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 Chiswick.
As part of Thames Tidefest 2022 on September 4th 2022 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 starting at just £5 (plus booking fee).
If you’ve never been in a canoe or Kayak before this is your chance ! If you’ve had a go before and long to try it again, then this is for you too !
Sessions will go on throughout the day from 11.00am till 3.00pm
There are four solo kayaks available for each session and two family canoes per session. (A family canoe can hold a maximum of two adults and two small children or one larger teenager and MUST contain at least one adult)
Kayaks – 1 person per kayak, all participants must be 16years +
If you fancy a go just book tickets below and be sure to wear clothes that you don’t mind getting a bit wet and sensible shoes. All equipment, including buoyancy aids will be supplied.
Qualified coaches will lead the groups and coaches reserve the right to assess the suitability of groups on the day.
Family Canoe costs £10 per session (plus booking fee)
Thames Tidefest will be held on September 4th 2022 and brings a host of free and low cost fun for all the family to enjoy on and around the Thames at Chiswick in London.
There’s lots to do for the family that’s absolutely free, including River dipping, Circus skills and stalls, plus lots to see such as the sailing race, fishing match and the RNLI lifeboat. Full details HERE
The Chelsea Kayak Club is London’s friendly sea kayaking club. They are based at Brentford Boating Arch at Kew Bridge so they are a perfect partner for Thames Tidefest !
On September 4th 2022 they will be running 1hr 30 minute Sea Kayaking taster session for just £10 per person on the beautiful River Thames. If you fancy a go then this is the perfect opportunity and also a great way to find out if you might be interested in joining the club and getting involved with all their activities. BOOK NOW as their are limited places (see below)
Each session includes some tuition followed by a paddle in a single sea kayaks.
OVER 18’s ONLY
We suggest wearing sports clothing and shoes that can get wet. 8 places available per session. Session timings:
*. 10.15 – 12noon
· 12noon – 1.30pm
· 1.45-3.15pm
· 3.30-5pm
Participants should be over 18 years of age, be able to swim 50 metres and come changed ready to paddle.
If these CKC taster sessions are fully booked it is possible to book sea kayaking taster sessions on Thames on (the previous day) Sat 3rd September here
The summer is here and it won’t be long before Thames Tidefest is underway once again on September 4th. Book Your tickets NOW before they are all snapped up !
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Thames Tidefest
Paddle Sports
You could try your hand at Kayaking, Canoeing, Sea Kayaking or Stand-Up Paddleboarding..just head over to our booking page for details HERE
Guided Walks & Adventures
From archaeology and history to secret islands and rock legends our selection of guided walks and adventures will fascinate and thrill get your tickets booked NOW on our booking page HERE
River Cruises
Everyone loves a boat trip and our have amazing low prices and brilliant guides and historic boats ! Book NOW on the booking page HERE
FREE events and activities
Some of our activities don’t need to be booked and are absolutely free ! Find out more HERE
The summer is here and it won’t be long before Thames Tidefest is underway once again on September 4th. Book Your tickets NOW before they are all snapped up !
1662282000
days
hours minutes seconds
until
Thames Tidefest
Paddle Sports
You could try your hand at Kayaking, Canoeing, Sea Kayaking or Stand-Up Paddleboarding..just head over to our booking page for details HERE
Guided Walks & Adventures
From archaeology and history to secret islands and rock legends our selection of guided walks and adventures will fascinate and thrill get your tickets booked NOW on our booking page HERE
River Cruises
Everyone loves a boat trip and our have amazing low prices and brilliant guides and historic boats ! Book NOW on the booking page HERE
FREE events and activities
Some of our activities don’t need to be booked and are absolutely free ! Find out more HERE
Paddlesports have always been an integral part of the Thames Tidefest experience. With our partners we offer a fantastic opportunity for people to try out canoeing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding for themselves at a subsidised price. All our paddlesports events take place on September the 4th and are below, so scroll to the bottom to see all of your choices !
Kayak & Open Canoe Taster Sessions – September 4th
Run by the fantastic team at Edge Paddling, at Kew Bridge
If you’ve never been in a canoe or Kayak before this is your chance ! If you’ve had a go before and long to try it again, then this is for you too ! All sessions led by Edge Kayak
Sessions will begin every 30 mins and go on throughout the day from 11.00am till 3.00pm
There are four solo kayaks available for each session and two family canoes per session. (A family canoe can hold a maximum of two adults and two small children or one larger teenager and MUST contain at least one adult)
Kayaks – 1 person per kayak, all participants must be 16years +
If you fancy a go just book tickets below and be sure to wear clothes that you don’t mind getting a bit wet and sensible shoes. All equipment, including buoyancy aids will be supplied.
Qualified coaches will lead the groups and coaches reserve the right to assess the suitability of groups on the day.
Family Canoe costs £10 per session (plus booking fee)
Individual Kayak costs £5 per session (plus booking fee)
Chelsea Kayak Club are Offering 1hour 30min sessions as part of Thames Tidefest on September 4th 2022. Cost per person £10 per session Plus booking fee. Based at Kew Bridge.
Each session includes some tuition followed by a paddle in a single sea kayaks. You won’t get to paddle in the open ocean, but the beautiful river Thames is the next best thing, so book your tickets NOW !
OVER 18’s ONLY
We suggest wearing sports clothing and shoes that can get wet. 8 places available per session. Session timings:
*. 10.15 – 12noon
· 12noon – 1.30pm
· 1.45-3.15pm
· 3.30-5pm
Participants should be over 18 years of age, be able to swim 50 metres and come changed ready to paddle.
Active 360 will be running their amazing Paddleboarding experiences once again !
Paddle board experts Active 360 be offering four taster sessions from the Kew Bridge Boating Arch, a downstream two hour natural history trip and a 90 minute paddle and litter pick.
Following the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions Thames Tidefest 2020 will be happening on Sunday September 6th at Strand on the Green, Chiswick. However, to help keep everyone safe, all events in our reduced programme will have to be pre- booked.
Tidefest is now in its 7th year and celebrates the recreational opportunities available on the River Thames in London with activities for all the family. These include paddle boarding, kayaking, foreshore walks, island visits, London’s biggest angling competition and much more.
Put the date in your diary and find out what the River Thames has to offer.
Full details including ticket bookings will be on this website SOON
“Wow what an amazing day by the river…I absolutely LOVE Tidefest”*
Now in it’s 5th year, Thames Tidefest 2019 is set to be the bigger and better than ever before. Dubbed “London’s Family River Festival”, Tidefest offers an eclectic mix of free and low cost events centred around the River Thames in London.
Thames Tidefest offers fun and enjoyment for everyone and most of it is absolutely free !
Live music, paddlesports, river cruises, riverside pubs, secret island adventures, historical walks, guided photography sessions, Rock ‘n Roll history, stalls, fishing, river dipping and much, much more and all with an environmental feel, Tidefest is an event for the whole family and one that won’t put a dent in your pocket.
Various paddlesports have always been a huge part of Tidefest and it’s a brilliant opportunity for absolute novices to try their hand.
Much of the Festival is absolutely free, just come along to Strand On The Green in Chiswick on September 8th and join in the fun, or why not buy tickets for one of our amazing low cost special events ? River Cruises for a fiver, Historic tours for £3.00, Bird-watching walks for £2.00 and that’s just the start, all our events are either free or offer amazing value. So what are you waiting for ? Take a look at the ticketed events HERE or find out more about what’s absolutely free HERE.
We’d love to meet you at Thames Tidefest, so please come along and let’s all enjoy the river together !
*first time visitor feedback from last years event.
Wildlife organisations, river and environmental groups and community associations have this week announced plans for a second, bigger TideFest to be held on the Tidal Thames in London on September 20th.
TideFest is a new River Thames event which took place for the first time last year on World Rivers Day to highlight the recreational importance of the Thames to Londoners. TideFest 2015 takes place at Strand on the Green, Chiswick and at other locations along the Thames Tideway. TideFest is proud to be a partner of Totally Thames and to be supported by the Thames Tunnel Now Coalition, Thames Tideway Tunnel and Thames Water.
A wide range of activities have been planned from 10am – 6pm for Sunday 20th September including:
Stand Up Paddleboarding. Organised by Active 360 with pre-booked sessions from 11am for those new to paddleboarding, an Eco tour from Kew to Hammersmith and an evening river tour to Richmond. There will be a race at Strand on the Green at 4.30pm.
Kayak Taster Sessions by Edge Paddling where newcomers can simply turn up from 11am and try kayaking with qualified coaches.
A day out at Thames Water’s Kempton Nature Reserve – an internationally important wetland habitat with great bird life. From 10am to 5pm visitors will be able explore these urban wetlands of London through interactive activities for children, aquatic habitat species surveys and guided birdwatching walks.
A whole range of community activities and displays will be available at the Strand on the Green. The marquees on the riverside embankment will host displays on the Thames Tideway, historical artefacts collected by local archivists, painting by local artists, children’s activities and an information point with material available from environmental and wildlife groups and the Port of London Authority.
The charity Get Hooked on Fishing will be holding a series of fun, angling related activities on the foreshore aimed at children and newcomers to the sport from 10am to 4pm.
The prestigious Thames Tideway Angling Championship takes place from 9.30am to 2.30pm at Strand on the Green and Barnes. 50 top anglers from across the UK will be taking part and spectators are welcome.
On the Foreshore there will be children’s activities including river dipping, water testing and games designed to explain and increase understanding of what’s going on in the river run by the environmental charity Thames21. A series of highly informative Archaeological Walks and tour of Oliver’s Island will be held in the afternoon from 12 noon onwards at Strand on the Green.
The London Wildlife Trust is once again offering people a rare chance to visit their nature reserve on Isleworth Ait. (Further details to be announced)
At 6pm the SoTG Sailing Club hold their annual TideFest Challenge Trophy competition. Spectators welcome.
The River Thames Society is organising four one hour boat trips around the Tideway islands leaving from Kew Pier on the historic Thames launch the Windrush. Guided commentary included. Trips leave at 11am, 12.15, 1.30 and 2.45 (advance booking required)
TideFest organiser Martin Salter from the Angling Trust said:
“This is an event that keeps on growing and which aims to help reconnect Londoners with their river. The Thames holds 120 different species of fish and is home to a tremendous array of birds and other wildlife yet far too few people are aware of what an amazing resource we have on our doorsteps. With work on the Thames Tunnel about to commence we can look forward to a brighter future for this great river and loads more opportunities for people to enjoy what it has to offer.”
Debbie Leach, Chief Executive of Thames21 said: “There are great opportunities to use and enjoy the River Thames, to learn about it and understand what it provides for London, for nature and for the community. As the Thames becomes cleaner, these opportunities will only grow and Tidefest is the perfect day for us all to celebrate this.”
Gordon Scorer, Chief Executive of London Wildlife Trust added:
“It’s good to see all the groups who’ve been working so hard for a cleaner Thames coming together to celebrate the importance of London’s river and promoting the fantastic recreational and wildlife opportunities that are here right in the heart of this great city.”
Thanks to the generous sponsorship from Tideway Tunnels and Thames Water all the activities are either free or offered at a substantially reduced rate. Check website or Facebook page at http://thamestidefest.net/ or http://www.facebook.com/thamestidefest for details where advanced booking is required.
