Lake District Canoeing

Key Facts
Availability
Details
Typical Session
Activity Days
Why do it?
Watch Canoeing

Key Facts

Locations: Coniston Lake, Windermere, Wastwater, Ullswater, Wildcat Island, Peel Island
Progess to: River Trips, Leven Estuary, BCU Star Tests
Duration: ½ or full day activity
Minimum Age: 5
Premium Days available: Length of Coniston, Length of Windermere
Per person prices: offers and prices

Open canoeing or Canadian canoeing uses wide stable boats and is a little like being in a rowing boat. They are easy to propel (unlike rowing boats!) and with a little instruction, mastered in no time.

Canoeing Availability

We have availability! Please send us an enquiry or call us to check availability of your preferred dates

Availability of all our activities can be found on our availability page and you can book online.

If you would like to do a BCU Star Test course to gain a paddling qualification in Canoeing then please send us an enquiry with your preferred dates so that we can check our availability.

Canoeing Details

Our open canoes are extra wide for more room, and are especially designed to be extra stable and go in a straight line easily. When canoeing you won’t go into the lake unless you want to and there’s none of that tippy feeling you get with some boats.

Canoeing is a really versatile activity. It can be energetic and lots of fun, perfect for groups to work or play together. Or it can be a relaxed gentle activity

What do we do in a typical Canoeing session

Our Canadian canoeing trips usually take place from the shores of Coniston lake where we have our own mini Swallows and Amazons experience. We often head south in separate open canoes, 2 or 3 to a boat, maybe play games if there are children in the group, then raft the canoes together to enable us to sail them. We may visit a jetty for some jumping in on nice days and we always pause for some hot chocolate and to savour the view of the old man of Coniston.

On a full day we can visit Peel Island or Wildcat Island from the Swallows and Amazons book, find the secret harbour and explore an ideal adventure spot.

Premium Days

Canoe River Trips

Canoe River Trips are fast moving, exciting and great for learning and testing new skills. The rivers in the lakes require a certain level of skill and so we rarely do these as the first session with people. There are some beautiful Lake District journeys that we run that finish in one of the lakes!

This activity day involves some or all of the following activities:

Canoe River Trips

This activity day involves some or all of the following activities:

Canoeing

Canoe Skills Preimum Day

Our Canoeing Skills Days give you the opportunity to complete your BCU Canoe 1 Star Test, or BCU Kayak and Canoe 2 Star Test. The Syllabus to complete this can be found by following this link to the BCU website www.bcu.org.uk. You can check the availability for Canoeing Skills Day on the Canoeing availability pages.

This activity day involves some or all of the following activities:

Paddling the Length of Coniston

Paddling the length of Coniston is a great adventure that allows you to discover parts of the lake that can only be appreciated fully from a boat. This journey includes opportunities to locate and admire the beautiful Allan tarn at the south end of the lake and have a roam around Peel Island (Wildcat Island from Swallows and Amazons). Coniston is the third largest lake in the Lake District and measures five miles (8 km) long, half a mile (800 m) wide and has a maximum depth of 184 feet (56 m). It drains to the sea via the River Crake which can provide a great River Trip to the sea for experienced paddlers. The beauty of Canoe Sailing is that it allows more distance to be covered generally requiring less effort (depending on the wind!) as well as giving you the opportunity to admire the views of and from the Lake.

This activity day involves some or all of the following activities:

Paddling the Length of Windermere

Paddling the length of Windermere is an exciting and challenging day that requires motivation, but provides a great journey and huge sense of achievement. Lake Windermere is the largest natural lake in England and measures 10.5 miles (16.9 km) long and width-wise varies from a quarter of a mile (400m) to one mile (1.6 km). It reaches a depth of about 220 feet (67 m) and is drained from its southernmost point by the River Leven. The rivers Brathay, Rothay, Trout Beck and Cunsey Beck run from Lake Windermere and provide great venues for our River Trips for experienced paddlers. The beauty of Canoe Sailing is that it allows more distance to be covered, generally requiring less effort (depending on the wind!) as well as giving you the opportunity to admire the views of and from the Lake.

This activity day involves some or all of the following activities:

Adventure Days

Swallows and Amazons Canoeing

Canoeing is a dry option (unless it rains!). On Coniston Water, we can run our Swallows and Amazons adventure day in our extra wide and very stable boats. We explore the lake taking a journey from the beach which is situated next to a beautiful field that is featured in the Swallows and Amazons film. We also visit Peel Island, which is Wildcat Island in the books, on the way for a break and a hot drink and sometimes play a game or two. From Peel Island, we can raft the boats together and, if the weather is favourable, hoist a sail – a very relaxing way to travel, but still one that everyone can be involved in. Come along and discover some of the views and excitement of Swallows and Amazons on our fun trip on Coniston Water.

This activity day involves some or all of the following activities:

Why go Canoeing in the Lake District?

Canadian canoeing is a fantastic lake activity, so where better than the Lake District?

There is no better way to take a journey on a lake - Experience a completely different view, getaway from the crowds and traffic, get close to nature and for walkers - it’s a rest for the legs. Canoeing is ideal for getting a unique perspective of the Lake's mountains, nature and scenery. The natural topography of the lakes and mountains make a wonderfully dramatic setting.