Blog
The River Roding – a canoe trip from Creekmouth to Ilford and back
Many of London’s old rivers have been lost, buried beneath centuries of urban expansion, but some still flow into the Thames. The River Roding, in eastern London, is one such river, joining the Thames at Barking Creek in the east of London. Canoe access can be made at Creekmouth, where free on-street parking is available [...]
SUP on the Thames at night
It’s dark and cold and I am standing on a wobbly board in the middle of the River Thames. It’s an odd sensation, standing on water, but that’s what Stand Up Paddle Boarding, or SUP, is all about. I’m here with Paul Hyman from Active360, a new outfit which is promoting SUP in west London. [...]
Path of the Paddle
Path of the Paddle: Solo Whitewater is a classic canoe film from 1977 by the legendary Bill Mason. Bill Mason is regarded by many as ‘the patron saint of canoeing’. He developed and refined canoeing strokes and river-running techniques and produced a hugely influential series of instructional canoeing films. In Path of the Paddle: Solo [...]
Canoeing on the Thames
Kayaking and canoeing on the Thames is a great way to escape the London crowds and grab some fresh air and exercise. This canoe trip starts at Walton Bridge near Shepperton in west London and provides a circular trip that takes a couple of hours, with plenty of opportunities for picnics and playing. Park at the [...]
The Swift Ditch
If you are looking for an adventurous paddle near London, the Swift Ditch is worth checking out. This was once the route of the Thames itself, until the crafty monks at Abingdon diverted the river to power their mills. Since then the channel has been reduced to a narrow, tree choked channel – picturesque in [...]
Isle of Grain: Forts & wrecks
The Isle of Grain sits on the junction of two river estuaries, the Thames and the Medway. Whilst only an hour’s drive from London, the isle feels remote and isolated. The southern mud flats are dominated by three huge power stations and the container ports at Thamesport and Sheerness. The ship building towns of the [...]
