From an early age I had been drawn to journeys by Canadian canoe. Stories of the Voyageurs crossing remote lakes and wild rivers. The simplicity of the craft along with the load carrying capacity made it perfect for extended wilderness expeditions. A dabble with canoeing on a lake in the far north of British Columbia while following the Alaska Highway with a family when I was 10 years old, perhaps inspired me to build a canoe  some 7 years later.

The construction site was my parent’s living room while they were living abroad. There was much debate whether the craft would fit through the door or window on completion. Several river journeys near to home, and to Wales followed, but over the years we really have never fully explored this mode. We had dreams of exploring rivers in Scotland. I remember having a typed up guide to the Spey ordered from the Scottish Canoe Union back in the early 1980s.

Now 43 years later with potentially more time we plan to re-explore this method of travel. However we don’t really like the idea of long journeys by van to reach the wilds of Scotland! Public transport would be far more enjoyable. So we needed a set up that could go on the train, get from the station to a river or loch, canoe across the water, and carry all our supplies for multiple days. 

After much research and deliberation we have come up with a folding canoe, folding bikes, and a folding trailer to take the canoe. Lots of challenges through the thought process with dimensions and carrying capacity of the bikes and the canoe. Although slightly eccentric the set up looks like it might really work. The 16’ canoe is a skin and frame setup, paddles like a rigid canoe and has very good carrying capacity. The folding bikes, trailer and all our kit can be stowed centrally in the boat. On land the folded canoe sits nicely on the trailer and our waterproof kit bags fit on our Brompton folding bikes. 

All looks pretty good and a great combination of our two loves, cycling and canoeing. Well let’s see if it really works. A trial run to canoe and bike Portsmouth to London, following the old navigation that had connected the two cities to transport, gun powder, guns and bullion without the risk of going out to sea and running the risk of an encounter with the French. A distance of 115 miles, crossing Langstone and Chichester harbours, the river Arun, the Wey and the Thames. Sections of canal between the rivers were very often in disrepair and nonexistent. We would bike these sections following the original route as much as possible. This too became very much part of the adventure finding odd ditches, bridges and canal engineering in lone fields. With a train journey to Portsmouth and the return one from London at the end we would be testing all modes of the equipment and it made for a great local adventure that had many surprises.  We were struck by the beauty along the river bank, the flowers, luxuriant foliage and profusion of bright insects, and the friendly people we chatted with. The following daily videos give a picture of the 8 day journey showing the change from open water harbours to picturesque parts of Sussex and Surrey, to the smart river houses of the Thames to fancy rowing clubs of West London and the contrast of the Urban landscape.