Frequently Asked Questions

Where do we come to/collect the boats from? You come to Yalding Canoe Launch, Hampstead Lane, Yalding, ME186HG. At weekends you will find us opposite the launch point.

Is there car parking? We do not have our own car park but there is limited free parking along Hampstead Lane although this does get very busy at weekends. There is a public car park a couple of minutes walk from us at the Lees Car Park & Picnic Field. Cost is £3 weekdays, £3.50 weekends. Pay at the barrier by cash or card. There are public toilets in the picnic field car park.

Do you offer hire anywhere else besides Yalding? Sorry we no longer transport boats to other locations up or down the river so all hire from us starts and finishes at the Yalding Canoe Launch point (ME186HG).

Do we have a guide with us? No you are not accompanied when you hire canoes or kayaks

Can we camp anywhere along the river? – No. There are several campsites along the River Medway and camping on some of the locks is allowed although there are no facilities. Visit the Medway Canoe Trail website for information on camping options.

Do I need to be fit? There are various trips available, some requiring higher degrees of fitness than others. We can advise on various options to suit you. You will need to lift/carry canoes or kayaks around the locks so you need to be able to do this or be with others who can help.

Do I need to book in advance? Yes all hire must be pre-booked. We do not take bookings for hire on the day so please do not travel to us if you have not booked.

How do we book? Check the website calendar for availability and then call us on 07704357025 or email info@elveys-canoe.co.uk . Sorry we do not have online booking available.

Is there a maximum number you can cater for? No we have a large fleet of canoes and kayaks so we can usually accommodate groups of all sizes.

What equipment do you provide? We provide boats, paddles, buoyancy aids, helmets and storage bags/containers. Helmets are supplied and recommended for the steeper canoe passes on the Yalding Up and Down route.

What should we bring on a trip? Usually food and drink and suitable clothing for the weather conditions on the day. A change of clothes for the end is a very good idea (you’ll regret not bringing them)! This link provides a recommended kit list for day trips.

How many people can go in a canoe? Our tandem canoes will accommodate 2 Adults. We can provide a folding cushion chair for an additional small child to sit on the floor of the canoe. Sorry we no longer offer larger 3 Seat Canoes due to their weight.

Is there a minimum age for children? We usually state 6 or over but sometimes we allow younger children where adults have some specific water based experience. Please discuss with us if you have children younger than 6.

Is there a minimum age to hire? Yes you need to be over 18 to hire boats from us and at least one adult must be present on the water.

Do you offer hourly or part day hire rates? No, we only offer a single flat/daily hire rate. To ensure you get value for money we recommend you maximise your time on the water but the duration of hire is flexible based on your requirements

Do you need a license to paddle on the river. Yes and these are included in the hire costs on all our boats.

Do you hire all year round? No we only open in Spring/Summer when river conditions are suitable. Our website calendar shows when we are open and what availability we have.

How can I find out if you have availability? We regularly update the website Calendar so you can always check latest availability there.

Can we bring our dog? Yes we do allow dogs but we do not provide buoyancy aids for them and they should not be tied/tethered to the canoe when you are on the water.

Do you have a base at the river? No we transport boats to and from the canoe launch point at Yalding at the pre-arranged meeting time. Please make sure you arrive at the arranged time.

Are there set times for hiring/returning boats? Typically start times slots at Yalding can be pre-booked between 9-11.00am. Boats need to be returned to the finish point by 5.00pm at the latest unless you are booking for more than 1 day for overnight/multi day camping trips.

Do we need any qualifications/previous experience to go paddling by ourselves? No you don’t and a large number of our customers have never been in a canoe or kayak before.

Can we buy food/drinks/lunch along the way? There are limited opportunities but we suggest you bring everything you need to eat/drink with you for the journey which gives you more flexibility.

Do we have to carry boats (portage) at any points? Yes you will need to carry boats around the locks on your chosen route. This is not usually an issue for groups of 4 or more but tandem canoes and tandem kayaks are heavy and groups of 2 may find carrying these physically demanding particularly if just 1 adult and 1 child combination. Please consider this when booking.

Are there toilets on the routes? There is a public toilet block at Yalding in the Teapot Island picnic field/car park. For upriver and down river routes there are customer toilets at the food outlets on those routes or on the downriver route there are public toilets at Teston Country park. Elveys Canoe does not have a building/base so we have no toilet or changing facilities.

Are there pubs on the route. No but there is a pub at Yalding for when you have finished your trip.

Does the river have any current/flow? Typically through the summer months there is no discernible movement on the water at all. This is one of the reasons why Yalding return trips are possible as it makes no real difference whether you are paddling upriver or downriver.

Do you offer Children’s Parties? Sorry we do not offer these.

What’s the difference between a Canoe and a Kayak? We get asked this one a lot! In terms of our boats, our canoes are open boats with 2 fixed seats that you sit on and each person has a paddle with just one blade (paddle) at the end. The front and back paddlers usually paddle on different sides. Canoes have more carrying capacity and work well for camping trips where you have more gear.

Our kayaks are either single or doubles. You sit inside on a seat on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you and you have a paddle that has a blade (paddle) at both ends. The front and back paddlers “try” to paddle in sync usually taking a stroke on each side (left,right,left,right……..). Our kayaks have large cockpits (openings) so in the unlikely event of a capsize you fall straight out of the boat!

Have a look at the Canoe and Kayak hire sections to see pictures of each type of boat.