Be Prepared For Your Trip

Location

We are located next to the Riverside Pub on the Thames. Park End Wharfe, Lechlade On Thames, GL7 3 AQ.

All customers should arrive at our base 30 minutes prior to departure so that you can be briefed and issued your safety equipment. Please allow time for parking, especially in the summer when it can become busy and congested. We will, then we transport you upstream to your start point If you are on the Castle Eaton Trip. Otherwise you will launch at our base pontoon. Unfortunately our site is not wheelchair friendly.

Share this page with other members of your party and particularly any other drivers.

IMPORTANT NOTE: We have limited short term parking by our premises we share with The Riverside Pub. The carpark at The Riverside charges for parking, which needs to be paid at the machine located near the entrance to the pub. The charges are in in the image below.

For day parking we suggest, dropping off kit with us and then parking at the Riverside Park Car park a 5 minute walk away, there is a small reasonable charge for all day parking.

For Multi Day Trippers –The Riverside Park or alternatively there is secure parking available at the Bridge House Campsite in Lechlade for a very reasonable fee.Please contact them direct

IF WE NEED TO CANCEL YOUR TRIP

Our season is normally between April and September as within these months the conditions are typically acceptable for canoeing on the Thames without any specialist equipment. However, sometimes conditions can be outside our operating perimeters during these months and we may need to postpone or cancel your booking for safety reasons. Some of the factors we monitor are; water temperature, air temperature, river levels and wind speed. In the unlikely event that we need to cancel the booking due to poor conditions we will do so by text message initially. This is the quickest way to contact a lot of people. So please ensure we have up to date mobile numbers and that you check your phone before setting out to us.

BOOKING DETAILS

Check that the details of the booking are correct. If they are not, either send us an email quoting the ‘Booking ID’ and tell us what needs to be corrected, or give us a call on 01367 252303.

BOAT CONFIGURATION

• Each Canadian Canoe can have either 2 or 3 adults
• There must be an adult (18+) in every canoe

COMBINATIONS WITH CHILDREN IN 1 CANOE

• 1 adult and 1 child
• 2 adults and 1 child
• 2 adults and 2 children (but the maximum age limit for the children in this combination is 6 years old)
• 1 adult and 2 children, one of the children must be 13 years or older and who can look after themselves independently

ARRIVAL TIME

The time that you have chosen when placing your booking is the launch time at the ether Castle Eaton or our base at the Riverside in Lechlade. You will need to arrive 30 minutes prior to this time to be briefed, issued with paddles, dry bags, fitted with buoyancy aids and if needed transported upstream. PLEASE DO NOT BE LATE as this may mean you missing your slot. We will ask you to familiarise yourself with the finish point if you are on the Castle Eaton trip, which is just past the Pub but before the stone bridge, so that you don’t overshoot at the end of your trip. If you are finishing at The Swan at Radcot we will collect you in the carpark at the designated time.

WHAT TO BRING

Ensure that you bring both sun protection and light waterproof jacket depending on the forecast. Hats and sunglasses are very useful on sunny days and suntan lotion is essential. You may also want to ensure that you have food and drink for a picnic whilst en route, as there are several areas to stop off. Please ensure you bring a bag for your litter and that you dispose of it correctly at the end of your trip,

CLOTHING

Normal clothing is suitable, but it is advisable to wear clothes that dry relatively quickly and try to avoid clothing that gets waterlogged, like denim. We suggest that you bring a change of clothing and a towel in case you get wet, which you can take with you in the dry bag that we supply.  Wear footwear that you do not mind getting wet (trainers with good soles). Be mindful that river banks can be muddy and slippery, so shoes with grip are recommended. Do not wear flip flops or wellingtons. Wellingtons fill up with water and make it difficult to swim and flip flops tend to fall off your feet and leave you barefoot on a sharp riverbed.

MULTI-DAY TRIPS

If you are doing a multi-day trip don’t forget to book your accommodation/camping in advance, visit the accommodation page on our website for our recommended campsites and guest houses. When undertaking a multi-day trip it might be useful to bring a small first aid kit, and some insect repellent for the evenings.

SAFETY BRIEF

Please familiarise yourself with our Terms & Conditions and Safety Brief prior to your arrival, you will have  been asked you to sign these electronically  before you depart on your trip.

MEDICAL conditions

If anyone in your booking is affected by a physical, behavioural, medical or mental condition or illness (this includes but is not limited to: pregnancy, loss of limb, immobility, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, allergy, epilepsy) they must inform us.

FAQ’S

If you have any questions about your booking please email or call us.

We look forward to seeing you!