101 places to go – Kayaking on the River Fowey, Cornwall
If you are looking for an activity based holiday for your next cottage break, then kayaking should be near the top of your list. As one of our more established water sports, there are now many kayaking adventure centres across the country offering basic tutoring and guided tours across the length and breadth of our beautiful rivers and coastline. Kayaking is a great activity for the whole family as it is particularly easy for beginners to pick up quickly. Under the careful supervision of a local guide, you will soon be taking in the natural beauty of Britain at a suitably tranquil pace in keeping with your surroundings.
There can be few better kayaking locations in Britain than on the Cornish peninsula where the longest coastline in Britain offers a multitude of kayaking backdrops. Whether it be azure bays, quaint harbours or meandering estuaries, this is a great opportunity to become totally absorbed by the essential beauty of Cornwall. This is a county of contrasts, typified by the exquisitely timeless River Fowey which is an ideal base for kayaking, offering excursions extending along the coast itself but you can also enjoy delightful routes heading north into the rolling greenery of the southern Cornish countryside.
For decades artists have been attracted to this stunning part of Cornwall. Author Daphne Du Maurier famously made Fowey her home whilst children’s writer Kenneth Grahame was entranced by the region and his many holidays to the River Fowey doubtless helped inspire and shape the all time classic ‘Wind in the Willows’. The river has a kind of ‘other worldly’ secluded feel to it; the sense of freedom is all encapsulating and it is this quality that also inspired some of the world’s top music artists to record at the famous Sawmills studio. The creative energy at this idyllic setting helped Oasis create their classic album Definitely Maybe; The Stone Roses recorded the epic Fool’s Gold whilst other artists such a Robert Plant, The Verve and latterly Muse have all recorded famous tracks at this Cornish riverside haven.
The route heading north towards the shallows of the river and the village of Lerryn is ideal for beginners. Tours tend to follow the flow of the tide and at a leisurely pace you can keep a close eye on the local wildlife. Your mind can easily wander and you can just imagine Mr Toad and Mr Badger loitering by the leafy shore. Today the river is home to egrets, otters, heron, cormorants and much more. Cornwall is famed for the crystalline quality of its water and this holds true for the river Fowey. From your stealthy vantage point you can easily spot shoals of fish swimming close by, grey mullet and trout are particularly numerous in a river that is teaming with wildlife.
After a leisurely paddle you will soon find yourself in the pretty Cornish village Lerryn, which is a great spot to take a break on your river adventure. This unspoilt village is picture perfect and a fantastic setting for a picnic or perhaps a sedate pub lunch. With the turn of the tide you will head back south alongside the river bank where you can spot the wildlife that you missed on the way upstream! If you are lucky you will spot the signature luminous flash of a kingfisher darting above the river or maybe even a migratory osprey on its fleeting visit to Cornish shores. Invigorated by the days exploits you can retreat to your cottage enriched by the memories of a great day kayaking in Cornwall.
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