The east of England is a hotspot for paddling adventures. With a huge range of waterways and coastlines open to paddle on, you are sure to find a route perfect for you. To make sure we highlight the crème de la crème of routes in the area, we enlisted the help of Jess. She is one of the admins of the first online club to be Paddle UK affiliated. The East of England Paddlesports club are based in the east, so has lots of experience in finding adventures in the area. So without any delay, over to Jess!

East of England Paddlesports is the largest Paddle UK affiliated online group with over 12,000 members. We aim to promote safe paddling and encourage grass roots paddling of all types in a safe and responsible way. Alongside this, we have an active community of members all over the east of England (and beyond!) who share some wonderful paddle locations and we often have events where we venture to various paddle locations so we thought it would be a great idea to share some of our top 5 spots that are popular amongst our group.

If you want to join the group or come to any or our events or simply to know more visit our facebook group ‘ East of England Paddlesports’ or head over to our website www.eoeps.co.uk for more information!

Dedham, Essex

Dedham has become a very popular spot for paddling, it is an area of outstanding natural beauty and famous for its links with the landscape artist John Constable, you can easily see why people are visiting and paddling in this spot.

Depending on the direction the paddler decides to go, they can head either to Flatford which is a part of the National Trust or going the opposite way which leads to various other popular paddle spots on the River Stour such as Stratford St Mary, Langham etc. The route to Flatford is a popular route as it has many banks and areas to stop for picnics or you can even stop at Flatford and visit the café to grab an ice cream or coffee before heading back. Dedham has a beautiful mill pond where beginners can practice their paddling skills. There are also two car parks one of which the portage point is located at.

The River Stour requires a waterways license that is available through Paddle UK.

Papermill Lock, Essex

Papermill lock is a part of the River Chelmer, another popular River in Essex. There is a tearoom which serves delicious cakes and lunches. The parking is limited but there are various points on the River Chelmer to launch from such as Chelmsford, Beeleigh, Boreham, Ulting and Heybridge Basin which are all equally as beautiful making this a great route. You can paddle as little or as far as you would like. And like Dedham, there are various points to stop to have a picnic along this route.

The Chelmer Navigation is great, if you fancy a longer paddle and have a means of transport you could start at Chelmsford and finish in Heybridge.

The River Chelmer requires a license which is not covered by the Paddle UK membership. You can obtain your license online at www.waterways.org.uk or they can also be purchased at Papermill Lock or Heybridge Basin.

Norwich, Norfolk

Norwich is a wonderful city to paddle through. With all its history there is so much to see. Be sure to keep an eye out for various plaques on the walls and the various interesting buildings en-route. There is also the Cow Tower, which is part of the English Heritage if you wish to visit. You can portage next to the Cow Tower as it has some green space around to have a picnic. Be sure to check out the large Oak Tree next to the tower and look up. There are some amazing bird boxes situated up high in this tree!

Of course, being in a city there are also options of stopping at some of the local pubs for some lunch or a drink or two.

Situated on the River Yare and River Wensum and there are various portage points to paddle from so depending on your skill level or distance you want to paddle the choice is yours.

The River Yare and Wensum will require a waterways license that is available through Paddle UK.

Dovercourt, Essex

Dovercourt is a beautiful spot for a paddle, with its lighthouses it’s a wonderfully scenic paddle. The lighthouses are cast iron towers built in 1863, they create such a wonderful backdrop to any paddle photo especially a sunrise paddle!

As this is a tidal location, planning is key. This location is only accessible at high tide and with it being the open sea, it is important to check the wind and weather. But with perfect conditions this is hard to beat. By no means is it a long paddle but it’s a relaxing, beautiful place to get some blue therapy.

You do not require a license for this location.

River Cam, Cambridge

Cambridge is situated on the River Cam, famous for its Universities and history. This is a lovely place to paddle to absorb it all from a different point of view.

It can get busy over the summer months with Punts and other craft but well worth the effort. An easy way to visit is to park at Lammas Land Car Park, launch next to the carpark and head South to the main river. Head north from here and under the footbridge past the canoe club between Sheep’s Green and Coe Fen, under the road bridge to the Mill portage to the left.  Once back on the river you then have what known as The Backs, the backs of the colleges, with sights such as the Mathematical Bridge, Kings College chapel, St Johns College and the Bridge of Sighs.  In all there are 10 bridges and many colleges and sights to see along the way until you reach Jesus Green and the locks there.  Past this lock are all the famous rowing clubs and some nice riverside pubs to pause at.

The River Cam requires you to display a license and membership number while paddling. A waterways license is available through Paddle UK.

So there are Jess’ and East of England Paddlesport’s top paddling spots in their area. Remember, you can find lots more on our PaddlePoints page!