Route 2 - Yalding Down & Up (6-18km)

The Route

Get in at the canoe launch and head off to the right along the canal. You will paddle under the road bridge and arrive at the gates to Hampstead Lock. The canoe platform is on the right but you can also exit on the left although it is higher so may be unsuitable for some. You need to carry boats around the lock on the left across the grassy area.

Get back in below the lock using either the slipway(concrete ramp) or there is a low canoe platform alongside the wooden decking area. Keep an eye out for boats entering or exiting the lock. Once you are back on the water head off left along the navigation. You will shortly come to the junction with the River Medway. Turn left and you are now heading down river towards Wateringbury and Teston. Make a mental note of this point as you will need to turn off the main river at this point on your return. The only things to look out for on this stretch are fisherman and motorboats.

Wateringbury is 2.5km downriver from Hampstead Lock. You will know when you reach Wateringbury as it's the first road bridge you come to on this section of river. Before the bridge on the right is a small Marina where you can get food and drink at the Ramblers Rest. To get out here you need to paddle into their private basin using the entrance on the right and look for any low platforms available.

There are often a lot of swans just after the bridge but you shouldn’t experience any problems with them if you pass quietly.

Continue down river for another 2km and you will come to Teston Lock with Teston Country Park on the left behind the trees. As you approach the lock gates the low canoe platform is situated on the left hand side. There are toilets at the Country Park and depending on the time of year there are often refreshments and ice creams!

Teston Lock has the only canoe pass on this trip. Access to the pass is on the left under the footbridge. This is a nice wide and gentle pass with 2 separate slopes and a short shallow section between them. Use the pass if you want to continue down river or just for the fun of it! If you are continuing but don’t want to go down the canoe pass you can carry the boats along the left hand side of the lock gates and use the steps down to access the canoe platform below the lock.

Most people will stop at Teston and return to Yalding. If you have gone down the canoe pass just for the fun of it you can turn right at the bottom of the pass to access the canoe platform and steps to carry boats back up to the canoe platform above the lock

If you are continuing downriver from Teston turn left as you exit the pass and paddle under the medieval bridge. The next lock you come to is at East Farleigh but this is a further 3.25km so be prepared for a long journey back to Yalding!

As an alternative to paddling beyond Teston you could consider paddling back to Yalding to explore the River Beult which joins the River Medway at Yalding.

Exploring the River Beult

 

When you paddle down river from Yalding you also have the option of exploring a short 1.75km section the River Beult which is a tributary of the River Medway.

The entrance to the River Beult is upriver from where the navigation joined the River Medway so if you are on your way back from Teston paddle past the navigation where you came in from and continue up river.

As you paddle up river you will pass boat moorings and static caravans on the right. Just past these on the left is the entrance to the River Beult.

You’ll paddle under the Medieval bridge in Yalding Village and after this the river can get shallow and tighter in places (particularly in summer) but you can usually make it up to the next road bridge which is as far as you’ll want to venture before turning round. There is a small weir beyond the road bridge and we recommend you keep away from this.

When you get back down to join the River Medway you turn right and paddle past all the boat moorings until you come to the navigation on your left. Paddle back along the navigation until you get back to the canoe platform at Hampstead Lock. Exit at the platform or the slipway and carry your boats up and around the lock to the canal and then paddle back along to the Yalding Canoe Launch.