The source of the Thames?

[Nearly Sane]

It's fascinating that something that you think would be seen as of such significance is quite so vague.


https://londonist.com/london/great-outdoors/where-is-the-source-of-the-thames

[jeremyp]

It's fascinating that something that you think would be seen as of such significance is quite so vague.


https://londonist.com/london/great-outdoors/where-is-the-source-of-the-thames

The problem is the idea of trying to define a single source for any river.

[Nearly Sane]

The problem is the idea of trying to define a single source for any river.

Indeed but the issue in this case is that there are certain guidelines that are effectively post the establishment of the first 'source' which then are ignored due to habit and repute. I find it charming that the source of the Thames is often dry.

The other aspect that I find interesting is that given the imporatance of rivers, and amount of mythology that surrounds river sources, I would have expected much more hullaballoo about such claims.

[SteveH]

The problem is the idea of trying to define a single source for any river.

Quite. It makes more sense to talk of river-systems, which is a river plus all its tributaries. It is impossible to say whether the Nile or the Amazon is the longest river in the world, because of disputes over the true source of each, but there is no doubt that the Amazon is the world's largest river-system.

[jeremyp]

I found a nice interactive map showing all the major river basins in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/97caee3cc2764fecbae6769c9aaf7a82