Gav Grayston
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If you are staying in Norfolk then be sure to check out The Canoe Man.
Guided Tours or Just Equipment Hire
Based at Wroxham on the Norfolk Broads, he offers guided tours for families (buoyancy aids and equipment is supplied), in big Canadian Canoes. However, if being guided is not your thing, you can just hire the equipment and they will deliver and pickup from where you want to set in or get out.
Of course, with a canoe you can get in and discover places that the large motor boat traffic can’t, so you may not see another craft the entire trip.
Some of the guided tours are in the day, others in the evening. A lot of the time will depend on when the animals you are spotting are likely to be around – Otter Spotting can leave at 6 am for instance.
When we checked prices were generally £25 for an adult and £15 for a child. Guided tours are typically 2-3 hours.
Swallows and Amazons
A trip specifically aimed at families is the Swallows and Amazons.
You paddle to their Woodland Activity Centre where a morning of bush craft awaits: firelighting without matches or lighters, building a rain shelter, cooking in the woods, and plant and tree identification. In the afternoon it is archery and then paddling back.
When we looked into this, adult prices were £40 and children £30. There is a 36 stone weight limit for an entire family in one canoe. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
The Paddle Steamer
One interesting trip is the ‘Paddle Steamer’.
You catch the Wroxham – Buxton steam train one way, and paddle the Broads the other way.
You can either do a full day or half day.
Longer Trips
If you fancy extending the adventure then The Canoe Man organises a number of overnight trips.
Depending on your level of ‘adventure’ the overnight trips can either be in a local B&B or Camping.
Needless to say, Camping is our favourite 😉
Prices include canoe hire, campsite fees, and transport. They offer a 50% reduction for additional children in the same boat as the adults.
The Canoe Man Contact Details
You can get all the details from The Canoe Man website at www.thecanoeman.com. Also found on Facebook.
You can also e-mail enquiries to [email protected] or call on 0845 496 91 77.
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Gav Grayston Contributor
Father to 3 kids, who loves getting out and about (hiking, running, camping, cycling, canoeing...) Co-founded Get Out With The Kids to help other parents enjoy the outdoors with their family.
