A paddle in central London taking in London Zoo!

About 2 years ago, I decided to, very hesitantly, try SUP. I joined a beginners’ lesson at Dittons Paddle Boarding, which led to me taking this up as a summer hobby (which I loved) and then becoming a member of the club. I had only joined a couple of local events in the beautiful Thames stretch from Sunbury to Ham, although when lurking on their webpage, I kept looking at pictures of weekend excursions. Whilst tempting, they felt out of reach for me at my ‘occasional paddler’ level.

When the Regent’s Canal Safari was advertised, I was so tempted. I love the area and loved the idea of paddling in central London. I tentatively asked about the technical requirements, such as board type and level of expertise required, and from that moment, the organisers and the group in general made me feel welcome. The day before the event, I was still hesitating. How do I get there? What should I take with me? What if I slow them down? I am so glad that in the end, I faced my own doubts and went for it. It was a gorgeous summery spring day, with all the cool vibe that brings to this city, and there was no better way to enjoy it than in the water.

I decided to go by car. I was not sure I would be able to carry my SUP bag and supplies as the bag does not have wheels. I was recommended the nearby Handyside car park, which some of us pre-booked. Those who did decided to inflate our boards in the parking lot to make use of the electric pumps. Then we carried the boards and dry bags down the street and to the canal, which was only a 2 minute walk (with a quick pit-stop at the toilets for some of us.)

Some of the group went by public transport and started the journey a few meters (and 1 lock) behind us. One even cycled all the way from Shepperton! 

So, we waited for them, and once we were all together and had asked if anyone needed to leave anything in the cars, Clare and Anu, (a connoisseur of this stretch having been an instructor on this canal in previous years), gave us a welcome and a brief intro to the expedition. After that, off we went, starting to paddle gently and talking to whoever we happened to be next to.

Early on, we were faced with 3 consecutive locks, but passing them was much easier than I anticipated. I simply had to get out of the water, walk with my board for a few meters, and get back in and enjoy.

I have a special interest in architecture. I thoroughly enjoyed the redevelopment of the Kings Cross area, which is ever changing, and the stark contrast between the huge modern buildings and the natural habitats observed in the canal. A nice surprise for me was that the canal looked cleaner than I was expecting!

We arrived shortly in Camden, with all its smells, noise, quirky architecture, graffiti, crowds, and unfortunately, rubbish floating around. But there was great music, even ON the canal, as we were passed by a boat with a guitar player that was charging for 45 minute tours. Here we had to wait for a couple of boats to go through the lock before we could progress, which allowed us to pause and enjoy observing the process. Full mindfulness! 😊

After the Camden buzz, we continued into a totally different section of the canal. It quickly became more tranquil, green, less populated, and the ‘party seekers’ were substituted with families going for a stroll along the canal towpath. We swiftly arrived at the Feng Chang Princess floating restaurant, which transported us to the Far East and provided a gorgeous background for selfies and group pictures.

Further West we went through the Zoo (for free!!) Glancing at warthogs and white-tailed monkeys (Colobus guereza?) 

Then we got to a stretch of Regent’s Park that has a series of 6 impressive villas, all built in totally different architectural styles, and with perfectly manicured gardens ending at the river. Anu told us the story of these and the curious fact that in her years as a SUP instructor on this stretch of the canal, she only ever saw people in the gardens less than a handful of times. What a shame!

We turned around only a few meters further away as we got to the Maida Hill Tunnel, which non-motorized vessels require prior consent to pass through. On the other side, Little Venice would have been reached, but unfortunately, the only option would have been to dismount and walk for 20 minutes. So, we turned around and stopped for a snack by the beautiful gardens of the villas we had left behind. Here we had a chance to talk, rest our legs, and reapply sunscreen. There was no nearby place to buy any supplies, so food was shared generously amongst members.

After this, we initiated the return. Some of the team stopped for a bit in Camden to get supplies and for a bio break. At this point several of the members enjoyed the sunshine whilst resting on their boards, whereas others, including me, had to rush back to the start point.

I missed the post-paddle drinks/chat, but I am sure that will not be my last chance. I am eagerly looking forward to the next Safari and probably going back to the Regent’s Canal at some point on my own!

Huge thanks to the organisers!

Blog by Claudia Pacheco.