Ramblers on water: kayak / canoe / paddle board social (Ramblers members only)

Join us for a paddle adventure along the the River Ouse!

Starting at Canoe Trail’s Kempston site, we set off with our craft of choice, from a small jetty where there are often groups of ducks and swans hoping for a bite to eat. This is also a great place to maybe spot a kingfisher (listen out for a ‘peep’ noise, followed by a blur of electric blue as it flies on ahead of you). For the next 3km, we will be paddling through beautiful countryside, firstly passing a series of small islands where we can go through on either side.

We will then go under several unique bridges as we make our way into Bedford, soaking up the scene as we paddle along the river. We should have enough time to make it into Bedford’s town centre with its Victorian embankment and beautiful promenade before making our way back to the starting point.

There will be an optional pub stop after or perhaps some wonderful pastries from a nearby bakery!

Stag Walkers Host: Andrew J

Booking your place:

There a few choices on offer:

Kayak/Stand up paddle board - £27

Double Kayak/Double sit on top kayak and 2 person Canoe - £49

3 Person Canoe - £58

Visit the Canoe Trail website to book (see the Stag Walkers Meetup event page for the link).

When paying put in ‘september23’ to receive a 10% discount!

Make sure to choose Kempston as the location.

We’ll be on the river for 2 hours, which is listed as half a day and start time is 10am.

Once you have booked on the Canoe Trail website, please confirm your attendance by clicking the ‘Attend’ button on our Meetup event page.

There are 14 spaces plus the organiser, which will go on a first come first served basis.

Please note this event is for Ramblers members only (see below for more info).

Tickets are non refundable. In case of bad weather, we are told that it is perfectly safe under light and even heavy rain. However if we did need to cancel, we are able to arrange for another date.

Meeting Point:

Meet at Kempston Mill, Mill Lane, Kempston, Bedford MK42 7BD. Parking is free (but please check for a parking meter just in case). We will meet at 9:30am and walk to Canoe Trail together (about 10 minutes walk) for the start time.

Please drive or ask for a lift from another member.

If you prefer to meet at Canoe Trail, the address is Hillgrounds Road, Kempston, Bedford MK42 8QP. Please let us know beforehand if going straight there.

Safety:

The river is very mild and should be easy enough to paddle through. Buoyancy aids are provided, as well as a dry bag to keep your valuables safe.

If you have any questions please post on the comments / event chat or contact Andrew directly.

About Stag Walkers

Stag Walkers is a Ramblers group aimed mainly at people in their 20s and 30s but all are welcome and we have members of all ages. We run weekly walks, on Saturdays or Sundays, varying in length from around 5 to 15 miles, and we host regular social nights. Walks and socials generally take place across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and south Cambridgeshire.

This event is open to Ramblers members only. See the 'Join the Ramblers' section on this page for details of how to join and how much it costs.

The Ramblers’ Association is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Company registration number: 4458492. Registered Charity in England and Wales number: 1093577. Registered office: The Ramblers, First Floor, 10 Queen Street Place, London EC4R 1BE.