Ross 5 months ago

      A Trip to Remember

      With a great mix of trails and roads, this was one of our best bike tours.
      Our self-guide adventure took us along the Thames River on well conditioned paths, trails and roads, where we did not see a lot of others. The Hotels were very good and easy to find, since we used the tour companies gps route guides on our phones using RideWithGPS. With this we never got turned around. Each day was a little different at every turn, and would recommend this to all. We added to the trip with a train trip up to Liverpool and four days there exploring all about Liverpool and the Beatles, including an evening at the Cavern Club.
      GREAT Adventure we are glad we took

      What was the date of your tour?
      April 2024
      How many tours have you completed?
      This was our 8th Self-Guided Bike Tour
      Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
      Much easier
      Who is this tour suitable for?
      First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
      Do you recommend this tour?
      Yes
      •  (photo by Jeff and Sue Ross)
      •  (photo by Jeff and Sue Ross)
      •  (photo by Jeff and Sue Ross)
      •  (photo by Jeff and Sue Ross)
      • 5/5 Value
      • 5/5 Included meals
      • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
      • 5/5 Hotels or boat
      • 5/5 Scenery
      • 5/5 Ease of navigation
      • 5/5 Tour documents
      • 5/5 Local tour company services
      • 5/5 Route selection

    Oxford and Royal Palaces

     Other Details Book this tour 

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