As part of Thames Tidefest 2023 on September 17th 2023 we have teamed up with Edge Paddling who are based at Kew Bridge to offer you the chance to try a taster session at an incredibly low price of £5.
If you’ve never been in a canoe or Kayak before this is your chance! If you’ve had a go before and want to try it again, then this is for you too!
Sessions will go on throughout the day from 10.00am till 4.00pm. We will ask you to arrive half an hour early to fit you in a buoyancy aid and brief you. Then you will be out on the water for about 45 minutes.
There will be four kayaks and two family canoes per session. The cost is just £5 per boat. You will be lead by our team of qualified coaches.
· Kayaks are for one person aged 16 or over.
· A family canoe can hold a maximum of two adults together with two small children or one larger child. The canoe MUST contain at least one adult and one other active paddler, that is a second adult or an older child. If you are not sure if a canoe is suitable for your group or have any other questions, feel free to contact us on trips@edgepaddling.com.
Please be aware that coaches have responsibility assess the conditions on the day and make sure the paddlers are able to manage the boat. They have the final say on whether it is safe to take you out. If you fancy a go just book tickets below. If it seems fully booked, do still come by on the day as spaces may become available.
There is something both exhilarating and incredibly peaceful about paddling quietly in a solo kayak or with family and friends in an open canoe on the beautiful River Thames.
As part of Thames Tidefest 2023 on September 17th 2023 we have teamed up with Edge Paddling who are based at Kew Bridge to offer you the chance to try a taster session at an incredibly low price of £5.
If you’ve never been in a canoe or Kayak before this is your chance! If you’ve had a go before and want to try it again, then this is for you too!
Sessions will go on throughout the day from 10.00am till 4.00pm. We will ask you to arrive half an hour early to fit you in a buoyancy aid and brief you. Then you will be out on the water for about 45 minutes.
There will be four kayaks and two family canoes per session. The cost is just £5 per boat. You will be lead by our team of qualified coaches.
· Kayaks are for one person aged 16 or over.
· A family canoe can hold a maximum of two adults together with two small children or one larger child. The canoe MUST contain at least one adult and one other active paddler, that is a second adult or an older child. If you are not sure if a canoe is suitable for your group or have any other questions, feel free to contact us on trips@edgepaddling.com.
Please be aware that coaches have responsibility assess the conditions on the day and make sure the paddlers are able to manage the boat. They have the final say on whether it is safe to take you out. If you fancy a go just book tickets below. If it seems fully booked, do still come by on the day as spaces may become available.
One of the brilliant things about Thames Tidefest is the atmosphere that is generated around Kew Bridge and Strand On The Green during the event. It’s absolutely joyful ! Plus you don’t have to spend a penny to enjoy the event as there are loads of free attractions and stalls.
River Dipping
Find out for yourself some of the amazing creatures that live in the river with our fantastic river dipping sessions run by Thames 21This is always a hugely popular activity is suitable for both adults and families with children. These will be walk up sessions from 11am till 4.00pm. No need to book and boots are supplied. Just come on down and get dipping !
What’s In The River ?
If you don’t fancy grabbing a net yourself then…..The Institute of Fisheries Management (IFM) will be giving demonstrations of seine netting and displays of their catches from the slipway adjacent to Kew Bridge and Strand on the Green from around 11.30am onwards. A small stand with fish tanks and educational material will be in the Thames 21 marquee from 11am to 5pm Come along and find out what is living in the Thames Tideway.
Watch the boats go by !
There’s always something happening on the water and Tidefest is a great time to head to the shore and see some of the amazing craft that use the Thames as a highway
Fishing Competition
Angling Competition Weigh-in from 3.30pmCome and see the amazing range of fish that live in the tidal Thames. 40 top anglers will be competing in this year’s Thames Tidefest Angling Championship. You can watch them catch all sorts of amazing fish. Fishing takes place : Four hours from 9am – 1pm (depending on tide height)
The weigh in is from 1pm and the prize giving at Strand on the Green at 2.30pm
Thames Artefacts
The River Thames contains a living history of human life in the area over the many previous thousand years including the last Ice Age. It acts as self- excavating trench exposing where our ancesters have lived, what they ate and wore, as well as tracing the changes through the prehistoric periods to modern day. Evidence of this can often be seen on the modern foreshore, which is twice a day exposed to view. Come and see some of the range of the finds uncovered with Thames archaeologist, Dr Fiona Haughey. Artefacts dating from the last ice age, through prehistory, the brief Roman period as well as times up to the present period (artefacts of the future!) will be on display. Come and hold a piece of history in your hand!!!
Paddlesports have always been an integral part of the Thames Tidefest experience.Active 360 will be running their amazing Paddleboarding experiences once again !Paddle board experts Active 360 be offering some amazing trips for all the family – details below.
Costs and Timings:
10.00 – 11.30 – Paddle and Pick (14yrs+) – A 90 minute paddle and litter pick around the local islands Brentford and Lots Ait. We provide all equipment including litter pickers.
12.00 – 14.30 – Thames Natural History tour (14yrs+) – A guided SUP trip learning about the history and ecology of the Thames and its fascinating wildlife. We provide coaching and guiding and all equipment required.
12.00 – 14.30 – Group SUP session (16yrs+) – An open group lesson with the tide both ways heading down to Barnes and back. Suitable for all levels.
12.30 – 13.45 – Family Taster SUP trip (11yrs+) – A shorter group trip with the tide both ways heading up past Olivers Island. Suitable for groups and individuals of all abilities.
15.45 – 17.45 – Group SUP session (16yrs+) – An open group lesson with the tide both ways heading up to London apprentice Old Isleworth and back on the flood tide and returning on the ebb passing the last remaining water meadows on the Tidal Thames.
One of the brilliant things about Thames Tidefest is the atmosphere that is generated around Kew Bridge and Strand On The Green during the event. It’s absolutely joyful ! Plus you don’t have to spend a penny to enjoy the event as there are loads of free attractions and stalls.
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Thames Tidefest 2023
River Dipping
Find out for yourself some of the amazing creatures that live in the river with our fantastic river dipping sessions run by Thames 21
This is always a hugely popular activity is suitable for both adults and families with children. These will be walk up sessions from 11am till 4.00pm. No need to book and boots are supplied. Just come on down and get dipping !
What’s In The River ?
If you don’t fancy grabbing a net yourself then…..
The Institute of Fisheries Management (IFM) will be giving demonstrations of seine netting and displays of their catches from the slipway adjacent to Kew Bridge and Strand on the Green from around 11.30am onwards. A small stand with fish tanks and educational material will be in the Thames 21 marquee from 11am to 5pm Come along and find out what is living in the Thames Tideway.
Watch the boats go by !
There’s always something happening on the water and Tidefest is a great time to head to the shore and see some of the amazing craft that use the Thames as a highway
Fishing Competition
Angling Competition Weigh-in from 3.30pm
Come and see the amazing range of fish that live in the tidal Thames. 40 top anglers will be competing in this year’s Thames Tidefest Angling Championship. You can watch them catch all sorts of amazing fish. Fishing takes place : Four hours from 9am – 1pm (depending on tide height)
The weigh in is from 1pm and the prize giving at Strand on the Green at 2.30pm
Thames Artefacts
The River Thames contains a living history of human life in the area over the many previous thousand years including the last Ice Age. It acts as self- excavating trench exposing where our ancesters have lived, what they ate and wore, as well as tracing the changes through the prehistoric periods to modern day. Evidence of this can often be seen on the modern foreshore, which is twice a day exposed to view. Come and see some of the range of the finds uncovered with Thames archaeologist, Dr Fiona Haughey. Artefacts dating from the last ice age, through prehistory, the brief Roman period as well as times up to the present period (artefacts of the future!) will be on display. Come and hold a piece of history in your hand!!!
Paddlesports have always been an integral part of the Thames Tidefest experience.
Active 360 will be running their amazing Paddleboarding experiences once again ! See below for details.
Costs and Timings:
10.00 – 11.30 – Paddle and Pick (14yrs+) – A 90 minute paddle and litter pick around the local islands Brentford and Lots Ait. We provide all equipment including litter pickers.
12.00 – 14.30 – Thames Natural History tour (14yrs+) – A guided SUP trip learning about the history and ecology of the Thames and its fascinating wildlife. We provide coaching and guiding and all equipment required.
12.00 – 14.30 – Group SUP session (16yrs+) – An open group lesson with the tide both ways heading down to Barnes and back. Suitable for all levels.
12.30 – 13.45 – Family Taster SUP trip (11yrs+) – A shorter group trip with the tide both ways heading up past Olivers Island. Suitable for groups and individuals of all abilities.
15.45 – 17.45 – Group SUP session (16yrs+) – An open group lesson with the tide both ways heading up to London apprentice Old Isleworth and back on the flood tide and returning on the ebb passing the last remaining water meadows on the Tidal Thames.
Following the announcement Tidefest will be held on Sunday 12th September 2021 we are pleased to confirm that the 2021 Thames Tidefest Angling Championship will once again be run in co-operation with The Angling Trust.
All the ticket monies will once again be donated to the kids angling charity Get Hooked on Fishing and the tickets are on sale from March 11th. This year’s trophy will be dedicated to the memory of Mike Martin-Davies, the talented Welsh match angler and three times Tidefest winner who sadly died of Coronavirus in January. It will be engraved with his name.
Mike with Keith Arthur celebrating one of his three Tidefest wins.
Now in its eighth year, the 40 peg match, which is sponsored by Thames Water, once again has generous pay outs with a first prize of £500. It is expected to attract some of the region’s top river anglers as previous matches have thrown up big bags of bream. Last year’s match was notable for the number of quality roach caught in the latter stages of the tide. All fish, with the exception of eels, can be weighed in.
The match is being held on two areas of gravel foreshore from Kew Bridge down to Barnes. Two sections will be on the left bank at Strand on the Green and two on the right at Barnes. The four main prizes will spread across the two zones to make for the fairest possible outcome.
Angling columnist and Thames specialist Keith Arthur welcomed the news saying:
“This year’s Tidefest Angling Championship, Covid permitting, looks like being the fairest yet. With shoals of roach catching contestants by surprise last year, 2021 could see the match won with redfins instead of the perennial bream. We will miss the angling brilliance of Mike, stolen from us by the vile disease, but with the match in his honour we will all be able to reflect on his loss and remember him how he would have wished.”
Angling Trust’s Martin Salter added:
“The Angling Trust is pleased that the lifting of lockdown restrictions will allow the Tidefest Angling Championship to take place again this year and it is appropriate that we honour the memory of Mike Martin-Davies at the same time.
“The competition is now firmly established as a popular event in the match fishing calendar and showcases what great fishing there is to be had right in the heart of London.
“We are committed to continuing to attract match anglers back to river fishing whilst at the same time highlighting the importance of cleaning up our urban rivers through schemes such as the Thames Tideway Tunnel. We are especially grateful to Thames Water for their generous sponsorship which means that once again all the ticket money will be going to support the fantastic work of the charity Get Hooked on Fishing that does so much to help youngsters get into our sport.”
Will Barnard, Angling Development Manager at Thames Water added:
“Thames Water is delighted to be sponsoring the 2021Tidefest including the much anticipated annual angling competition which is helpful in assessing the health of the river. In recent years our large sewage treatment works upstream at Mogden has benefitted from a multi-million pound upgrade which has delivered big improvements to the general water quality and with the Tideway Tunnel we will see an end to the damaging storm water incidents.”
Match Details: 40 peg Thames Tideway Angling Championship with £500 First Prize plus pools and trophy Date and Time: Sunday September 12th. Fishing 9.00am – 2.00pm (depending on tide) Draw: 7.00am Strand on the Green, Kew Bridge London W4 3RE Tickets on sale from March 11th from: Tackle Up – 151 Fleet Road, Fleet GU51 3PD. Tel 01252 616129 To book tickets online go to – anglingtrust.net/competitions/tidefest-2021/ or tel: 0115 822 4519 Tickets: £20 all in – £15 pools plus £5 ticket – proceeds to Get Hooked on Fishing Prizes: 1st place – £500; 2nd – £400; 3rd – £200; 4th – £100. (Spread over two zones) Plus £50 per 5 peg section.
Thames Tidefest is now in its eighth year and is a celebration of all that the River Thames has to offer. It aims to help Londoners reconnect with their river and is a day packed with loads of great activities for all the family. We are delighted to announce that Tidefest will be held on September 12th, so get the date in your diaries.
We are taking things one step at a time at the moment with regards to our usual full programme of events, but we certainly intend to put on a fantastic selection of events in line with whatever restriction are in place as we get to September. Expect to be thrilled by ‘mudlark’ style archaeology, guided walks, canoeing, paddleboarding, fishing, and a whole host of activities which showcase the Thames’s amazing history and wildlife.
