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Paddlers join
Go Paddling Month with Gill in their thousands
Thousands of you took to the water during July to be part of our Go Paddling Month with Gill - British Canoeing ’ s biggest festival of paddling yet ! It was great to see so many register your paddles on the Go Paddling Month website and hear your stories of being out on the water . Here ’ s a snapshot of what you got up to .
Name : Jason Hill-Upperton Craft type : SUP Place paddled : Fell Foot Park
“ I ’ ve wanted to try paddle boarding for the last two years but wasn ’ t brave enough , but whilst on holiday in the Lake District , I decided just to go for it . I did four sessions and absolutely loved it ! My two kids aged four and six then got involved . Now they want me to take them out whenever I go paddleboarding - it ’ s a family affair ! ”
Name : Joanne Taylor Craft type : SUP Place paddled : River Stour
“ It was my first time paddling , at 51 it ’ s something I ’ d wanted to try for a while . I was nervous as I ’ m not keen on deep water , but once I got on the board ( I knelt ) I was off ! I loved the freedom , spotting the fish and dragonflies around me , the peacefulness and the calming sense of just ‘ being ’. I even managed to stand for a bit ! I loved every minute .”
Name : Whitewater Action Medway Canoe Club Craft type : Kayaks Place paddled : Medway River
“ We ’ re a bunch of good friends aged 60 and over - some of us are over 70 ! We meet up on Wednesdays to keep fit by paddling , enjoy the waterways , retirement and picnic together . During Go Padding Month , we met and paddled up and down the river at Yalding on the River Medway . Up stream at Paddock Wood we enjoyed shooting the canoe chute , and recent rain rewarded us with a fun surf wave on the weir , enabling us to have a go at a few 360 ’ s and some fun surfing . This was then followed by our customary rolling practice , a bit of back dipping under the bridge and arches before a picnic and a good old chat !”