Regatta Radio's Guide to a Day Out at Henley
Introduction
This article is intended for those that are new or relatively new to Henley. If you've ever been at all you will realise that Henley works for so many people in so many different ways. Generally those that are in the restricted Enclosures up and down the bank will have at least some pretensions of knowledge of rowing. Many of course are very keenly interested. It is a myth that the rowing is largely ignored.
The general public, who have free access to the public footpaths that line at least 90% of the course on the Berkshire side, are, in the main, less interested in the rowing and are there to enjoy what has been described as Europe's biggest picnic and on a glorious summer's day it is a fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable spectacle. Socialising is an important part of a good day out at Henley and, if possible, you should be aiming to meet up with friends.
If you're new to the Regatta and/or to rowing then Regatta Radio's unashamed mission is to get you to appreciate a little of what is going on on the water. It can be a bewildering spectacle. There are 19 different events being contested at the Henley Royal Regatta. There are 7 different classes of boat on the river, details of these can be found by clicking this link. This will explain the numbers and symbols in the table below.
This year's events are
| Open Men |
| The Grand Challenge Cup (8+) |
| The Stewards' Challenge Cup (4-) |
| The Queen Mother Challenge Cup (4x) |
| The Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup (2-) |
| The Double Sculls Challenge Cup (2x) |
| The Diamond Challenge Sculls (1x) |
| Intermediate Men |
| The Ladies' Challenge Plate (8+) |
| The Visitors' Challenge Cup (4-) |
| The Prince of Wales Challenge Cup (4x) |
| Club Men |
| The Thames Challenge Cup (8+) |
| The Wyfold Challenge Cup (4-) |
| The Britannia Challenge Cup (4+) |
| Student Men |
| The Temple Challenge Cup (8+) |
| The Prince Albert Challenge Cup (4+) |
| Junior Boys |
| The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup (8+) |
| The Fawley Challenge Cup (4x) |
| Open Women |
| The Remenham Challenge Cup (8+) |
| The Princess Grace Challenge Cup (4x) |
| The Princess Royal Challenge Cup (1x) |
What to wear
If you want to get into the Stewards' Enclosure then a strict dress code applies to quote directly from the Henley Royal Regatta website.
"Those attending the Regatta in the Stewards' Enclosure must dress in accordance with long-established tradition. Gentlemen are required to wear lounge suits, or jackets or blazers with flannels, and a tie or cravat. Ladies are required to wear dresses or suits with a hemline below the knee and will not be admitted wearing divided skirts, culottes or trousers of any kind. Ladies are encouraged to wear hats - click here for more information. Similarly, no one will be admitted to the Stewards' Enclosure wearing shorts or jeans. Members are particularly asked to bring this custom to the attention of their Guests, to ensure that the standards are maintained and to avoid the possibility of embarrassment of a Guest being refused admission."
Many people adhere to this code even if they've not got tickets to Stewards' (note that you cannot directly buy tickets to get into Stewards' you'll have to obtain these prior to your arrival either from a Steward or a member of the Stewards' Enclosure).
We're not sure of the exact dress code for the Leander Club but it is probably similar.
If you don't wish to access these restricted area then you can wear what you like. In 'smart casual' you'll be perfectly at ease in all other areas open to the public.
To fully appreciate the regatta some walking is required and some of this will inevitably be on grass, high-heeled shoes will probably prove cumbersome and so our advise would be err on the side of what is known in our household as "sensible shoes".
What to bring
Listen to the weather forecast before you come, if it's particularly sunny then sun cream lotion is probably a good idea.
If there's a lot of rain about then the site can quickly get very muddy and smart shoes can get ruined. One of the great things about rowing is that rain is not a show stopper. The Regatta has a very strict and tight timetable that it strictly adheres to come rain or shine. If you are intent on watching the racing then an umbrella might be a good idea if there's rain about.
A radio tuned to 87.7FM for obvious reasons! If you forgot to bring a radio then The Daily Telegraph has a stand outside of the entry to the Stewards' Enclosure (click here for a map) which when you purchase a copy of the Telegraph they'll give you a free gift. There's a variety of gifts on offer but if you specifically ask for a radio you'll get one.
You'll need your mobile phone - there'll be about 20,000 people on the Regatta site and if you get separated from your friends they're difficult to find! You won't be able to use your mobile phone in Stewards' though.
Binoculars are definitely a good idea. This will enable you to look at the signal stations up and down the course and follow the progress of the racing.
Unless you're a particularly good scrounger you'll also need some cash! There's a mobile bank opposite the entrance to the Stewards' Enclosure - very handy, it can save you a trip into town.
Before you arrive
It is possible to pre-book a whole host of things such as car parking, lunch and tea tickets, click here for details. This is particularly applicable if you're going to Stewards'
It is a good idea to tune-in to Regatta Radio (87.7FM) when you're within a 5 mile radius of Henley. We'll be providing
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traffic reports
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weather reports
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car parking reports
On the way to the regatta you'll be able to listen to Rachel Quarrell's preview of the days racing. On some days (Wednesday & Thursday) there will be about 80 races. Rachel will give her tips on what races are the one's to watch.
If you're new to rowing then it is sometimes difficult to identify a crew to support. Some of the crew names such as Agecroft and Furnivall give no indication of their geographic location. See a separate section of the Regatta Radio website to help you choose a crew to support. We'd very much encourage you to do this, and the crews just love to hear support from the riverbank.
The Rabbit's Guide to Henley Royal Regatta is a sideways and occasionally mischievous view of the Henley - very entertaining and a must read.
If you really want to mug up, then Michael Jones's 2 books "Guide to Henley Regatta & Reach" and "Guide to Rowing" both reasonably priced at £4.95 will bring you right up to speed.
What to get
In our view it is imperative to buy a "Henley Royal Regatta Official Programme". They are about £2.50 but worth every penny. It is a veritable treasure trove of information. Not only is it a complete guide to the day's events, it has descriptions of the trophies, records, updated draws, we could go on. It is worthy of some study and the key to unravelling the delights of the Henley Royal Regatta. To win some of the competitions we'll be running on Regatta Radio you'll need a copy.
Another bargain that you should consider is the Daily (or Sunday) Telegraph. This is on sale on a stand close to the entrance to the Stewards' Enclosure. The paper has some of the best rowing coverage but the reason to buy it is that they give away free gifts at the regatta and the gifts are generally quite lavish. Recently they have included, a radio (to listen to Regatta Radio with), binoculars and bars of chocolate. The value of the gift generally exceeds the cover price. You can check the gift is something you'd like before you buy.
What to look out for
Not long ago Red Kites were uncommon in England(native populations have hung on in Wales). The species was reintroduced into South Oxfordshire and is now thriving in and around the Henley area. Although notionally a bird of prey they are principally scavengers. They are quite large and a magnificent sight in flight. Look to the skies a few times in the day and see if you can spot one. The tail has a very distinctive V shape.
What to do
There's world class rowing on offer for free! There's no other sport we can think of where you can watch the best for nothing, not too many appreciate it - you can be one of them!.
Getting onto the water can be very pleasant. If it's a particularly hot day then any breeze to be had is out there. It's very busy and calls for your full attention if you're in charge of the craft. Tying up to the booms is also an option, but positions are much sought after and you'll have to be early to get a good one. In any event choose a wide part of the river. You can hire boats commercially and a large punt has operated from just below the Regatta Enclosure for the last couple of years - it looks good fun but we haven't tried it.
A gentle stroll down the length of the course is worthwhile. Apart from the tented villages with a wide variety of commercial wares on offer and the occasional free sample to be enjoyed, there's people watching (the much lauded pastime of travel brochures). There's a great variety of the human species on offer, from the very elegant to the seething masses, from the (too) sober to the dissolute, from the famous to the infamous, you won't see it all but you'll see a great deal!
A stroll down the tow path will also allow you to get very close to the rowers. Below the Barn Bar (you can't miss it) towards the start, the course abuts the towpath - nowhere else on the course do you get this close to the action.
The start of races is worth watching, frantic activity for a minute or so as the crews battle to get a lead by the end of Temple Island. Establishing a lead off the start is often decisive and most oarsmen and women know it.
There are a couple of notable architectural gems to be noted on your stroll, Fawley Court on the Buckinghamshire bank built in 1663 by Christopher Wren (architect of St Paul's Cathedral in London) in 2008 it was on offer for a cool £22m. The other is the Temple on Temple Island built in 1771 full details available by clicking here you can even hire it for that very special event.
If it's Saturday then you'll notice a reluctance of a lot of people to leave - barbeques and the like are being lit and a lot of milling around. This is because at around 10 o'clock there is a spectacular firework display. It's well worth hanging around for - a great party atmosphere ensues together with accompanying traffic chaos - Henley Bridge is closed to traffic for a while - great fun and the human spirit is generally on favourable display. Fireworks did not take place in 2009, they were reinstated for 2010 and we expect them in 2011. We'll try to keep this updated.
On your way home
Hopefully you've had a great day and your thoughts will perhaps turn to those you'd wish were with you. The Regatta Gift Shop (near the entrance to Stewards') has a great variety of quality merchandise. Profits go to the Stewards' Charitable Trust which ploughs funds into the grassroots of rowing.
In the car tune in to Regatta Radio and listen to Rachel Quarrell's summary of what you should have seen at today's regatta. Or even give the studio a ring to ask for a mention and your favourite song played - we'd love to hear from you.
Food and Drink
Near the river
If you’re looking for a real eclectic mix of 60’s jukebox music, pictures of Dusty and Robert Zimmerman, AND the best coffee in Henley, call in and see Loraine at Hot Gossip on Friday Street. She also has scrumptious cakes, great Baguettes, and very attractive staff!
Two of the best locations for eating and drinking, and plenty of Pimms, are: -
Angel on the Bridge (look out for the Regatta Radio banner over the angel, courtesy of Will Smith’s erection! Thanks to Mark Dunlop, the jovial landlord who always has a spare table, if not on one of the best spots in Henley, overlooking the river next to the bridge in the super restaurant)
Across the road...
Red Lion Hotel. Sam Gill and his team have an extensive range of meals, strawberries and cream, teas and a bar with local beers.
A Bit further afield...
The other side of town, near Hurley, pop into the Dew Drop Inn and visit John Lake, one of Regatta Radio’s advertisers. John has BBQ’s most evenings. SL6 6RB for those of you with SatNav
One of the best locals in the area where Peter and Helen 
Bland will provide you with fantastic food is The Malsters Arms, a great convivial atmosphere, and an outside terrace for those of you who enjoy a puff! Phone . RG9 4QD on the SatNav. Click on the picture for a more panoramic view!
We don't claim a comprehensive knowledge of the Regatta. If you've got any tips or suggestions to enhance a day out at Henley then please send them to
