Single kayak
a day, from$55
- Stable sit on top kayak
- Half a day from $40
- Ages 12 and over paddle alone
- Best for the calm upstream stretch
Paddle the river at your own pace
Single and double kayaks and open canoes by the hour or the day, plus guided trips for groups and first timers. Every paddler wears a buoyancy aid, and every hire starts with a safety briefing on the bank.
2 hoursshortest hire
15 minutessafety briefing before launch
08:30river level posted daily
- A buoyancy aid on every paddler
- Briefing on the bank before launch
- Two hours up to a full day
- A waterproof river map in every boat
Choose your boat
Each price covers the whole boat, whoever sits in it, with paddles, buoyancy aids, a dry bag and the river map. Hire runs from two hours to a full day.
Double kayak
a day, from$85
- An adult and a child from age 6
- Half a day from $62
- Steers from the back seat
- Hard to tip, easy to paddle
Open canoe
a day, from$90
- Room for a small child in the middle
- Half a day from $65
- Space for a picnic barrel
- Best for the long run to the mill
Guided river trip
a person, from$45
- A guide in the water with you
- Ideal for first timers and groups
- Boat and kit included
- Ages 8 and over
A $50 deposit per boat is taken at the boathouse and returned when the boat, paddles and buoyancy aids come back on time and undamaged.
Buoyancy aids on and a briefing first, every time
Everyone wears a buoyancy aid from the moment they leave the bank until they are back on it, adults included. Staff fit each one, from small children to extra large, and check the straps again at the pontoon.
The fifteen minute briefing covers getting in and out, holding the paddle, what to do after a capsize, the route and the landing above the weir. Waterway rules and licences vary by country; on this river our licence covers every hired boat. If someone is hurt or in trouble in the water, call the local emergency number first and the boathouse second.
- Children under 12 paddle with an adult
- Paddlers must be confident in water
- No alcohol before or during the hire
- Never paddle over the weir: use the landing
Weather and water levels we paddle in
Each morning we read the gauge board at the bridge, look at the river and check the forecast, then post the result by 08:30. These levels apply to our stretch only, because every river behaves differently.
| River and weather | What goes out | Your booking |
|---|---|---|
| Gauge 0.3 to 0.8 m, light wind | Every boat, every route | Goes ahead as booked |
| Gauge below 0.3 m in a dry summer | Kayaks only, short route; canoes may ground on gravel | Goes ahead, or swap to a kayak |
| Gauge 0.8 to 1.2 m, river running fast | Guided trips on the upstream stretch only | Switch to a guided trip, a new date or a refund |
| Gauge above 1.2 m, or floating branches | River closed | New date or a full refund |
| Wind above 30 km/h or thunder forecast | Boats called back to the boathouse | Unused time refunded |
Routes from the boathouse, and the extras
The river map in every boat marks each landing, the weir and the turning points. Ask at the boathouse which route suits today's level.
Bridge to the willows
A sheltered 3 km round trip upstream with slow water, herons and a gravel beach for a break. Good for first timers and families.
Round tripabout 1.5 hours
The weir and back
A 6 km round trip to the landing above the weir, where you turn back. Never paddle over the weir itself.
Round tripabout 2.5 hours
Down to the mill
A 9 km one way run with a carry around the weir, then our minibus brings you and the boat back.
Pick upfrom $12 a person
Sunset paddle
A guided two hours on summer Fridays, launching as the light drops over the fields. Adults and teenagers only.
Guidedfrom $40 a person
Picnic barrel
A sealed barrel that clips into a canoe and keeps lunch, phones and spare layers dry.
A dayfrom $6
Wetsuits for cold water
Lent in spring and autumn when the water is cold, in sizes for children and adults.
A hirefrom $8
From the boathouse to the water
Check in
Sign the hire form with the names, ages and swimming confidence of everyone paddling, and leave the deposit.
Buoyancy aids fitted
Staff fit a buoyancy aid on each paddler and hand out paddles sized to their height.
Briefing on the bank
Fifteen minutes on paddling, capsizing, the route, the weir landing and the time to be back.
Launch and return
Launch from the pontoon with staff holding the boat, and return by the time on your ticket.
A day on the river
From the boathouse lawn to the last light on the water.
From paddlers on the river (example reviews)
The briefing made the kids feel like real paddlers before they touched the water. The double kayak was steady enough for a six year old.
High water on the Saturday, so the boathouse called the evening before and moved the group onto a guided trip upstream. Good call, great morning.
The canoe to the mill with the minibus back is the best day out on the river. Clear map, a barrel for lunch and a friendly wave at every landing.
Before you get in a boat
Do paddlers need to be able to swim?
Everyone should be confident in water. Buoyancy aids keep you afloat, but a paddler who panics in water should choose a guided trip or a double with a confident adult.
How old do children need to be?
Children from 6 can sit in a double kayak or a canoe with an adult. From 12 they can take a single, and under 16s need an adult on the hire form.
What if we capsize?
Hold on to the boat and the paddle, float on your back with your feet downstream and kick to the bank. The briefing shows you how, and staff check on the river through the day.
What happens when the river is too high?
We post the river check by 08:30. If the level closes the river or limits the boats, you can switch to a guided trip, move the date or take a full refund.
Can we bring a dog?
Calm dogs can ride in a canoe if they wear a dog buoyancy aid, which we lend. Tell us on the form so we give you the right boat.
How is the hire paid?
Hire is paid at the boathouse on the day, together with the refundable deposit. Payment is arranged directly with us.
Reserve a boat
Choose the boat, the date and how long you want it. The boathouse confirms within a day, and checks the river forecast with you the evening before.
- Buoyancy aids and briefing included
- Deposit returned with the boat
- Questions? Call +44 20 7946 0171
Find the boathouse
The boathouse phone is answered from 08:30, and the river check goes up at the same time.
Call or write
The boathouse on the east bank below the old stone bridge, with parking in the meadow
Season and times
| April to October | 09:00 to 18:00, last launch 16:00 |
| Long summer evenings | Sunset trips on Fridays |
| River check | Posted by 08:30 each day |
Getting to the river
Follow the lane down from the old stone bridge to the meadow car park on the east bank. The boathouse is the green wooden building at the water's edge, and the pontoon is just below it.