Surrey may be the most densely wooded county in England but it’s also home to plenty of interesting waterways to explore. So here we have accumulated a list of our top places to paddle in Surrey and Berkshire.

River Wey

In 1635 Sir Richard Weston, who spent some of his childhood in the Netherlands, had the idea of making the River Wey navigable to large barges. In 1653 his idea became a reality when the Wey became one of the first British rivers to be opened to barge traffic, linking Guildford to Weybridge on the Thames. Nowadays the Wey and Godalming Navigations are still busy waterways and the National Trust runs a visitor centre at Dapdune Wharf in Guildford, that tells the story of the Navigations.

Our Trails Finder has a range of paddling trails on the River Wey, including the Guildford to St Catherine’s Lock Trail, which takes you past Dapdune Wharf and along some picturesque parts of the Surrey countryside.

Do I need a water licence to paddle the River Wey?
Yes. You require a licence to paddling on this river. A Paddle UK ‘On the Water’ membership includes a water licence that covers paddlers on the River Wey.

Basingstoke Canal

Best not to mention the success (or lack of) of the Basingstoke Canal as a commercial entity. The canal was beset with hold-ups and misfortunes right from its conception in 1778. However, the past is in the past and the Basingstoke Canal is now a well loved waterway, kept in a good state of repair by the Basingstoke Canal Society. They even have a dedicated page about paddling the canal, which contains links to some of our paddling trails.
When paddling the canal look out for a large number of concrete bunkers, known as pillboxes, which were built during World War II as part of the GHQ Line to defend against an expected German invasion.
Why not try our paddling trail which takes you on a peaceful nine mile, out and back, paddle along the canal, from Barley Mow to Odiham?
Do I need a water licence to paddle the Basingstoke Canal?
Yes. You require a licence to paddling on this river. A Paddle UK ‘On the Water’ membership includes a water licence that covers paddlers on the Basingstoke Canal.

River Thames

We couldn’t put together a Top 5 list like this without including the River Thames! The magnificent Thames runs for 215 miles, through nine counties in total, including both Berkshire and Surrey. This mean it has plenty of brilliant places to paddle.
Want someone to thank for the fact the Thames is clean enough for you to paddle today? Well, that’ll be Joseph Bazalgette. Joseph was chief engineer of London’s Metropolitan Board of Works and, in response to the Great Stink of 1858, he created a sewerage system for central London.
The Thames is much more than the urban river you see in central London. Out into the countryside it is lined with glorious countryside and steeped in history. It’s a big river though and tidal in parts, so do your research before you set out to paddle. There are a whole host of paddling trails, as well as lots more info on this wonderful river on this page.
Do I need a water licence to paddle the Basingstoke Canal?
A licence is required for paddling on the Thames, upstream of Teddington Locks. A Paddle UK ‘On the Water’ membership includes a water licence that covers paddlers for this part of the Thames. The stretch downstream of Teddington Locks is tidal and therefore does not require a licence.

Kennet and Avon Canal

Linking London with the Bristol Channel, the Kennet and Avon Canal is 87 miles of historic flow. The canal even features a Scheduled Ancient Monument in the shape of the Dundas Aqueduct. To put that into perspective, Stonehenge is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, so it’s a pretty big deal!
On our paddle trails finder we have a stunning sextet of routes along the Kennet and Avon, taking you all the way from Devizes to Aldermaston. That’s almost 45 miles of the total canal. You could make a real adventure holiday of it by paddling them all in a week. If you just want to paddle one route we would recommend Crofton to Hungerford. This trail starts at Crofton Locks and is also home to Crofton Beam Engines. These pump water in to supply the Western end of the canal and are the world’s oldest working steam beam engines. See, I wasn’t exaggerating about the historic flow!
Do I need a water licence to paddle the Kennet and Avon Canal?
Yes. You require a licence to paddling on this river. A Paddle UK ‘On the Water’ membership includes a water licence that covers paddlers on the Kennet and Avon Canal.

Take To The Lake!

Not everyone wants to paddle on a river or canal. There are some great lakes and places to paddle in both Surrey and Berkshire which offer equipment hire, lessons or just the chance for you to launch your own craft with the knowledge you will have safety cover for your time on the water.
If you’re looking to spend time meandering round a lake you can search our Hire Providers to discover places such as Horseshoe Lake Activity Centre in Berkshire or Aqua Sports in Surrey. Both these companies (and many others listed in our Hire Providers) are Paddle UK Delivery Partners, which means you can rely on a high standard of service and delivery from them.

We hope we’ve inspired you with our top places to paddle in Surrey and Berkshire. If you’ve got any great ideas to add to our list we always want to hear from you. Don’t forget to tag us in your paddling posts wherever you’re taking to the water!