When there is a heatwave, what’s a better way to spend the day than out on the water? If you live in Central London, getting to the countryside can be a bit of a trek. Especially if you don’t have a car and need to rely on public transport. I love canoeing, so over time I’ve done quite a bit of research into good options and tried them out too. Here are my top tips for canoeing near London. They are all quiet, flat water trips that are suitable for beginners, although some basic technique is a must since you’re sharing the river with other boaters and have to navigate locks.
Canoeing on The Thames
My favourite place for canoeing near London – and the one that gives most options – is the Thames. Once you get away from the city, the water gets a lot clearer (in many places suitable for swimming) and apartment buildings make way for pretty mansions and countryside.
I’ve explored several stretches of the river Thames by canoe: Marlow to Windsor, Henley to Marlow and Caversham (Reading) to Henley. All of these can easily be reached by train from London. For each of these stretches, you pick up your canoe in the morning at the agreed time and make your way downstream at your own pace until the meeting point. The gentle current makes it very easy to float down the river with minimal extra effort. Cater for some waiting time at the locks – they can get busy on summer weekends. I used Thames Canoes to book the canoe a few days in advance for a day trip. They also offer overnight packages in case you’re looking to get away for the weekend.
There are countryside pubs at several places along the river, but it’s rather difficult to get the timing right for lunch and tea. I prefer to take a pick-nick and tie the canoe up at a quiet spot. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to watch a local rowing contest whilst taking a break on the riverbanks.
As a bonus, Windsor and Marlow have options for fine riverside dining upon arrival. Sir Christopher Wren hotel in Windsor and Compleat Angler in Marlow are my favourites.
Canoeing on the River Medway
Less well-known to most is the River Medway in Kent. It had been on my list for a while and when I recently ran out of options for new canoe stretches on the Thames, I decided to give it a go. There are two sections of the river that can be canoed as day trips: Tonbridge to Yalding (7.5m) and Yalding to Allington (9.5m). You can also combine both sections in an overnight trip. I used River Medway Canoes to organise the trip and it went all very smoothly.
Getting to Yalding from London is a bit of a trek and getting home from Allingdon will require a 2km walk to Maidstone. If you plan carefully it’s not too bad though.
The river is much narrower compared to the Thames, but the strong undercurrent makes it harder work to keep the canoe on track. Expect sore muscles the next day. Other than on the Thames, they don’t allow canoes in the locks. In some cases, there are bypasses with ramps (which are super fun), but you’ll also have to carry the canoe past the lock a few times. For this trip, I definitely recommend bringing your own lunch and some snacks as there are hardly any facilities along the way.
If you’re hungry at the end of the day, you’ll find options for riverside dining at the end of each section. In Allington, you’ll find the Beefeater pub and steakhouse. In Yalding, the Boathouse pub offers a pleasant setting with view of the lock.
Canoeing on the River Lee
Lee Valley (also spelled Lea) is within incredibly easy reach from the city and therefore a great option for canoeing near London. Taking the train from Liverpool Street to Broxbourne will get you there in just over half an hour. The only operator for renting boats is Lee River Canoe & Cycle, located at a short walk from the station. You can just rent a boat (canoe or kayak) for a couple of hours and float around the area. The nicest option however is to do the day trip whereby you’re taken upstream and then make your way back to the base at your own pace. This is probably the easiest river to navigate. If you have zero experience with a canoe, it is the perfect place to start. There are many pubs where you can stop for food (although as usual, I prefer a pick-nick).
Lee Valley is not my top choice for canoeing near London, because the river gets rather busy. This doesn’t really give the feeling of being in the remote countryside, but it is a super easy and relaxing day out from the city. Lee Valley also has a lot of other activities to offer like walking trails and cycle hire too. It’s perfect if you need a lay-in to recover from a busy week, but still want to be in the forest by noon.
Just in case you got to the bottom of this article, but you don’t actually like spending time on the water: there are tow paths along all the stretches of river I listed. Point-to-point walking is another nice option to explore the valleys.
