My SUP Stories

I like paddling with my partner. But she doesn’t always want to paddle with me. This surprises me, especially since I’m the one who even pumps up her board. Evidently, her reluctance stems from my tendency to prolong our SUP trips. She claims that they frequently turn into never-ending odysseys. This notion is entirely baseless.

“The London Legacy Loop is a classic,” I persuade my partner. So, we make our way from Richmond to London’s East End on public transport. It’s a straight-forward one-hour commute: walk to Richmond train station, take the train to Waterloo, hop on the Waterloo & City line tube to Bank, switch to the DLR to Limehouse DLR Station and finish with a five-minute stroll to Limehouse Basin.

Except… I first want to see Antony Gormley’s life-size sculpture entitled Another Time. I’ve read that it quietly appeared on the Thames foreshore in Limehouse in 2013. It’s only a little detour from our launch spot. However, finding the exact location behind the Grapes pub proves a bit trickier than I expected. And the walk longer. Especially with the effort of lugging our full SUP kit. My partner’s comment: “This is love, you know,” sums it up. The statue is fabulous.

We eventually get onto the water. The London Legacy Loop is an official British Canoeing challenge route. Today, we’re not aiming for any leaderboard records. The first stretch is on Limehouse Cut, the oldest navigable canal dug in London in 1770. The canal is arrow-straight and provides a nice shortcut between River Lea and River Thames avoiding the winding loops of the tidal Bow Creek.

The weather is ideal as we paddle through an urban landscape that embodies the essence of East London. Along the water’s edge, buildings tell stories of an industrial past when these canals were the country’s freight arteries. Today, they’re alive with gigantic murals and colourful street art, constantly changing. We even come across a touching memorial wall for two dogs, Marshall and Millions.

As we leave Bow Lock to our right and enter the Lee Navigation, multi-million-pound developments signal the area’s transformation. Surprisingly serene, no traffic disturbs the calm waters. Approaching Three Mills Studios, we hit a section severely affected by floating duckweed, but we just about battle through it. We work as a team, with me clearing a path ahead.

Turning onto the Old River Lea and then City Mill River, we find ourselves in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with iconic sights from the 2012 Olympic and Paraolympic Games. The London Stadium stands out and the ArcelorMittal Orbit graces the skyline. Epic!

We have to deviate from our route due to thick green carpet of duckweed at the Olympic Park. We backtrack to Old Ford Locks and adjust our plan. Instead of returning to Limehouse Basin, we opt for Plan B: paddling to Hackney Wick and taking the Overground back to Richmond. An hour with no changes sounds good.

Portaging at Old Ford Locks is a challenge, especially with the high walls. Even travelling as light as we are, packing and unpacking our wheelie SUP bags on and off the boards is a hassle. After crossing a narrow pedestrian bridge, we launch for the final stretch. I like this part before the Hertford Union Canal junction. It’s a lively scene with barges and towpath stalls offering street food and refreshments.

With more duckweed up ahead, we exit the water near The Milk Float. To ensure my partner joins me again, I treat her to a delicious pizza and chilled white at Crate Brewery‘s canal-side terrace. Surely an alfresco lunch, albeit a bit late, is the perfect fix for any situation.

Weird & wonderful

Mistakes I made on this SUP trip:

• Morning misstep: Taking the Waterloo & City line during the morning rush hour! Aptly nicknamed “The Drain,” this line lives up to its name, stopping only at Waterloo and the City (Bank). With City workers dashing to their financial district offices, the urgency and rush are real. Four-minute journeys and an army of commuters, what a start!
• Pub peculiarity: Going to see the Antony Gormley statue when The Grapes pub is closed! The Grapes, one of London’s oldest pubs, holds not only history but a view of the Thames and the sculpture. Sir Ian McKellen’s pub definitely has its secrets.
• Duckweed dilemma: Timing our SUP trip in prime duckweed season! In summer, London’s canals turn into green carpets, thanks to duckweed. It’s not algae – it’s harmless duckweed, each piece the size of a ladybird. Problem is, it loves warmth and multiplies fast, making SUP more like resistance training.
• Slide slip-up: Not booking a slot for The Slide at ArcelorMittal Orbit in Olympic Park! Missed the world’s longest and tallest tunnel slide, looping 12 times through twists, turns and drops. With £19 for a 40-second adventure, next time for sure!

Need to know

• Waterway: Flowing from the tranquility of rural Hertfordshire, the Lee Navigation makes its way into the heart of London.This route also covers stretches such as Limehouse Cut and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park waterways of Old River Lea, City Mill River and St Thomas Creek.
• Entry: Begin the adventure from a pontoon located in Limehouse Basin, right at the entrance of Limehouse Cut, London, E14 8EN.
• Exit: Conclude the journey at The Milk Float, Sweetwater Mooring, White Post Ln, London E9 5EN.
• Distance: The trip covered 8 km, but the official London Legacy loop is 10.5 km.
• More details: The launch point for the route is Limehouse Basin. It is a marina at the junction of three waterways: The River Thames, Regent’s Canal and Limehouse Cut. The closest station is Limehouse DLR. Parking can be tricky to find. Note that there is no stopping or mooring along the Olympic Park loop. Route information – PaddlePoints. Portages – 1 at Old Ford Locks (no locks on the official London Legacy Loop). Authority – Canal & River Trust. License – Yes (covered by British Canoeing membership).

If you liked this story, check these out my other London stories: Rower Central (Putney-Richmond), From Barbell to Board (Richmond-Hampton Court) & Checklist for Safe Adventures (Richmond).