Where to Paddle

Snape Bridge is a wonderful place to paddle to, before returning to Iken Cliff. Here, paddlers can visit Snape Maltings and the Plough & Sail pub.

Snape Bridge, where you will find the wonderful Snape Maltings and Plough & Sail pub, is about 1.7 miles up river from our Iken Cliff base and a great place to paddle to while taking in the stunning estuary views. A quick stop there if you wish and paddle back to us can be done in about 2 hours.

Suffice to say, the River Alde is designated a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) and is a haven for wildlife including avocet, curlew, godwit, redshank and marsh harrier. Seals are also often present. We ask our customers to please respect the river environment, wildlife and other river users. There will be a special pre-launch discussion regarding wildlife on the river.

Safety and Rules

Prior to your trip we will give you a comprehensive briefing about paddle technique, the river itself, the tides and the direction of travel, allowing for the tide (and sometimes wind) in the available time that you are hiring the boat/s.

Most importantly, we will ensure you are confident in how to paddle the craft before we let you go. However, customers should be aware that the River Alde is not like a boating lake and that considerable effort, at times, is required to canoe, against the wind and tide.

Please do not underestimate this when you are considering making a booking, particularly where children are concerned. An adult on their own in a Canadian canoe with small children, for example, can find it very hard work without the help of another adult.

Some important rules

• Buoyancy aids (provided) must be worn at all times by all customers.
• We reserve the right to postpone canoe and kayak hire if we feel the conditions are unsuitable.
• We will not hire craft to under 18s, unless they are accompanied by an over 18 in the party.
• Children under the age of 7 years are not permitted on the river in our canoes.
• Non-swimmers are advised not to hire.
• We won’t hire out to solo paddlers for safety reasons.
• We recommend that alcohol is not consumed prior to, or during, the hire period.