Canoe Trail

Welcome to the home of paddlesport adventures - Canoe Trail!

We are passionate about Canoeing, Kayaking and Stand-up Paddleboarding (SUP) and work hard to bring these wonderful watersports into as many people's lives as possible. We have a huge range of activities on offer, from introductory experiences and classes to equipment hire, training courses, camping trips and multi day expeditions in exotic places.

Our base is the Kempston Outdoor Centre in Bedford. Here, we are on the banks of the Great Ouse, one of England’s most significant rivers. We operate in Kempston and on the Bedford Embankment, padding as far down river as Great Barford. But we don’t limit ourselves to the Great Ouse, we also run trips to stunning locations in the UK such as the Jurassic Coast, Scotland’s Great Glen and the Pontcysyllte Viaduct in Wales. Not far enough for you? How about the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico?

We are a family-run business that has won many awards thanks to the quality of our canoeing, kayaking and SUP adventures. We cater to individuals and families, but we are especially well known for putting on activity days and camping trips for corporate groups, large parties and special occasions like stag and hen dos.

Finally, we have to mention our world-beating team of instructors, made up of friendly watersports fanatics of all stripes, and our top-of-the-range equipment.

Come and discover our world!

Get on the Canoe Trail!

Canoeing is the reason we get up in the morning and into the great outdoors, and we want to show you why! We have a whole range of activities on offer which showcase different aspects of this amazing watersport. Couples and families love renting our Canadian canoes and paddling up and down the river, adventurers enjoy our white water and advanced paddling courses, and our camping trips and multi day journeys are the perfect getaway with a difference. 

We’ve been canoeing in every part of the UK - from the English Channel to North Wales to the Scottish Highlands - but our home is Bedford. You can find us at the Kempston Outdoor Centre or in the middle of town, on the Embankment. These locations give us access to the wonderful Great Ouse.

One of the best things about the canoes is that it’s a very easy boat to use. Our open canoes are stable and comfortable and propelling them through the water with single blade paddles is very intuitive. On the other hand, you can use a canoe to tackle really challenging conditions for an adrenaline-filled outing. Which do you fancy?

Let us know and we'll make it happen for you!

Come Kayaking with Canoe Trail!

We provide kayaking activities and equipment rental that aim to get everyone paddling to their hearts’ content and enjoy beautiful waterways and landscapes. Our HQ is at the Kempston Outdoor Centre in Bedford and we also operate on the Bedford Embankment, both on the Great Ouse. In addition we run trips and excursions to unforgettable places in the UK and beyond.

Kayaking is a great activity whether you’ve got an hour or two, a full day or a couple of days to spare. We have short activities and rental periods of 60 minutes at one end of the scale, and overnight camping trips and multi day expeditions at the other. All of them feature our top dollar kayaks, both closed and sit-on-to-models for one or two people.

We are a team of qualified watersports instructors with a mission to provide rewarding experiences to all. It doesn't matter if this is your first time getting out on the water, or if you’re an experienced kayaker and you want to learn a new skill like white water navigation, we will make you feel welcome! Keep us in mind for family days out, stag,hen and birthday parties and team building events.

Look no further! Contact Canoe Trail Kayaking today for more details.

Enjoy the most modern watersport with us at Canoe Trail.

Stand-up Paddleboarding or SUP is becoming an incredibly popular pastime, allowing you to literally walk on water! It’s much easier to pick up than it looks - in fact, most people will feel balanced and able to paddle within the first 10 minutes - and is an incredibly rewarding experience. We invite beginners, intermediate and advanced level enthusiasts to join us for adventures on the water.

We run SUP activities, both open and for private groups, on the River Ouse in Bedford. We are based at Kempston Outdoor Centre and have an additional equipment hire facility on the Bedford Embankment. You and your party will be welcomed by professional instructors who will make sure that the activity goes as smoothly as the river flows.

We put on tasters, open sessions, tuition, courses and mindful SUP sessions. Just spend a couple of hours with us and we promise that you will learn to SUP like a pro, or, if you’re already a pro, you’ll discover a new side to this fantastic watersport.

We also offer kayaking and canoeing, so the fun never stops!