Henley Royal Regatta Guide

Today I want to bring you A Lady in London’s Henley Royal Regatta guide. This annual rowing regatta in Henley-on-Thames, England is a highlight of the British summer season. It’s worth a special trip to Oxfordshire to attend it.

The English summer season is in full swing. With the Chelsea Flower Show and Royal Ascot finished, Wimbledon and now the Henley Royal Regatta are underway.

After last week’s visit to the tennis, I headed out west yesterday to spend a sunny day at the rowing.

And because my guide to Wimbledon was so well received, today I bring you A Lady in London’s guide to the Henley Royal Regatta.

Henley Regatta Dress Code

Step aside, ladies. Fashion at Henley is all about the gents. While women’s attire ranges from super casual to semi-formal, men’s attire is all about the rowing blazer.

For those that aren’t familiar with said blazers, the rule of thumb is: the more clashing stripes and garish colors, the better.

While Royal Ascot started out as my favorite part of the English summer season for people watching, the Henley Royal Regatta may now be my event of choice.

Nothing entertains me more than seeing roving groups of males of all ages sporting matching yellow-and-purple blazers from their respective rowing clubs.

For men that don’t belong to a rowing club, a linen suit with a Panama hat or a nice khakis-and-(normal) blazer combination will do just fine.

And ladies, if you’re in an enclosure or hospitality area, a nice summer dress is just the thing.

Regardless of how you dress, make sure to bring sunscreen and an umbrella, as Henley can be scorching one minute and drizzling the next.

What to Drink at the Henley Royal Regatta

Unlike Wimbledon, where strawberries and cream are a tradition, the Henley Royal Regatta doesn’t have a specific food associated with it. It does, however, have drinks that are a must.

One is Pimm’s, the classic British drink laden with fruit and mint. The other is champagne, which never seems to stop flowing from early morning until late evening.

Where to Watch the Henley Regatta Rowing

The Henley Royal Regatta rowing races take place along one of the few straight stretches of the River Thames, and the course is around 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) long.

From the starting line to the finish, the river is flanked on one side by enclosures, shops, hospitality tents, bars, and concession stands. Some are open to the public, while others require pre-paid entry in the form of a badge.

I spent my day yesterday in one of the many hospitality areas at the Henley Royal Regatta.

Like many others, it was open to the public. Buying a badge offered unlimited drinks during the day as well as a three-course lunch and afternoon tea.

It was located in the middle of the course, and also had a separate bar right on the starting line that badge holders had access to. Both areas had live music and free-flowing champagne.

For those not in an enclosure or hospitality area, the thin stretch of land between the river and the enclosures is always packed with punters and picnics.

Just make sure to arrive early if you go on the Saturday, as the area gets crowded early and becomes increasingly packed as the day goes on.

Henley Royal Regatta Enclosures

There are a number of different enclosures at the Henley Royal Regatta. They uphold the British tradition of ensuring a weirdly (to foreigners, anyway) comforting separation of the social classes.

The most exclusive is the Stewards’ Enclosure, which is only open to members and their guests. It’s the one you want to be in if you like to see and be seen.

Everyone seems to know someone that knows a member, so badges aren’t as difficult to come by as they may seem (but make sure to line them up in advance).

The Henley Regatta dress code is strictly enforced here, so if you’re a lady, make sure to keep your dress or skirt well below the knee (seriously, they’ll turn you away if it’s not).

An easier enclosure to access is the Regatta Enclosure, which is next to the Stewards’ Enclosure and open to the general public.

While more casual, it’s still considered a good place to be for those that can’t get access to the Stewards’.

How to Watch the Rowing at Henley

Wait, there’s rowing at Henley? I thought this was just an excuse for day drinking.

On the rare occasion that you do catch a glimpse of the boats, it helps to cheer for one or another. Usually it’s hard to tell which is which, even when you know which teams are competing.

Yesterday I had the good fortune to cheer for my university’s team in one race and my mother’s university in two others, and that was about the extent of the attention I paid to the races.

There are times in life when champagne takes precedence, and the Henley Royal Regatta is generally one of those times.

How to Get to Henley from London

The easiest way to get to Henley from London is to take a train from Paddington station. The train station in Henley-on-Thames is right by the regatta, so it’s easy and convenient to get to.

Just make sure to arrive at Paddington station well in advance of your train if you go on the Saturday, as queues for the ticket machines are always painfully long and the platform for trains to Henley is one of the farthest from the entrance.

Every time I’ve taken a train to the Henley Royal Regatta, half my group has missed our departure because they arrived too late to buy or collect their tickets.