b'The RiverWithout the River Thames flowing through this part of England in its quiet and gentle way, the attraction of relaxing in a boat after a busy day at work would not have existed. This river has been controlled and managed for centuries in much the same way as the countryside has been adapted to suit a way of life; however, since the gradual transformation from a commercial highway to a recreational waterway in the 19th century not much has changed. The photographic record in Henry Taunts New Map of the River Thames published in 1870 bears a remarkable resemblance to the scenery we see today. The river is still a wilderness that can be explored without restriction, and if you are lucky enough to live anywhere between London and Lechlade it is right there on your doorstep.A river is often perceived as a linear thing, upstream or downstream, its one way or the other - my experience is that the Thames has far more to offer.The back waters and tributaries are there for the taking, the marked channel leading you from one lock to the next is to be ignored and almost every reach has a detour to explore.The pools at Sutton Courtney, St Patricks Stream and the Hennerton backwater near Henley, the Cherwell at Oxford, and many more curious places away from the main stream are all there for someone to discover, quietly, in a boat.13'