Danny Gillard used to look longingly at the Thames from his desk at a London
insurance company. Sometimes he’d get up a dawn and tow his kayak to Tower
Bridge where he’d go for a morning paddle before changing into his suit and
tie. “Then one day, I just thought, I know what I really want to be doing,”
he says.
That was a year ago – now Danny has launched Thames
River Adventures offering kayaking trips on the Thames and Regents
Canal. Among his trips is the Sunrise Tour that starts at 5am or 6am and
offers two hours of paddling on the river before the rest of the city wakes
up.
Not all of his tours require waking at an ungodly hour – he also runs days
tours around Teddington Lock and Hampton Court, and will organise a
tailor-made package around your needs. So far it’s going well: “I haven’t
advertised because I can only just handle all the business that’s coming in
already,” says Gillard.
We didn’t get the dazzling sunrise we were hoping for – the street lamps and
light pollution dampened a dramatic dawn, but it didn’t spoil the
experience. I loved the tranquillity of the Thames, seeing my familiar home
city from such a different angle, and the exhilarating burst of morning
exercise.
There’s exhilaration too to be had from the high-speed boat tour we joined
later that day at Westminster Pier. You may not be motoring under your own
steam with London Rib Voyages
(RIB stands for Rigid Inflatable Boat), but it offers a different kind of
thrill. Again, there’s the chance to see London from a different angle, but
at speeds of up to 30 knots you can take in a lot of London sights faster
than you would in the tour buses that you can see stuck in traffic on the
banks.
The tours are compered by professional stand-up comedians and actors who add a
touch of humour. This means you get more improvisation and less script, so
commentary is lively and engaging. The highlight for many though is the
high-speed shenanigans, when the boat tops 30 knots east of Tower Bridge and
does some scream-inducing twists.
In many ways the trips are worlds apart – the kayak is sedate and peaceful,
the rib fast and noisy, but both offer a unique perspective of the city from
its ancient waterway. There’s a chance with both that you’ll get wet, and if
the weather isn’t kind, you might get cold, but with a dash of adversity
comes a taste of adventure.
THREE WAYS TO SEE LONDON BY WATER
The Thames River Adventures
Sunrise Tour 1, which starts and ends at Tower Bridge at between 5am and 6am
lasts two hours and costs £70 per person. A similar sunrise tour on the
Regents Canal also costs £70 per person for two hours.
The London Rib Voyages standard
tour leaves hourly between 11am and 5pm from Westminster Pier, lasts 50
minutes, and costs £29 for adults and £18 for children under 16. Each boat
holds up to 12 passengers and will not operate with fewer than six
passengers (unless it’s a bespoke trip). Exclusive hire of the boat costs
£312. The company provides life jackets and waterproof jackets, with
trousers, hats and gloves available on request.
London Duck Tours also offers
river-based sightseeing trips. The company uses amphibious DUKW vehicles
that were used during the Second World War. The tour starts by road then
continues on water in the same vehicle, and costs £19 for adults, £15 for
13-15 year-olds and £13 for children. It departs from near the London Eye
and lasts 75 minutes.
Thoroughly recommend the rib boats on the Thames - by far the best 'ride' I've been on for years and the fastest thing on the Thames. You have got to give it a try. It's mad how quickly these boats get down to Canary Wharf and the Thames barrier.
Nick Harrington, Colchester,
Try Flying Fish Tours jet boat., It leaves from Blackfriars pier, lasts for 75 minutes, and is £21 if you book it on Last Minute. It is definitely better value giving an extra 25 minutes over London Rib's trip, more fun, and covers 14 miles of river! (www.flyingfishtours.co.uk.)
Mike, London, UK
I can recommend the Duck tour, it is absolutely brilliant. There are often discounts available from tourist magazines or websites, but even without that, it's worth the money.
susan coyle, powfoot, scotland
70 quid for a 2hr paddle on the thames? Do that 5 times and you can afford your own boat.
You're better off joining one of the many canoe clubs on the thames and organising a trip with the club yourself.
A great alternative way to see the city and great exercise but very unreasonably priced.
Phil, London, UK