Preparation Notes

We are located in the grounds of the: Paddocks Hotel, Symonds Yat West, HR9 6BL. However using the postcode sometimes takes you to the other side of the river!

If you are using a SATNAV to find us please use either the Paddocks Hotel or Canoe the Wye Ltd as your destination. The postcode will sometimes take you to either the East side of the river or past us down to Ye Old Ferrie Inn.

Look out for the entrance to the Paddocks Hotel on the left as you pass through the village. Shortly after you pass the Wye Knot Inn (pub) on your right, you will see the Paddocks Hotel entrance on your left. Pass left under the green Paddocks Hotel sign and down the car park. 

We are at the rear of the hotel, through a gateway. There is a larger car park through the gateway right next to our wooden cabin.

One way to find us is to use ‘what 3 words’. This really useful App is what is used by emergency professionals in remote locations. It enables you to triangulate any location in the world with just 3 words. 

Download the App in preparation for your canoe trip, so if you need us whilst out in the wilderness we can find you quicker.

Here are our 3 words airbase.informer.linked.

The car park is pay and display, which needs to be paid at one of the ticket machines. The machine accepts cash, card and phone payments. 

The tariff is £1 per hour with a maximum tariff of £10 for all day.

For the 90 minute session you will need a 2 hour ticket (£2).

Please note: we have no authority over the car park. It is governed by LPS, a private parking enforcement company who have been appointed by the land owner.

Usually the first question that we get asked when people arrive is ‘where can I find the toilet?’

Our toilet is attached to the Paddocks Hotel in a small out building by the entrance gate, the code to access the toilet is C1234X then turn the handle to the left. However we usually unlock them ready for the day.

It is a good idea to use the toilet before the whole kitting and briefing starts, as there won't be time afterwards!

We tend to operate self-guided canoe hire between April and October. Within these months the conditions are typically acceptable for canoeing on the Wye without any specialist equipment. 

However, sometimes conditions can be outside of our operating parameters during these months. So we may need to postpone or cancel your booking for safety reasons. Some of the factors we monitor are; water temperature, air temperature, river levels and wind speed.

In the unlikely event that we need to cancel your booking due to poor conditions we will do so by text message initially. This is the quickest way to contact a lot of people. So please check your phone before setting out to us.

Ensure that all participants in your booking comply with the following conditions of hire:

• Each Canadian Canoe must have either 2 or 3 people.
• Participants under 18 will be supervised at all times, each canoe must have at least 1 adult (18+).
• Any participant 4-13 years old will be supervised by an adult on a ratio of 1:1.
• All participants will wear a correctly fitted buoyancy aid at all times.
• All participants can swim a distance of 25m in clothing, or to be accompanied 1 to 1 with a swimmer who can.
• No person under 4 years old or under 15kgs is permitted.
• No person who is pregnant is permitted.
• No person with a chest measurement greater than 54 inches and no person over 130kgs/20stone is permitted.
• No person under the influence of alcohol or drugs is permitted. Alcohol will not be consumed in a canoe.
• All participants with physical, medical, behavioural or mental condition or illness have informed us prior to the trip.
• All participants affected by sight or hearing impairment likely to affect safety have informed us prior to the trip.

We may cancel or curtail your booking or exclude individuals in your party who fail to comply with the above conditions.

If you have a minimum of 4 people going canoeing you may want to link 2 canoes together to create a raft. Rafted canoes are ideal for families and for those who need extra stability whilst out on the water.

When we raft 2 canoes together it forms a mini catamaran which is a very stable platform and is pretty much impossible to capsize.

We also raft groups of friends together as it is a more sociable experience. It allows you to relax and enjoy the trip without the concern of getting wet. 

Sometimes if the conditions are poor we may deem it necessary to raft all canoes. 

If you would like to take advantage of our rafting option please let us know when you arrive, so we can prepare the necessary equipment.

The time that you have chosen when placing your booking is the arrival time at the canoe centre. 

When you arrive we will ask you to familiarise yourselves with the finish point, so you don’t paddle past. Then we get you kitted out with a buoyancy aid, paddle and dry barrel and talk you through the safety briefing.

Please do not be late as we operate on a tight schedule and cannot always accommodate late comers.

Make sure you check the weather forecast before turning up. Forecasts are usually reliable up to 48hrs in advance of the trip. This will allow you to prep accordingly.

For warm sunny days ensure that you use sun protection. Sun protection lotion is essential during the summer months, but please apply this before arriving as it disrupts the kitting process and it stains our equipment if still wet. Hats and sunglasses are essential on sunny days.

Gloves are a really good idea but not compulsary. Any gloves are suitable which will make holding the paddle more comfortable. Cycling gloves tend to be a popular choice. Plus this will also stop the aluminium oxide (gray residue) from the aluminium paddle shaft getting on your hands.

Wet shoes are ideal, but trainers are also fine. No flip flops, wellingtons, crocs or bare feet.

For overcast days you need to bring a waterproof jacket. It's also a good idea to have a change of clothes and a towel that can be left in your car just in case you get wet.

You also want to ensure that you have food, drink and snacks. Canoeing is a physical activity so you need to stay hydrated and keep your energy levels up. Please ensure you bring a bag for your litter and that you dispose of it correctly at the end of your canoe trip. We have a large black bin at the centre when you return.

Cushion or foam pad some people like to bring a cushion to sit on or a foam kneeling pad to sit on, as the seats can get quite hard, especially after a few hours!

Make sure you have a mobile phone that can go with you, just in case you need to contact us whilst your on the river. We provide you with a large blue barrel to put everything in, which goes with you in the canoe.

Normal clothing is suitable, but it is advisable to wear clothes that dry relatively quickly like synthetic layers/fleeces. 
Try to avoid clothing that gets waterlogged like denim/jeans. 

If you have booked a trip that is at the beginning of the season (March/April) when the water temperature is colder, then we strongly advise you to bring and wear a wetsuit. Just in case you fall in. We monitor the water temperature daily, so just give us a call a few days prior to your trip and we can tell you if it is necessary. 01600891100.

Wear footwear that you do not mind getting wet (trainers with good soles or wet shoes). Be mindful that river banks can be muddy and slippery, so shoes with grip are recommended.

Do not wear flip-flops or wellingtons. Wellingtons fill up with water and make it difficult to swim and flip flops tend to fall off your feet and leave you barefoot on a sharp riverbed. Bare feet are not allowed.

If you are doing a multi-day trip, don’t forget to book your accommodation / camping in advance. Visit the accommodation page on our website for our recommended campsites and guest houses.

If you are staying at a guest house in Ross on Wye, you have two options to store your canoe overnight. There is a small designated area by the public launch point which is free to use (our staff will talk you through this when you arrive) or alternatively you can store the canoe at the Ross Rowing Club, which costs £3, but it is the easier egress off the river. 

Please bring a 1-2m bike lock that you can use for each canoe, or we can provide you one for a £10 refundable cash deposit. If you are camping overnight in Ross on Wye at the Rowing club then the boat storage fee is part of the camping arrangement.

The car park at our location is pay and display, which needs to be paid at one of the ticket machines on arrival. £10 per day. Please purchase and display the ticket in your car window.

Ensure that all participants are aware that they enter into this activity at their own risk.

You are expected to take care and precautions whilst on the river and use your own judgement to minimize the risk to you from hazards on the river. We will provide advice on issues of safety before you or members of your party start your trip.

Please familiarise yourself with our safety briefing prior to your arrival, we will conduct a full brief before you depart on your trip.

If your booking has an outstanding final payment we will send you a reminder email with a link in it that will allow you to pay the final balance. The reminder emails are sent out roughly 2 weeks prior to your trip, so if you need to make any changes to your booking, it has to be done before this point. 

Changes to bookings within 14 days are not eligible for a refund. No shows on the day are not be eligible for a refund.

Please remember that any booking that has not been fully paid for 7 days prior to your trip date will result in the canoes you have reserved being made available to other people and you risk losing your deposit.

Please follow this link to get access to the route maps for your trip. MAPS

Some dogs are permitted. That is to say they must be well behaved and kept under proper control at all times. You also need to consider how a dog may affect the stability of the canoe. Remember that dogs with long coats are a lot heavier when wet. Something to think about if you have to lift one out of water. 

Therefore only dogs weighing less than 20kgs are allowed. If you have two dogs they must not weigh more than 20kgs in total.

Every dog should have a lead (but not attached while in the boat). At no time should a dog be tied to a canoe that is either in or out of the water. 

Dogs should be kept away from birds on the river and should not be allowed to splash around in shallow areas where young fish are growing. In all cases you are reminded to ensure that dogs do not cause a nuisance to any farm animal, wildlife or birds.

Remember that a farmer has the right to shoot a dog in some circumstances. Irrespective of what we say you are responsible for ensuring that your dog is accepted at any accommodation, campsite, pub or any other location.

Whilst you are canoeing we recommend that you remove the collar and lead, so if the dog does go into the river it cannot get hooked up on a tree branch and not be able to free itself. 

Our advice regarding dog buoyancy aids is that it is a managed risk. We do not supply them and actually they are not ideal for river use as the design often has large loops on the back which can easily cause entrapment. Dog buoyancy aids are really designed for lakes and the sea, where there is a long distance to land. 

We give you this advice as dog owners and lovers ourselves, keen to ensure that you have an enjoyable time on the river without it being marred by an unforeseen incident.