Quick review of a three day outing I had thanks to The Canoe Man In Norfolk last year.
Having completed the Expedition Canoe Course with Frontier Bushcraft the other year, I have been finding it difficult to 'get out' and do any canoeing that didn't bill by the hour. I have enjoyed the occasional day trip in Suffolk while visiting family, but nearer to home the best option I have is the Lee Valley White Water Centre.
As well as the usual concerns re. time away from work, arranging any canoe trips seems to plagued by some major logistical issues including; transporting canoes, having vehicles at each end of the trip as well as finding somewhere to camp if you're hoping to do a multi-day trip.
The Canoe Man offers a few variations on the same multi-day trips on the River Bure where they handle all of these issues, and given some of the rental fees I have paid before now, do so for a very reasonable price.
I opted to take a 2 day trip from their Norfolk Broads Canoe Trails with the optional extra of staying in their private 'Wild Woods' the day before the trip, this is the same woodland that you will return to at the end of your 1st days paddling so not only extends the trip by a full day but allows the option of returning to an already assembled camp or to cache heavier equipment for your return.
My trip started off in the Wild Woods near Coltishall where I was able to spend a relaxed day setting up camp, cooking dinner and getting the traditional 'dodgy first nights' sleep out of the way.
From here, you drive a short distance to the village of Wroxham where you park your car in a long stay carpark and head off to meet the Canoe Man. At the meeting point (from memory, a pub garden) you are fitted for PFDs and paddles and are driven to Aylsham where your trip begins the river here is more of a creake at this point, but after a bit of punting you are quickly in some deeper water and are on your way.
After a good days paddling (and a few short portages) you arrive at the Wild Woods where I opted to spent my first night where you can make camp and settle down for the evening, being in agricultural land this woodland is very quiet and almost guarantees an undisturbed night.
The second day of paddling progresses much like the first, but is is immediately on much wider water and with a much shorter distance to paddle. I opted to take it particularly slow here, stopping frequently to examine the river side plant life (loads of wild Hops) and generally soak in the ambience for the remainder of the trip. I seem to remember taking about 4hrs to complete this leg of the trip, but this could easily be extended by pulling into the pub gardens nearer the end of the route.
The journey is quite mixed, largely paddling wide and deep water through woodland relatively wild spaces, but occasionally past quite nice residential areas and the odd stately (or at least very grand) home.
I was blessed with fantastic weather during my long weekend and so wildlife was out in abundance, most notable for me were numerous Kingfishers, some very patient Heron as well as a Grass Snake, who's periscope like head was seen as he swam his way crossed the river.
I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, and certainly hope to repeat it again in the coming year as it is a very relaxing, 'low impact' canoe trip.
On talking to the Canoe Man, he offers the option of spending extra days staying in the Wild Wood site to really stretch out the trip, but given the small size of the woods and limited options for exploring the river without having to paddle back on yourself, I may opt instead for the longer four day trip which progresses further down the river and has another nights camping in some rented woodland.
Not quite as short a review as I intended, but there we go.
Having completed the Expedition Canoe Course with Frontier Bushcraft the other year, I have been finding it difficult to 'get out' and do any canoeing that didn't bill by the hour. I have enjoyed the occasional day trip in Suffolk while visiting family, but nearer to home the best option I have is the Lee Valley White Water Centre.
As well as the usual concerns re. time away from work, arranging any canoe trips seems to plagued by some major logistical issues including; transporting canoes, having vehicles at each end of the trip as well as finding somewhere to camp if you're hoping to do a multi-day trip.
The Canoe Man offers a few variations on the same multi-day trips on the River Bure where they handle all of these issues, and given some of the rental fees I have paid before now, do so for a very reasonable price.
I opted to take a 2 day trip from their Norfolk Broads Canoe Trails with the optional extra of staying in their private 'Wild Woods' the day before the trip, this is the same woodland that you will return to at the end of your 1st days paddling so not only extends the trip by a full day but allows the option of returning to an already assembled camp or to cache heavier equipment for your return.
My trip started off in the Wild Woods near Coltishall where I was able to spend a relaxed day setting up camp, cooking dinner and getting the traditional 'dodgy first nights' sleep out of the way.
From here, you drive a short distance to the village of Wroxham where you park your car in a long stay carpark and head off to meet the Canoe Man. At the meeting point (from memory, a pub garden) you are fitted for PFDs and paddles and are driven to Aylsham where your trip begins the river here is more of a creake at this point, but after a bit of punting you are quickly in some deeper water and are on your way.
After a good days paddling (and a few short portages) you arrive at the Wild Woods where I opted to spent my first night where you can make camp and settle down for the evening, being in agricultural land this woodland is very quiet and almost guarantees an undisturbed night.
The second day of paddling progresses much like the first, but is is immediately on much wider water and with a much shorter distance to paddle. I opted to take it particularly slow here, stopping frequently to examine the river side plant life (loads of wild Hops) and generally soak in the ambience for the remainder of the trip. I seem to remember taking about 4hrs to complete this leg of the trip, but this could easily be extended by pulling into the pub gardens nearer the end of the route.
The journey is quite mixed, largely paddling wide and deep water through woodland relatively wild spaces, but occasionally past quite nice residential areas and the odd stately (or at least very grand) home.
I was blessed with fantastic weather during my long weekend and so wildlife was out in abundance, most notable for me were numerous Kingfishers, some very patient Heron as well as a Grass Snake, who's periscope like head was seen as he swam his way crossed the river.
I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, and certainly hope to repeat it again in the coming year as it is a very relaxing, 'low impact' canoe trip.
On talking to the Canoe Man, he offers the option of spending extra days staying in the Wild Wood site to really stretch out the trip, but given the small size of the woods and limited options for exploring the river without having to paddle back on yourself, I may opt instead for the longer four day trip which progresses further down the river and has another nights camping in some rented woodland.
Not quite as short a review as I intended, but there we go.
