Big trip lessons
How does taking a three day, 30 mile, 24 lock paddleboard trip feel? Shilpa, Hester and I were waving happily at the end perhaps because we learnt some good travel lessons...
Paddle UK set up their ShePaddles ambassador scheme to help women better network and champion other women to try and succeed in watersports. As a #ShePaddles ambassador for 2024 it’s been a fantastic way to get to know people away from my paddling area (which is mostly a tiny stretch along Regent’s Canal in London). Over a coffee in deep winter former #ShePaddles ambassador Shilpa Rasiah, 60, suggested paddling the River Lee Navigation followed by a quick explore of the Olympic Park around Hackney Wick (which would see us circle back from Liimehouse Dock on the Regent’s Canal and then Hertford Union adding an extra six locks). I took another sip of coffee. This seemed like a big journey with virtual strangers.
Planning
As a 90 min paddler I was definitely daunted by the idea of 30 miles and portage of 24 locks, but I knew from the #ShePaddles ambassador induction day that Hester Hearn, 54 was keen to paddle all the Hertfordshire waterways. And so an idea was born. If Hester and Shilpa were keen, why didn’t I just have a go? I could always bail out on the train line running beside the River Lee Navigation.
The three of us had a few Zoom meetings trying to confirm dates and how many days to take. I reckoned we’d have much more fun doing less miles a day because that way you’ve got time to chat and get involved in bankside action. Luckily the other two decided to give it a go. That’s how we decided to paddle just 10 miles a day splitting our River Lee Navigation journey into three days.
We were extremely lucky as Sports Comms specialist Hester Hearn did all the planning for us, which included visits to two amazing community watersports centre, Herts Young Mariners Base in Cheshunt (on girls’ club night) and Leaside at 34 Spring Lane in Hackney.
Shilpa Rasiah, a town planner, is also staggeringly well-organised (these two ladies out organise me completely and I’d say I was one of the more organised people I know!). Shilpa also generously lent me her Quoroc board designed for touring with straps back and front of the central handle. As I didn’t have a board that was extremely kind of her.
And so three women on paddleboards set out on a rainy Tuesday in May from Hertford, Hertfordshire’s county town at the starting point of the navigable River Lee Navigation.
Active travel
I did the whole route by porridge power or by public transport. The start was easy as I took the overground train from Liverpool Street to Hertford East. Getting home I was close to the overground at Hackney Wick station. Hester and Shilpa car-shared to get to the start and then used an Uber to get home.
Here’s how what I discovered as our adventure progressed. The three of us really hope it inspires you to have a go getting to know your local river better. Whatever you do please look out for wildlife and don’t worry about falling into bankside conversations, because that’s what you’ll remember.
DAY 1: Why this river?
“The River Lee Navigation is special. It’s wide enough for us to paddle alongside, but not daunting like the Trent or Severn. You also have the urban and rural as you come into London.” Shilpa
“There are lots of things to look at on the River Lee Navigation. We saw different boats, people with their dogs and all sorts of wildlife – herons, coots, those yellow ones (Great Whitethroat) and I loved listening to the cuckoo.” Hester
IF YOU SEE IT, STOP: What’s the rush paddleboarders? If you see a particularly beautiful blossom tree or intriguingly painted narrowboat then stop. It’s tempting to just take a photo or video but see if you can ingrain it deeper into your memory. I find a good way is to use the lens ID app on my phone.
GLASSES: Sunglasses and reading glasses not firmly fixed across your eyes will escape, they love exploring the bottom of a river. To avoid this it’s worth fixing all eyewear with a cord months before you think you’re going to need them. Even a bit of string tied to the glasses arm and your buoyancy aid will help stop glasses falling into the water. If you’re going to be making a sea journey in changeable weather get organised and pay for prescription sports glasses.
ACHING ARMS: Help, poor technique is messing with my shoulder! At the start of a long paddle remember to engage your core and push your body past the paddle. But when I get tired the right technqiue doesn’t always happen. A good trick to keep your shoulders less pained is to alter the length of the paddle blade regularly. I found longer really helped ease discomfort, as did making sure to stand up straight for the glide. There’s no shame in taking ibuprofen/paracetamol either. Just as good as painkiller is a nice long conversation.
LISTEN UP: There’s a brilliant bird ID app called Merlin, which is also free to download. On this trip I made a point of listening for birds during the day and at our camp stops. The dawn chorus becomes much more personal when you know it is a Great Warbler that’s just woken you up. I’d never heard of this bird before and then it goes and sings the most beautiful tune for me (at 4.30am). We also enjoyed seeing wildlife on the river.
“I’ve never seen this many coots up close nesting. The little coot babies are so sweet.” Shilpa
DAY 2: Cheshunt to Leaside
INVITE FRIENDS: Our little trio did not know each other at the start of the journey although we were all PaddleUK #ShePaddles ambassadors (Shilpa two years earlier). We also had a couple of keen paddleboarders join us for Day 2 which gave us new chat, new energy, new insight and snack choices - as one brought a a delicious vegan blueberry cake. Anu from MySupStories was the cake maker but she also took some amazing photos. It was lovely to see photos of the three of us together when the trip ended.
BLISTERS: On any long paddle there’s a good chance office hands will suffer. I took my rings off and occasionally wore gloves and after 30 miles was still fine. My companions made good use of blister plasters (Compeed) and zinc tape (but remember to bring scissors if you want to use this as unlike gaffer tape you can’t tear it with hands/teeth).
CAMPING: To camp you’ll need a tent, mat and sleeping bag plus a dry bag to keep them in. This adds weight to your board so I organised for my husband to drop my kit off each day (and then collect it the next morning). It made my journey a great deal easier - some people MIGHT say this was cheating! I also took heart from the fact that the River Lee Navigation is parallel to a train line so that makes any arrangement easier and I can repaddle my favourite sections again and again.
“Try it in little steps. Along the River Lee you’ve got campsites so have a go and see if you like it. You’ll get a great experience doing this. Maybe it will inspire you to rent a narrowboat.” Hester
“I’m paddleboard mad. I love camping and supping, but logistics is an issue so take time to build in the planning.” Shilpa
LUXURY ITEMS: Shilpa recommends a Turkish towel because they are light and dry so well (better than a microfibre). Hester brought a Rocket pot and made coffee on a little camping stove midway. I squirreled away a packet of chocolate biscuits ready for that group slump around 4pm when there’s another two miles left to go. I’m not convinced that snacks are luxury items though.
SLUGS: Slugs love damp dark spots so don’t be surprised if you’ve left your board face down on grass if they gravitate to a new des res. After our second night camping along the River Lee Navigation all three of us had slugs on board. I removed 26 potential hitchhikers.
DAY 3: LEASIDE TO LIMEHOUSE BASIN, then up Regent’s Canal & on to Herts Union Canal.
MEET PEOPLE: Rivers and canals attract characters. Think of it as a liminal space where everyone has a story. On this little journey we met a guy who was doing a makeover of the Narrowboat café in Waltham Abbey – look out for it fancied up and with a new name. I met Joe who sits with a beer and football shirt at Alfie’s Lock (formerly known as Pickett’s Lock) and says he is always grateful if you give him any discarded fishing lures/hooks. Then in Hackney Wick by Moo Canoes we were lucky to meet up with Dan from the Wash Wombles and Dave from Lower Regents Coalition in action helping a corporate group remove rubbish from the water.
TAKE A MAP: Hester created this beauty. She also had laminated OS maps. I didn’t think I’d need one as I’ve cycled from London to Ware, taken the train countless times and walked quite a lot of the route. And I’ve got apps. But this unique map keeps drawing me back.
FOOD AND FOXES: No it’s not a must visit pub. There are many curious foxes along the River Lee Navigation especially on the London stretch, so use caution and keep your inner and outer tent doors done up. A young fox rummaged through my food bag while I was in the shower and ate my chocolate-based snacks – a pain au chocolat and a Caramel bar. When I returned, the fox bolted out of the tent and snapped one of the guy ropes.
ROPE: For this trip I packed my QR belt but (duh) not my leash. Obviously, you should be using a leash on a waterway like the River Lee Navigation for safety, but there’s another practical reason too. Quite often the sides are high and without a leash you cannot reach your board to pull it out, or easily get back on to your board after a lock, or rest stop (especially on the ladders). My improvisation was to tie on a short rope where my leash would normally be fixed which worked well.
LUXURY ITEMS: The River Lee Navigation and the final loop to get us to Hackney Wick overground is 30 miles with 26 locks. Because there’s so much portage this might be where you go for a luxury item. Shilpa had a thick foam pad she used to get on to the concrete sides comfortably and sit on wet grass without getting soaked. I was so impressed I’m on the lookout for something similar (a £6 foldable camping seat/kneeling mat at Cotswold Outfitters might do the trick). I opted for thick waterproof booties with double socks and an insole. All you’ve got to do then is remember to unclench your toes.
“It can’t get more urban than the Olympic Park. I loved Moo Canoes and the London architecture.” Shilpa
HEADING HOME: If you haven’t brought your board’s bag on a non-circular trip how do you flatten, fold and carry it home? Easy! You see if your dry bag straps are long enough to use (and they usually are). Genius idea from Hester.
Hoping these tips inspire you to take a big trip and pack exactly the right kit! If you have suggestions just add them to the comments.
Contacts
More info about SUP courses at HYMB in Cheshunt on Facebook and website here. You still have time to join its big event, the Mariners Mile swim on 28 September 2024.
Have a go paddling in kayaks or SUP with Leaside Community Club, use their website here
Follow Nicola on insta @sup.at.islington or read her new paddleboarding book, Not That Deep.
Follow Hester on insta @hesterhearn
Follow Shilpa on insta @sup.loving.shilpa
What a great write-up, thank you. Fabulous tips!