Canoe Wild

Standing up is only one part of paddleboarding. Learning how to stop, turn and get back to the bank with a bit of dignity helps too 😄

Our next SUP Taster is at Grove Ferry on Saturday 29 August. It’s a friendly one-hour session with a Paddle UK qualified instructor, covering balance, basic paddle strokes and staying safe on the water.

It’s for ages 8+ and costs £37.

Book here: https://www.canoewild.co.uk/paddle-start-sup-taster-session

Never paddled before? That’s absolutely fine.

We’ll get your buoyancy aid sorted, run through the route and show you the basics before you head off.

Left, right and ‘why are we going in circles?’ usually make sense pretty quickly 😄

Canoes, kayaks and paddleboards are available from Fordwich and Grove Ferry.

Plan your paddle: https://www.canoewild.co.uk/

The office has been looking alright lately 😄

Our team spend a lot of time on the River Stour - guiding sessions, checking routes, shifting boats and helping first-time paddlers settle in before they head off.

If you see one of us at Fordwich or Grove Ferry, come and say hello. We’re usually the ones carrying too many paddles.

See what’s on: https://www.canoewild.co.uk/

If your dog sees a canoe and immediately assumes it belongs to them, this one’s for you both 🐾

National Dog Day falls on Wednesday 26 August, which feels like a very good excuse to bring your four-legged first mate along for a paddle.

Choose a canoe or paddleboard from Fordwich or Grove Ferry, book your usual hire slot for the 26th and we’ll see you both by the water.

Book 26 August here: https://canoewildlimited.checkfront.com/reserve/?item_id=1%2C2%2C7%2C8&date=2026-08-26

Games, challenges, plenty of paddling and almost certainly a few wet sleeves 😄

Young Paddlers is back at Grove Ferry on Monday 17 and Wednesday 19 August. It’s four active hours on the water for ages 8-14, with our instructors there throughout.

No paddling experience is needed, but children do need to be water-confident. It runs from 10am to 2pm and costs £35.

We’ve still got spaces on both dates.

Live dates and booking: https://canoewildlimited.checkfront.com/reserve/?category_id=7&item_id=185

You don’t need to make a whole day of it to get a proper break from everything.

An hour in a canoe from Fordwich or Grove Ferry is enough time for a paddle, a bit of wildlife spotting and at least one conversation about who’s actually steering 😄

One-hour canoe hire is £29. If you do fancy a little longer to wind down, the one-way trip from Fordwich to Grove Ferry is £55 per canoe.

Canoes can take 2-3 adults, or 2 adults with 2 children under 11.

Plan your paddle: https://www.canoewild.co.uk/canoeing

Fancy seeing what the River Stour’s beavers have been up to? 🦫

We still have spaces for tomorrow’s Beaver Tour and Talk. We’ll start at Fordwich with a friendly introduction to the signs beavers leave behind, then head out for a guided group canoe paddle.

They’re wild animals, so sightings can never be guaranteed. Even when they keep out of sight, you’ll start noticing just how much they leave behind.

Ages 14+, £60 per person.

Book here: https://www.canoewild.co.uk/beaver-booking

Slow down on the River Stour and the small things start to show themselves. A flash of blue from a kingfisher. Herons standing perfectly still. Light moving across the water between Fordwich and Grove Ferry. 🌿

The wildlife can never be promised, which is part of the magic. What is the best thing you have spotted on the Stour?

Choose a canoe, kayak or paddleboard and enjoy the river at your own pace from Fordwich or Grove Ferry. Bring your favourite people, a picnic and your eyes open.

Choose your craft and check current hire availability here:
https://www.canoewild.co.uk

Four hours of sitting quietly in a canoe? Not quite. 😄

Young Paddlers is a school-holiday day of paddling, games, challenges, teamwork and learning new skills at Grove Ferry.

It is for ages 8 to 14, runs from 10am to 2pm and costs £35. No previous paddling experience is needed, children do need to be water-confident, and our instructors stay with the group throughout the day.

There are still places available on Monday 10 and Wednesday 19 August - perfect if they are ready for something different this summer.

Check the live dates and book Young Paddlers here:
https://www.canoewild.co.uk/young-paddlers-camp-booking

How do you know a beaver has been nearby before you ever see one? 🦫

Look for freshly cut willow, gnawed branches, tracks at the water's edge and small channels through the bank-side vegetation. Sometimes the first thing you notice is the sound of a tail slap.

Our Beaver Tour and Talk begins at Fordwich with an introduction to the River Stour beavers and their field signs, followed by a guided canoe paddle.

They are wild animals, so sightings are never guaranteed. The experience is just as much about learning to read the river and spending a calm evening on the water.

Two extra dates have just been added after the first dates filled so quickly: Wednesday 12 and Tuesday 18 August. Ages 14+, £60 per person.

View live dates and book here:
https://www.canoewild.co.uk/beaver-booking

📷 Photos: Paul Meek