London Rivers Week is back, and it’s bigger than ever. Organised by Thames21, this annual celebration of London’s 400 miles of rivers and waterways runs from 23rd till 31st rMay ight in the heart of the London Walking Festival.
From riverside walks and guided photowalks to creek wading, low-tide explorations, elver watching at twilight and citizen science surveys, there’s something here for anyone who’s ever been curious about the waterways flowing through their neighbourhood. Almost all events are free and several are already fully booked, so keep an eye out for waitlists and new additions.
London Rivers Week Photography Competition
Thames21 is running a photography in the build up tp London Rivers Week – share your best shots of London’s waterways for a chance to win. Find out more and enter here.
29 events across 9 days
Saturday 23 May
River Beck
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Harvington Wood, Manor Way, Beckenham
Get to know your local river at this free event in Harvington Woods. A chance to explore the River Beck and learn about its wildlife and ecology.
Source to Sea – Walking the Ravensbourne (Part 1) [FULLY BOOKED]
10:30 AM – 1:30 PM | Keston Ponds
Follow the Ravensbourne River from its source on a special guided walk with Creekside Discovery Centre.
History & Ecology of Camley Street Natural Park [FULLY BOOKED]
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Camley Street Natural Park, King’s Cross
A guided walk with London Wildlife Trust around this remarkable urban nature reserve sandwiched between King’s Cross and the Regent’s Canal.
Hammersmith to Nature – A Relaxed Thames Path Walk [FULLY BOOKED]
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Hammersmith
A refreshing guided walk led by Toni-Ann Murphy, founder of outdoor community group Touch Grass CIC, celebrating London’s riverside.
Liquid History – A Photowalk [FULLY BOOKED – Waitlist]
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Church of St Magnus-the-Martyr, Lower Thames St
The Thames has shaped London for two millennia. Explore its history through the lens of a camera on this guided photowalk.
Clean Air Canal Art Exhibition
12:00 PM (23 May) – 6:00 PM (27 May) | The Gramophone Works, 326 Kensal Road, W10 5BZ
Artist Camilla Brendon presents an exhibition exploring London’s canals and clean air at Kindred Studios in West London. Running throughout London Rivers Week.
A Short Introduction to the Thames Estuary – Guided Walk [FULLY BOOKED]
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Greenwich Peninsula
Join Thames Estuary Partnership for a guided walk around the Greenwich Peninsula to explore the lesser-known story of the Thames Estuary.
River Soundwalk led by afromerm [FULLY BOOKED – Waitlist]
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Rotherhithe to Deptford
A community listening walk tracing the Thames riverside from Rotherhithe to Deptford. Move your body, open your ears, and experience the river through sound.
Sunday 24 May
Urban Riverfly Training
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM | Chingford Community Station Hub
Become an Urban Riverfly Monitor! A full-day free training session to learn how to monitor river health through invertebrate surveys.
Deptford Creek Bird Survey [FULLY BOOKED]
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Creekside Discovery Centre, 14 Creekside, Deptford
A guided bird survey along Deptford Creek to help record the birdlife that calls this unique urban waterway home.
Riverside Creativity Day at St Mary’s Church Battersea
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM | St Mary’s Church, Battersea
A free, fun-filled creative day celebrating London’s rivers with workshops and activities by the Thames.
Tuesday 26 May
Walk the Lambeth – Riverside Walk
11:00 AM – 12:15 PM | Riverside Cafe, Lambeth Pier, Albert Embankment
A leisurely, free guided walk along a step-free section of the Thames Path with Thames blogger Patricia Stoughton.
Brookmill Park Wade [FULLY BOOKED]
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Brookmill Park, Brookmill Road, Deptford
Wade upstream through the Brookmill Park section of the River Ravensbourne with Rivers & People. Get your wellies on!
Wetland Walk at Wild Tolworth
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM | Tolworth Court Farm, Chessington
A guided walk celebrating the completion of wetland restoration at Wild Tolworth, led by the Citizen Zoo team.
Wednesday 27 May
Sensory Walk Through Headstone Manor Park
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Headstone Manor Park, Pinner View, Harrow
Discover The Copse at Headstone Manor Park on this free sensory walk with the Friends of Headstone Manor Park.
Keeping Our Rivers Healthy – CABI & Stonebridge Lock Coalition
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Stonebridge Lock, Waterside Café, N17
Drop-in stalls about local waterways, their wildlife, and how to protect them from invasive species. Learn to identify and report threats to river health.
Estuary Edges 2013 From Creek to Open Water [FULLY BOOKED]
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM | Deptford Creek / Greenwich
Can London Be a Wetland City? – Talk
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM | London Zoo, Huxley Lecture Theatre
A free talk from ZSL on freshwater habitats and species – beavers, water voles and wetlands. Come and hear what’s possible for London’s rivers.
Twilight Elver Watch – Guided Evening Walk [FULLY BOOKED]
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Ladywell Fields
A guided evening walk along the River Ravensbourne to discover one of the UK’s most remarkable and endangered species – migrating elvers.
Evening Stroll Along River Crane, Twickenham
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM | Crane Park, Mill Road, TW2 5HA
Join Friends of the River Crane Environment (FORCE) for a free guided walk exploring the wildlife, heritage and beauty of the River Crane.
Thursday 28 May
The Yeading Brook Clean Up
9:30 AM | Headstone Manor Recreation Park, Pinner View, Harrow HA2 6PX
Join the Friends of Headstone Manor Park for a community clean-up of the Yeading Brook. Help keep this local waterway healthy.
Action for Silk Stream – River Action Day
11:00 AM – 3:00 PM | Rushgrove Park, Rushgrove Avenue
Monthly volunteering day with Thames21 along the Silk Stream. Help restore this north London river.
Deptford Creek Fish Survey [FULLY BOOKED]
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM | Creekside Discovery Centre, 14 Creekside, Deptford
Learn about the aquatic life of Deptford Creek on a hands-on fish survey with the Creekside Discovery Centre.
The Kyd Brook: A Walk Through Petts Wood [FULLY BOOKED – Waitlist]
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Petts Wood, Bromley
A guided walk with urban sociologists and local historians exploring the Kyd Brook and the story of suburban life alongside a London river since the 1920s.
Creekside Low Tide Walk
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Creekside Discovery Centre, 14 Creekside, Deptford
Step down into Deptford Creek at low tide with expert guides from the Creekside Discovery Centre. Discover what lives beneath the water line.
Friday 29 May
Action for Silk Stream – Wildflower Identification Workshop
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM | Lyndhurst Park, Edgware
A free beginners botanical walk identifying wildflowers and plants growing along the banks of the Silk Stream.
Perivale Park Litter Pick
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Pear Tree Bistro, Stockdove Way, Greenford
A free community litter-picking session along the River Brent in Perivale Park.
Saturday 30 May
Source to Sea – Walking the Ravensbourne (Part 2)
10:30 AM – 1:30 PM | TBC (continues from Part 1)
Part two of this guided walk following the Ravensbourne River towards the Thames, with Creekside Discovery Centre.
Saturday 31 May
Guided Walk: Industrial History of the River Wandle
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM | Mitcham Tram Stop, London Road, CR4 4BJ
Led by John Sheridan of the Wandle Industrial Museum. Walk from Mitcham through Watermeads and Ravensbury Park to Morden Hall Park, exploring sites of brewing, flour milling, papermaking and textile printing along the Wandle.
All London Rivers Week events: thames21.org.uk/events/category/london-rivers-week-2026/
About Thames21: thames21.org.uk/about-us/
All London Walking Festival events: nationalparkcity.london/events
About the London Walking Festival: nationalparkcity.london/london-walking-festival
Events are filling up fast – check the Thames21 website for the latest availability, waitlists and any new additions.
