insideKENT Magazine Issue 88 - July 2019 | Page 90

DAYSOUT
Go Wild on the River Stour
WHEN YOU’RE THINKING OF A GREAT DAY OUT IN KENT, YOU’LL PROBABLY THINK OF THE WATER
– AFTER ALL, WE HAVE PLENTY OF GORGEOUS BEACHES AND MORE THAN ENOUGH COASTLINE
FOR EVERYONE TO INDULGE IN A LITTLE PADDLE. WHAT YOU MIGHT FORGET ARE THE MANY
RIVERS THAT CRISSCROSS THE COUNTY. THERE ARE 20 OF THEM, FROM THE MEDWAY TO THE
ROTHER, THE DARENT AND THE WANTSUM...AND PLENTY MORE ALONG THE WAY.
The River Stour is perhaps one of the most well
known of them all. It runs from Lenham near
Maidstone all the way to Pegwell Bay near Ramsgate
and Sandwich, where it finally flows into the North
Sea. Along its journey, it passes through many historic
towns including Canterbury, Ashford and Hythe.
But that’s not all it’s famous for – the River Stour
is also where Canoe Wild is based, and is therefore
where you can enjoy a great day out on the
aforementioned river either canoeing, kayaking, or
standup paddleboarding. Take your pick...the choice
is yours.
When you arrive at Canoe Wild, you’ll be greeted
by the friendly team and fitted for a life jacket,
at which point you will really start to feel the
fun beginning; these safety devices make the
entire adventure seem much more real, and certainly
when the team at insideKENT tried it, we were all
raring to go.
We had opted for the half-day instructor-led activity
since all but one of us had never been on a craft like
these before. It was a great option. After choosing
our vehicles, – a single kayak, a double kayak, and
a canoe for two – we were taught how to use the
paddles (there’s a slightly different technique for
each craft) before we launched; it’s best to get on
90
the water as soon as possible because that’s where
the real practice starts.
It didn’t take too long for us all to get a good idea
of how to manoeuvre the boats, and even with a
couple of false starts – ably corrected by our guide,
Andrew – we were soon gliding along the river feeling
rather pleased with ourselves and enjoying the day
out immensely.
The route took us from Canoe Wild’s site at Fordwich
to its second site at Grove Ferry. It’s a distance of
around 3.5 miles or so, which took us about 2.5
hours to cover. During that time we became pretty
proficient at paddling and were even able to stop
for photos, games and of course replenishing snacks
along the way.
It’s not all fun and games, though, it’s extremely
relaxing too, particularly since we were going with
the current, which at times meant all we had to do
was steer and gaze around us at the beautiful Kentish
countryside.
When we disembarked, we were given a lift back to
Fordwich (it’s all part of the service) which means
there is no additional logistical planning you have
to think about, worry about, or otherwise concern
yourself with – it’s all about enjoying the day for
what it is, which is learning something unique and
fun that will teach you a few new skills...namely core
strength and balance!
Fordwich is home to the superb George and Dragon
pub, which is located right next to the entrance of
Canoe Wild. The team, tired and happy, opted to
have lunch there and the great food and friendly
atmosphere rounded the day off perfectly.
Canoe Wild
Grove Ferry Country Park & Picnic Site
Grove Road
Upstreet
Canterbury
CT3 4BP
[e-mail]
07947 835688
www.canoewild.co.uk
canoewild
CanoeWild
canoe.wild