Henley information

HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA********************Information recently updated for 1996.

FRIDAY 28/6    Qualifying racesWEDNESDAY 3/7 first racing, 9 am to 7 pm, about every 5 minutesTHURSDAY 4/7  second rounds, same as Weds.FRIDAY 5/7    third rounds and some quarter-finalsSATURDAY 6/7   other quarter-finals and all semi-finals, 2 races every ?20 minsSUNDAY 7/7     all finals, every 25-30 minutes from 12 noon.  Location:  Henley-on-Thames, on the Bucks/Berks/Oxon border. >From London, buses from Victoria Station, trains from Paddington I think.By car from London, M4 to marked turn-off A 329 (M), then follow signs.>From anywhere else, look on a map.  Trains mostly via Reading.  30-40 minsby car from West London, not much more by train or bus.>From train station in town, head towards centre, then over bridge andfirst left.  Bus stop is centre of town, bridge visible ahead.  Carparking in town is fiendishly expensive for the regatta, in the region of10-15+ pounds a day.  Further out are the 5+ pound car parks, but you'llhave to walk.  Great view down course from the far (non-towpath) side of the river, abouthalf-way down the riverside street.  Nearest point is the finish, thestart being 1 mile 550 yards downstream, next to "Temple Island".  Far bank is partly hospitality tents, partly open access.  Towpath sidehas (in order from the bridge) Leander Club (members access only), boattents (competitors and Stewards members'/guests badges only), Stewardsenclosure (badges only), regatta enclosure (free to competitors or thosewith Stewards Enclosure badges, about 5 GBP to anyone else), open accessdown towpath from there, with a few private clubs/houses next to thepath.  If you fancy a 2k walk, do go down to the start one time, and seethe whole course from end to end.  Other options:  punt or skiff hire oruse, from the riverside opposite the finish:  there are few better ways towatch the racing than from 1 foot away on the booms, moored alongside.  Idon't know prices, I'm afraid.  Use tourist information offices or travel agents to try and makeaccommodation arrangements:  it won't be easy.  I am sure there is acamping location around somewhere, but I don't know where.  Hotels and B&Bdo tend to be booked early.  Close proximity to London means it's not abad idea to travel each day you want to come up.    Race programmes are available for each day's racing (they are littlebooklets with everything including competitors' names) from about 8 am,along the towpath.  Nearest to bridge is just in front of Leander Club. About 1.50 pounds each usually.  Times of races are also printed in thebroadsheet national newspapers and several tabloids.  Race results areposted in the various enclosures and wherever else anyone can be botheredto do it.  Eating out:  lots of good restaurants and pubs in town, which naturallyget busy very early.  One decent big supermarket (Waitrose) forself-catering.  Down towpath, after the enclosures, plenty of burgerstalls etc.  On Saturday night, after racing, there is a massive fireworks display overthe river:  all the locals bring their boats (cruisers, punts etc.) ontothe course at about 9 pm and moor up on the booms to watch.  Muchmerry-making down the towpath that night, and usually a fairnearby.  OnSunday morning to make up for it, there is a church service at theRemenham church, behind the course about half-way down.  Totally packedagain, mostly with crusty Stewards etc, and a special service for theregatta.  Henley is a tiny town, and not difficult to find your way around.  Justget there and see what you think!
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