Tag: Urban
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Paddle London: Seen from the Water – Street Art
Vandalism, activism or art? Researching Paddle London has turned me into a bit of a street art spotter. Along London’s waterways, there’s the political, the playful, the beautiful and the downright odd. I’ve rounded up 10 pieces and places that stayed with me, from Camden to Hackney Wick and beyond.
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Paddle London: Seen from the Water – Glimmers
Urban paddling is full of tiny surprises — a sketcher at City Road Lock, a bookswap box at Enfield Lock, a coot nesting in a boat fender. I’ve put together ten small glimmers from my London paddles that made me smile.
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What my book Paddle London is all about
I wrote a book! After two years of researching, paddling, planning, photographing, mapping and working with Bloomsbury, Paddle London, my guide to 40 paddleboarding routes in and around Greater London, is now available to pre-order (https://amzn.eu/d/3BUBviV). It’s full of the practical details paddlers actually need: launch points, portages, distances, public transport, car parks, licences, safety,…
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SUP Tips: Tides, Weir & Flow at Richmond, Thames
Ready for a Richmond Thames paddle? Know the tides, river flow and how the Richmond lock and weir impact paddling.
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SUP Stories: Louise (London)
If you’ve ever paddled on the Thames in southwest London, chances are you’ve seen Louise out on the water. Always smiling, always quietly outpacing the rest of us. She’s been paddling for over a decade and was one of the first to take the ASI instructor course with Steve West in Brentford back in 2012.…
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SUP Stories: Anu (London)
A New Series: Real Paddlers, Real Routes I’m starting a new blog series celebrating people who’ve made SUP part of their lives. Not pros. Not influencers. Just real paddlers, finding joy on the water. Each post will share why they paddle and their favourite route, one they’d recommend to two others, who I’ll then interview…
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SUP Route: London Legacy Loop, Limehouse
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.…
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SUP Route: Richmond 5am Club, Thames
Early bird? No, I’m not a morning person. In fact, I’m barely even a person until I’ve had my second cup of tea. And staying up late into the night? Night owling is not my style either. So what does that make me? Perhaps a daytime squirrel, darting about during the daylight hours. I’ve been…
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SUP Route: Venice, Italy
I usually paddle in Little Venice in London. I’m excited to see if there’s any resemblance to the real Venice in Italy. Venice is built on a group of 118 small islands with no roads or cars, making it a pedestrian-only zone. The islands are connected by canals, bridges and walkways. The transportation options are…
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SUP Route: Cambridge
Punts are to Cambridge what gondolas are to Venice. These flat-bottomed wooden boats have been around since the 19th century, navigating the shallow waters of the River Cam by way of a long pole. What started as a leisure activity for Cambridge University students has since become a top attraction for thousands of visitors. Can…
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SUP Route: Richmond-Hampton Court, Thames
I cheated this winter. I completely neglected my relationship with SUP and had an intense affair with the gym. It was all physical. In the warm embrace of the indoors, I was swept away by the allure of the barbell, kettlebell and sorry, the ski erg! More about my gym Barch in a separate post…
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SUP Route: Putney-Richmond, Thames
I travel to Putney on the District Line and walk to our launch point. So thankful for my wheelie bag! Like most Saturdays, the Embankment is heaving with rowing crews. Just before low water, the ebbing Thames has left the concrete slipway along the riverbank muddy and slippery. We pump up the boards and wait…
My SUP Stories 