Picnic & BBQ locations along the Thames

Dine in the great outdoors this summer

Picnic on an island on the Thames: Ray Mill Island, Maidenhead

A great place for a family picnic with toilet facilities, picnic tables and benches, and in the summer a café. The Island has an adventure play area suitable for children between 3 and 8 years, an aviary and guinea pig enclosure and wooden animals dotted around for imaginative play. The Island's name dates from when the Ray family managed a flourmill here and the lock was originally called after the family.  At the northern end of the Island you will find Boulter's Weir, one of 50 remaining on the Thames. Hire a boat from The Little Green Boat Company.

Picnic by the 2,000 year old Ankerwycke Yew tree opposite Runnymede

Take a look underneath the canopy of this venerable old giant. It's a little out of the way but well worth the journey, open all year round with an ancient 2,500 year old yew tree and the remains of a Benedictine priory to discover. With a wonderful array of wildlife and a wide variety of trees, Ankerwycke is the perfect spot for a peaceful walk on a sunny day.

Picnic in style on a Hobbs of Henley skippered motor yacht

Hobbs of Henley is based in Henley on Thames and and offers a selection of skippered boats to cruise along the Henley stretch of the Thames.  Enjoy as a venue for a picnic lunch or afternoon tea. Vessels are hired with a fully qualified experienced skipper. Brand new in 2023 to Hobbs of Henley’s luxury fleet was Lilibet, a stunning 40 ft 12C Piper Hybrid Motor Cruiser, which is the next level in boating luxury on the River Thames. Our skipper and crew can host up to 12 passengers. 

Picnic at Cliveden National Trust Gardens

Fill your hamper with your favourite goodies from home, throw in a comfy blanket and enjoy al fresco dining at Cliveden. Positioned on top of chalk cliffs and overlooking the River Thames, Cliveden's magnificent gardens and woodlands offer breathtaking views that have been admired for centuries. The spot was chosen by the 2nd Duke of Buckingham in 1666 for its striking view to the River Thames. Discover the picnic sites around the woodlands and gardens.

BBQ, Picnics and Wild Swimming at Port Meadow, Oxford

Port Meadow in Oxford - wide open space, all day and all night, no restrictions on barbecues, wild swimming in the Thames with lots of informal paddling, popular with families and young people and pubs near by.

When you visit "Oxford's oldest monument" you are looking at a landscape that has changed little since prehistoric times. William Turner was inspired to paint his early landscapes here. Lewis Carroll rowed Alice Liddell and related Alice in Wonderland to her. 

Runnymede on Thames near Windsor: Threee great outdoor dining experiences

The Runnymede on Thames hotel, Egham, near Windsor offers Pizzas from the airstream trailer, freshly made picnics for al fresco dining or a unique private dining experience in a dome, all on the banks of the River Thames.  

Make the most of a day out and combine a picnic with hiring a boat on the Thames.