Canoeing in South London

Sometimes canoeing in south london, requires some imagination. Most people don't immediately think of south london and canoeing. In fact the south london area offers quite a lot to the keen canoeist in and around the surrounding area.

The River Thames

The River Thames is the obvious source of water to participate in canoeing in south london. There are many clubs based on the Thames itself. Adventure Dolphin in Pangbourne www.adventuredolphin.co.uk offer a wide range of courses in many canoeing disciplines. Marathon and sprint are popular canoeing disciplines that are practised on the Thames. Chiswick Canoe Club undertake both these disciplines. www.chiswickcanoeclub.co.uk. Slalom canoeing is an olympic sport. This is also practiced on the Thames by Shepperton Canoe Club. www.sheppertonscc.freeserve.co.uk

Playboating has become very popular over the last few years. Playboats have got shorter and shorter and the amount of tricks and aerial moves they can do has grown accordingly. We are very lucky as canoeists in South London to have access to Hurley Weir on the River Thames. www.thamesweirproject.co.uk. Hurley Weir is considered by many as the finest play wave in the UK. Chalfont Park Canoe Club www.chalfontparkcc.org.uk have access to Hambledon Weir which the environment agency have spent a lot of money creating another wave feature.

Canoeing outside South London

Croydon Active Paddlers run a number of different trips on rivers other than the Thames. The River Wey near Guildford , Surrey provides some pleasant flatwater touring , the River Chelmer in Essex can be great fun with a number of weir drops and play waves. The River Mole is a very scenic paddle around the foot of Boxhill in Surrey.

Croydon Active Paddlers also visit man made white water courses such as the Nene White Water Centre www.nenewhitewatercentre.co.uk and Holmepierre Pont, the National Slalom Course. www.hppslalomcourse.co.uk. These provide a reliable venue for whitewater when all the rivers are dry.