Plan A was to return to Scotland with our sea kayaks for a week of wild camping.
A forecast of gales and storms put an end to that, and we had to find a Plan B quickly.
Nick had recently moved to Willington — a short walk from the River Great Ouse.
I took a fairly unenthusiastic look at the maps and paddlesports forums to see if it was viable. Gradually, it began to look more interesting.
The river starts somewhere in Northamptonshire, runs past Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, and eventually reaches the sea. At around 160 miles long, only a portion is officially navigable — from Kempston to The Wash.
That navigable stretch is managed by a series of locks. It passes through attractive towns and villages, under the A1(M) and the main railway line, and through large areas of quiet countryside.
We both needed British Waterways licences for this section, which came with free watercraft insurance — unexpectedly useful. See here for more info about that.
Planning was deliberately loose. My usual speed and distance calculations are based on sea and lake kayaking; a river with locks and portages makes precision difficult. I estimated we were good for roughly twenty miles, which should get us to Godmanchester with some margin.
We left Nick’s house at about 08:45 on 1 September and carried the boats the half-mile to the put-in.
We were travelling light — no spare paddles, no camping kit, and, unusually, no beer. Even so, our forearms were burning by the halfway point and we paused twice.
We launched at around 09:15. The river was barely moving: flat, green, and enclosed by mature trees. The bends in the channel meant it felt more like paddling a narrow lake.
Willington Lock appeared quickly. The Environment Agency had installed a canoe portage step, which made getting out straightforward despite the low water levels. After a short carry past the lock, we reached the downstream platform — about a foot and a half above the water — while a floating excavator dredged gravel from the channel.
We re-entered by sitting in the kayaks on the platform and sliding in. Not elegant, but it worked.
By chance rather than design, we reached The River Mill at Eaton Socon at 12:35, just as the rain arrived. It looked slightly upmarket for two damp paddlers, but the staff were welcoming and the fish and chips were excellent. We ate, dried off a little, and carried on.
The lock at St Neots was the most awkward. Getting out was fine, but the portage crosses a main road and runs down a narrow footpath with no obvious re-entry point. The nearest platform sat about three feet above the water — too high for a controlled slide — so we climbed over a fence and lowered the kayaks down an overgrown bank instead.
After that, progress was steady. We stopped for a photograph beside a cabin cruiser which looked suspiciously as though it had been designed for Nick.
By the time we reached Godmanchester, we were both knackered.
Twenty-one miles (33 km) is a solid paddle in any conditions, but the repeated climbs in and out of the water had been a real workout. This was my first proper trip in the Dagger Katana, and I came away impressed.
I’ll be back to see more of the river. Next time, I’d like to continue downstream and see how far we can get towards the sea — a quiet, steady journey to add to the growing list of trips we never originally intended.
Field Kit from This Trip
If you are curious about my kit, here are some links to it so you can learn more and check the prices on Amazon.
VHF Radio – ICOM IC-M25 Euro EVO Marine VHF Radio Small, waterproof, rechargeable. I have used mine for several years, it can easily go a week without losing charge. There’s a reason why most sea kayakers prefer this one.
Satellite Beacon (PLB) – rescueME PLB1 personal locator beacon. Carried on the fells and permanently in my buoyancy aid at sea, more for peace of mind than anything else. This is the subscription-free kind.
iPhone 16 Pro – Used for navigation, GPS trail logging and photography. Waterproof, tough, simply brilliant.
Aquapac Waterproof Large Phone Case I’ve got 3 cheap broken phone cases and this one which I bought in 2020 and still use all the time. Get this one.
GoPro Hero 12 – action camera.
GoPro clip mount I like to carry my GoPro clipped onto my buoyancy aid. This clip is tried and tested, you can also use it on a rucksack or similar.
Uncle Paul boat dry bags I have about 12 different Uncle Paul dry bags in a variety of sizes. I’ve been using them since 2021, I think they are perfect for kayaking. I also use them in my rucksack for walking. You can get all your clothes, food and kit into them and never worry about water damage.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I buy all my own gear and write independent reviews. If you found this helpful, buy me a coffee.
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this review or spot anything that needs correcting, I’d love to hear from you — just drop me a comment below.
Leave a Reply