In 5 hours you can paddle through the city and head out of Norwich. Shortly after leaving the city The Wensum becomes the River Yare which takes you to the picturesque Thorpe St Andrew (approx 75 mins from the start point) where there are 3 riverside pubs you can stop.
You can take your time over a relaxing lunch by the river or maybe paddle a bit further into the beautiful countryside before turning around and heading back to Norwich.
Possible stop offs:
- The Red Lion (Norwich)
- The Queen of Iceni (Norwich)
- The Townhouse (Thorpe St Andrew)
- The Rivergarden (Thorpe St Andrew)
- The Rushcutter’s Arms (Thrope St Andrew)
- Thorpe Ferry Cafe
Paddling upstream
Paddling up stream of Norwich takes you along the upper Wensum as far as Hellesdon mill (approx 75 mins). There is one portage required about 10 minutes in where you must exit the river and take your boat around the New Mill.
We recommend using a Paddleboard or kayak if you want to do this as portaging canoes can be quite difficult due to their size and weight. If you have plenty of experience in portaging canoes and you would like to do that then we happy for people to head upstream in a canoe.
We recommend giving yourself at least 3 hours to paddle as far as Hellesdon Mill and back, with the option for a stop off at the Gibraltar Gardens pub. If you want to explore at a slower pace then 5 hours would be a great option.
Time: 5 hours
Cost: Single kayak £25 | Double kayak £40 | Canoe £45 | Paddle board £25 | Rowing boat £45