Regular Thames sessions begin 14th May – See Events and Regular Meetings pages
If you’ve ever fancied your hand at canoeing in one of its many forms, or you are an experienced paddler who has moved to London, we hope the Club will have something to offer you.
We are a small, friendly, mixed club of enthusiastic canoeists, of all abilities, ages and interests mainly based in the London area. Membership is open to members of CSSC Sports and Leisure. This means that now MOST PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES ARE ELIGIBLE TO JOIN our canoe club when they join our parent organisation, CSSC. Membership is no longer restricted to civil servants. The cost of membership of the Canoe Club for the remainder of 2024 for new members is £30 and annual membership of CSSC is an additional £60 (about a fiver less for retired people).
We meet weekly, and also have a programme of weekend trips, both locally and throughout the UK, as well as holidays abroad. Our current interests are touring, white water and sea kayaking.
For newcomers, this site aims to give you an introduction to the Club, and what we get up to; tell you how to contact us for more details, to join etc.
For members, the site aims to provide a useful reference source – for the latest Calendar information, Club rules, forms etc, plus links to useful web sites etc, including information on canoeing elsewhere in the UK, and on other sports and leisure activities available in the Civil Service.
CSSC members and their family can visit over 300 English Heritage sites for free, see English Heritage Website.
For details of access to Cadw sites in Wales see- https://www.cssc.co.uk/offers/free-entry-into-cadw-sites/
Membership
To become a member of the club you must also join (or already be a member of) CSSC Sports and Leisure (CSSC)*.
*Anyone who is an employee in the public sector or of Royal Mail, BT, or companies carrying out ex-civil service work; or is a past employee of one of these organisations who is retired on pension is eligible to join CSSC direct. If you aren’t in any of those categories (for example you are not in employment, are self-employed, or work in the private or voluntary sector) you can join CSSC by being nominated by a friend or relation who is an existing member.
Weekly meetings – Summer Thames Sessions
Thames sessions normally take place every Tuesday evening from early May to the end of September.
Weekly meetings – Autumn/Winter Swimming Pool Sessions
In recent years during the autumn & winter Tuesday evening sessions have taken place at a pool in London. For a taste of what goes on see- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdN_o5UBpPw .
River Thames recreational users website
Click the link above for the Port of London Authority’s recreational users website. (The PLA are in charge of the Thames between Teddington and the sea). Among other things there is an interesting video on rowing (includes paddling) through Central London. There is also a section specifically on Canoeing.