Flatwater trip ideas

This page lists suggestions and resources for flatwater trips. Members of the club are likely to have some of the offline resources mentioned - please ask on the forums.

General resources for flat water trips

• BCU 100 Paddles book - online
• Canoe England Canoe Trails
• Canoe focus has an archive of suggested paddles.
• http://www.canoedaysout.com/ has lots of good recommendations
• http://www.canoetrips.co.uk/ looks to be a lovely site with lots of well photographed and described trips

Suggested paddles

River Wey and Godalming Navigations.

• fairly short flatwater paddles
• canoes can be hired: http://www.farncombeboats.co.uk/rowing.htm

Resources:

• National trust has book/map of the navigations (only sold at the site - no ISBN)
• http://weyriver.co.uk/theriver/wey_nav_1.htm (and a map)
• Nicholson Guide ISBN 0-7028-3302-9

Lee Navigation

Generally the Lee offers easy flat water paddles - some are pretty, some are a little grim. Griff Rhys Jones' book & TV series 'Rivers' has a chapter/episode on the Lee Navigation and tells its history.

from Limehouse Basin (The Limehouse loop)

• near to the club. You can walk boats over in about 10-15 minutes.
• can do a loop though the navigation and the river
• lunch in Victoria park is an option
• The loop around the olympic part is now open again
• The Limehouse Cut water can be a bit dirty and smelly.
• a new hire option should be appearing soon: MooCanoes

from Edmonton

• Lee Valley Canoe Hire have moved from Stonebridge Lock to Edmonton, (a little north of Lee Valley WW Centre)
• Still connected to public transport, but not the simple access that existed before.
• a prettier area of the Lee Valley, outside the M25, might be back waters to be explored.
• a number of riverside pubs exist

North of Enfield

• much prettier section of the Navigation, some beautiful scenery with lots of options for trips
• looping trips still possible
• a longer drive is needed
• put ins / car parking / bathroom stops need to be identified.
• QWe've had Hertford trips in 2011 & 2012

General Resources

• lots of maps/leaflets of the navigation available
• Lee and Stort Navigations map covers the whole area (and includes parking and pubs): ISBN 0-86351-131-7

Non-tidal Thames including backwaters: St Patrick's stream, The Loddon

• the non-tidal Thames offers many paddling opertunites and trips. Using the various backwaters you can make looping trips
• the club had a trip there in 2009, and again in 2010 and 2011
• We've hired boats from Thames Canoes for a few trips on the Thames between Henley and Marlow
• Canoe focus covers part of the same area: [1]
• Marsport appears to hire out Canoes for the day: [2]
• The Oxford Circuit is another great paddle with an easy get on. Also includes options of exploring some backwaters.

Upper reaches of the Tidal Thames

• good put in at Kew Bridge (ramp + parking + old skool caff)
• tidal, so needs planning
• lots of potential stops down stream
• central London traffic can slow down journey to and from put in.
• upstream towards Richmond is a nice simple paddle with a little tidal flow

The River Medway

• there is loads of information about the Medway online. Get Googling.
• for starters see : http://medwaycanoetrail.co.uk/
• EB Adventures hires boats on The Medway: http://www.ebadventures.com/

Norfolk and Suffolk Broads

• a map : http://www.richardsonsboatingholidays.co.uk/media/img/common/area_map.jpg
• offers many opportunities for flatwater paddling
• many places to hire canoes
• can be busy with other watercraft

River Waveney

• leads to Oulton Broad, giving a trip with different areas to paddle in
• the club had a trip here in 2009
• mildly tidal and more than a little windy, its a beautiful and remote area
• Waveney River Centre offers camping and other accommodation, and good put ins (and might have a few canoes to hire)

River Stour

• A favourite paddle of many, offering some simple run-able weirs and a camp site halfway along
• The rive runs away from towns and roads for a lot of its length.
• well supported canoe trail with managed portages and passes being improved.

Rivers Ant and Bure

• you can pass through different waters such as Barton Broad
• The Canoe Man will hire out canoes and a few kayaks and recommend wetsuit friendly B & Bs (he'll also drop you off at the starting point)

Other options

• you can hire canoes to paddle on the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation: http://www.papermilllock.co.uk/canoe.htm