Norfolk Broads Camping Canoe Trails

Get closer to

Nature

Want to escape and completely immerse yourself in the beautiful surroundings of the Norfolk countryside? How about having a whole weekend to yourself being able to float down one of the quietest and most peaceful stretches of river in East Anglia and spending the night in a beautiful atmospheric woodland within our wild campsite?

If this sounds like an adventure that you can't wait to have - whether that's a weekend break or a mid-week getaway, then our Canoe Camping is just for you! If you're a Norfolk local who's wanting to discover what's on your doorstep, or someone who's looking for a staycation as a way of getting back to nature, we believe that we can offer you something different that you'll never forget.

Example Itinerary

Below is a sample itinerary based on our 2-days, 2-nights canoe camping:

Afternoon/Evening of the first day - arrive at WildWood, which will be basecamp for the duration of your camping adventure. Entry to the campsite is allowed from 3 pm onwards. Take some time to get to know the area and read the notices on the board in the entrance to familiarise yourself. Set up camp, or arrive at your pre-erected tent and either start cooking dinner on the open campfire or head along the riverside path to the village of Coltishall, where a handful of amazing pubs, a village shop and lots of takeaways are waiting for you!

Day 1 - Drive down to the village of Wroxham, where we will be waiting to transport you to the top of the river to begin your paddling. Once you arrive at Aylsham (your starting point), you will be given a paddle briefing and set on your way downstream! You will then keep paddling for the day until you reach WildWood again to spend the night in camp.

Day 2 - Pack up camp after a slow and peaceful morning of cooking breakfast over the fire and taking a swim in the gin-clear river for an invigorating wash. Carry your kit down to the water's edge and hop into your canoe, heading out on the water for another day's paddling, finishing in Wroxham where your car is waiting for you to take you on your homeward journey.

"At every bend in the water a new scene unfolds: one minute, we're ducking our heads under a bridge and checking the arches for otter poo - or "spraint" as it's called; the next we're gliding past an arboreal guard of honour. Towering cascading willows alternately bow, twist, bend and shoot up on either side of us. When we brush up against the riverbank, I reach out to pluck the last of the year's blackberries. They're delicious. The sloes are too bitter to eat raw but the aromatic gin scent lingers." - Extract from Wild Times by Jini Reddy, written after her adventure with us.

About Wild Wood

WildWood is our "wild camp" campsite situated on the River Bure. It's considered as a wild, back-to-basics campsite due to its minimal nature, so please be aware it may not be suited to everyone's needs! Please note:

There are 2 self-composting toilets
freshwater is available in jerry cans
there is no hot water, showers or sinks on site
as part of your canoe camping, you will need to carry all of your camping kit on the second day in your canoe, so please make sure that you pack lightly. We will supply dry bags to place any valuable belongings in. Please contact us if you have any queries about this

We can also provide onsite bushcraft, teambuilding or archery sessions during your stay, making the experience just that little bit more spectacular and memorable, whilst adding to the adventurous feel of the whole experience. Bookings for these activities can be made alongside your Canoe Camping booking below. We will be in contact with you to arrange a mutually agreeable date and time for the activity to take place.

"I just wanted to say thank you for an excellent trip this weekend. Of course the scenery and the weather were perfect, but we were very impressed with the service provided by Glen who set us off paddling. His care and attention to detail were much appreciated. Thank you."

Martin K

The standard canoe camping package includes two days use of your chosen craft and two nights camping fees at our WildWood campsite. Tent hire is not included, but can be added as an extra. If you wish to increasing the duration of the activity to 3 or 4 nights, or require alternative accommodation/transport arrangements, please drop us an email at info@thecanoeman.com to discuss options.

Please Note

This trail involves 4 portages, 3 very short and one of 275 yds. For this reason we recommend a minimum of one adult and a sturdy 12 yr old child!!!

If you are a group looking to "party" into the night this is NOT the right campsite for you so please DO NOT BOOK ONLINE - We can still help you but please call the office so we can discuss the alternatives.

If you require any further details or would like to talk about other dates, please do not hesitate to contact me either by email info@TheCanoeMan.com or on 07873 748408

Please note : Due to insurance restrictions we are unable to hire canoes, kayaks or paddleboards when water temperatures are below 10°C. 
If booking for the colder month please be aware that we may need to cancel your booking at short notice if water temperatures are deemed too low. 
In such circumstances we will either rearrange your hire of fully refund your booking.

How to book

1. Select a date from the calendar below. An availability list will appear.
2. From this list choose the tab for the hire duration your require.
A list of vacant launch times and the craft availability for each is displayed.
3. Click on your preferred launch time to get a booking form.
4. Add the craft you wish to hire to your basket. We will hold your launch slot and craft for 5 minutes to give you time to checkout.

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IMPORTANT

Paddling Alone: Under the terms of our insurance and licencing we do not allow paddlers out on the water on their own. You must be accompanied by at least one other person.
Lone paddlers are very welcome to join our guided trails or sign up for our paddling lessons.

Adult Groups: Groups of 6 adults or more may need to provide a damage deposit as part of their booking. A member of our staff will contact you once a booking is made to confirm if this is the case. Alternatively, if you would like to know prior to making your booking whether you would be required to pay a damage deposit, please contact us at info@thecanoeman.com.

Minimum Age: At least one of your party must be 18 or over.

Don't know your Kayak from your Canoe, your Sit-on-Top from your Stand-Up Paddleboard?

Click Here to view our comprehensive guide

Option	Price
Canoe Camping - 2 Day Canoe Camping (50 hrs)
2 Person Canoe ? 2 adults or 1 adult and 1 child Max weight 225kg/36st	£210.00
3 Person/Family Canoe ? 3 adults or 2 adults and up to 2 small children (suggested up 10 years old). Max weight 225kg/36st	£285.00
Additional Night Camping (Per Person)	£10.00
Dog ? Have your dog(s) join you on the water! Cost is per dog. If camping with us, dogs must be kept on the lead at the campsite.	£10.00
Early Finish on Second Day (Per Boat) ? Please select this option if you are wanting to shorten your second day of paddling down to around 1.5hours and finish at Coltishall	£25.00
Sole use of LARGE firepit / campsite area ? This area is suitable for use by upto 20 people YOU MUST HAVE A MINIMUM OF 10 PEOPLE BOOKED TO REQUEST THIS OPTION	£75.00
Sole use of small firepit/campsite area ? This area is suitable for 6-8 maximum using 3 tents	£40.00
Tent 2-6 Person	£30.00