We are based at Elm Hill Quay, next to the Ribs of Beef pub on Fye Bridge.

Please note we have moved location and we are no longer based at the Red Lion pub. Our new location is only a 10 minute walk from the Red Lion.

Walking

If you’re walking aim for the Ribs of Beef pub – 24 Wensum St, Norwich NR3 1HY. Walk down the narrow alley next to the pub and you’ll see our pontoon!

Driving

If you arrive by car you’ll want to park at either Monastery Court Car Park (right next to us but can be busy), St Andrew’s Car Park (7 minute walk, multi storey car park), Gildengate/Anglia Square (5 minute walk) or Magdelen Car Park (5 minute walk). They are all pay & display and not all take card payment so bring some coins. Please note that Norwich can be busy on weekends 🙂

Yes there is a weight limit. Each canoe / kayak can hold a maximum of 250kg and each seat can hold 100kg.

If you exceed the weight limit then unfortunately you will not be able to go canoeing. If you are booking on behalf of other people please make them aware of these limits – thanks!

There isn’t a car park at our pontoon, however there are a number of car parks available within easy walking distance.

If you arrive by car you’ll want to park at either St Andrew’s Car Park (7 minute walk, multi storey car park), Gildengate/Anglia Square (5 minute walk) or Magdelen Car Park (5 minute walk). You can also park at Monastery Court Car Park which is right next to us but can be busy and is a bit more pricey than the others.

They are all pay & display and not all take card payment so bring some coins. Please note that Norwich can be busy on weekends 🙂

You rent the equipment only. This is not a guided tour, we do not come with you.

We provide you with the canoes and all equipment, a safety briefing, a map and explanation of where you’re going, tips on paddling (if you’re new to canoeing) and then it’s up to you!

Route 1 can start start at any time between 10am – 3pm.

Routes 2 and 3 can start up to 12pm.

The 2 hour Paddle & Rowing Boats can start at anytime up to 6pm.

Online Booking can be completed  in a few simple steps.

1. Go to the Routes and Book page, choose your preferred route and select ‘Click Here To Book Your Canoe / Kayak Rental’

2. Scroll through the calendar to the correct date and select your preferred start time. (Dates that are already fully booked will show as ‘Unavailable’)

3. Then fill in the booking criteria, including the number of people and the number of canoes or kayaks.

4. Enter your personal information. If you have a Gift Voucher you can enter the voucher code here.

5. Click on the ‘Pay Now’ button and enter payment details to complete your booking.

Yes of course, however please be aware when making a booking that all deposits are non-refundable.

But you can re-arrange your trip to another date as long as you inform us at least 48 hours before your original booking was due to start.

Canoeing in the rain is not a problem. Like any outdoor activity you have to be prepared for the weather.

If the weather is very bad we might consider it too dangerous to be out on the water (high winds or lightening). In such cases we may have to cancel your trip. If this happens you will have the option to rebook or receive a full refund.

No – unfortunately we no longer accept bookings from stag dos or hen parties. If you make a booking we have the right to cancel your booking, either beforehand or on the day. If we need to cancel your booking because you have arrived as a stag do/hen party without informing us, you will not be entitled to a refund.

Yes. Soft drinks are not a problem of course but drinking alcohol in the canoes, kayaks or rowing boats is strictly not allowed. We provide a fun and enjoyable boat rental, not a ‘booze cruise’!

Being on the water is supposed to be an enjoyable and relaxing activity. As well as being unsafe, there are laws about being under the influence of alcohol while in a boat (just as there are for driving).

If you’d like to enjoy an alcoholic drink during your stop, we advice all participants to not drink any more alcohol than you would if you were to take part in traffic. In addition to the laws as mentioned above, you will also lose your sense of balance very quickly and this is rather important to keep in mind if you want to avoid tipping over and getting wet!

We remind groups that you will not be allowed to begin your trip if you appear to be under the influence of drink or drugs.

If we suspect that you have brought alcohol with you, we reserve the right to check your bags and confiscate any alcohol. If you do not cooperate or we suspect you are not being truthful with us we reserve the right to not rent you a canoe and you are not entitled to a refund.

Not at all, we have beginners all the time. Canoeing and kayaking is relatively straight forward so you will get the hang of it in no time.

We will show you how to paddle before you start. We also explain how to get in and out of the canoes and how to stay safe on the water.

The only “skill” you need to have is to be able to maintain your balance, everything else we will show and explain to you!

Yes, children over 3 years old can come on the boats! Any children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult in their canoe/kayak though. Children under 16 are not allowed to rent a single kayak, they always need to be in a double boat.

Children under 16 received 50% discount.

We have 13 canoes available. We recommend you go out in pairs so the ideal max number is 26 people. However, the canoes do have 3 seats so you could have a few boats go out as 3-seaters. We don’t recommend that you max out all the canoes as 3-seaters though; if anyone in your group doesn’t have great balance, is slightly on the larger side or a bit nervous about canoeing they will be better off going out in a pair. If just over half the boats go out as 3-seaters then you could be 33-35 people.

We have 6 kayaks available – 3 single and 3 double – so you can be up to 9 people in the kayaks. The canoes and kayaks all have the same booking conditions and Routes so you’re absolutely fine if you’d like to book a combination of boats for your rental.

If you were to combine canoes and kayaks then you could be roughly 42-44 people.

If some of the boats have already been reserved for a particular date then this will show up whilst making a booking.

Our canoes can fit 3 adults.

However, if you are beginners or if all individuals are on the larger side then it can be easier to paddle a Canadian canoe with just two people.

You can decide how many people per canoe when you book by choosing how many canoes you are hiring. For example; if you have a group of 18 people, you may want to select 9 canoes instead of 6

Yes! We love dogs in canoes and are very happy for you to take them with you in the canoes.
Unfortunately we do not provide pet buoyancy aids so you will need to provide these if you would like to use one.

We don’t advice dogs come in the kayaks as the floor space in these boats is a lot smaller than in a canoe.