Best Paddle Launch Points, Lechlade-On-Thames
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
Where to park and launch your kayak, canoe or paddle board on the River Thames. Paddle Launch Points, Lechlade-On-Thames
If you’re planning a paddle on the River Thames at Lechlade-on-Thames, one of the first things you need to work out is where you’re going to put your boat in.
Whether you’re bringing a paddle board, kayak, canoe or small inflatable boat, there are several options around Lechlade. But they’re not all equally convenient, and where you decide to park can have a big impact on where you can launch.
I recently came out nice and early for a paddle at Lechlade and thought it was the perfect opportunity to take a look at the different parking and paddle launch options around Lechlade-on-Thames.
Parking in Lechlade
That’s important because your choice of parking will really dictate where you can put your boat into the River Thames. Parking in Lechlade itself is relatively limited.
There are a number of options, but some of the car parks are quite small. There’s a small car park in the town, as well as another chargeable car park close to the river. The Riverside car park is a little larger, but from there you’re looking at roughly a five-minute walk down to the river.
That might not sound like much when you’re walking empty-handed. It’s a very different story when you’re carrying a fully inflated paddle board, a kayak loaded with equipment or a canoe!
So before you arrive, think about how far you’re prepared to carry your boat.
The Free Public Slipway
There is an option in Lechlade that a lot of people don’t seem to know about. There’s a small public slipway located between Lechlade Marina and The Riverside pub. And the interesting thing about this one is that it’s a free public slipway.
Access is via the very narrow Bell Lane, a public road. The downside? There’s nowhere to park.
You can drive down to the slipway to unload or inflate your paddle board and then drive back out again, but you can’t simply leave your vehicle there while you spend the day on the river.
The slipway itself is relatively small.
It’s suitable for:
Kayaks
Canoes
Paddle boards
Small inflatable boats
But it isn’t designed for larger boats.
This is one of those locations that’s easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there.
If you’re looking at a map of Lechlade, it’s located between Lechlade Marina and The Riverside pub.
You’ll need to combine it with another suitable parking arrangement if you’re planning to leave your vehicle while you’re paddling.
Launching From the Riverbank
There are also places where paddlers launch directly from the riverbank.
One option is on the London side of Halfpenny Bridge.
There is approximately a half-metre drop down to the river, so it’s possible to get a kayak or paddle board into the water. However, it’s not what I’d describe as an especially convenient launch.
You’re dealing with a riverbank rather than a dedicated pontoon or slipway and there isn’t much accessible riverbank along this particular section.
You have to travel further along the river before finding other practical options.
For an experienced paddler with a lightweight kayak or SUP, this might be perfectly manageable.
For a family, a large canoe or anyone carrying a heavy kayak, I’d look at the dedicated facilities instead.
Cotswold Canoe Hire Pontoon
Another option is the pontoon at Cotswold Canoe Hire.
The canoe hire operation is based at Park End Wharf and has its own access onto the Thames. If you’re hiring equipment from them, this is an obvious place to launch. For people bringing their own equipment, it’s worth checking directly with the company because there is a charge for launching and access will depend on their operating arrangements.
One thing to remember is that you can’t simply assume the pontoon is available when the business is closed.
If you’re planning to use it, contact them beforehand.
Lechlade Marina – My Preferred Launch Option
For me, the best option for parking and access to the River Thames at Lechlade is Lechlade Marina.
Lechlade Marina provides proper vehicle access, parking and dedicated facilities for launching.
And one of the things that surprised me when I started looking into the options around Lechlade is how many people don’t realise that you can launch a kayak or canoe at the marina. It’s not just somewhere for people who moor canal boats.
The marina provides facilities for smaller craft as well.
The Kayak Pontoon at Lechlade Marina
One of the best features of the marina for paddlers is its low-level kayak pontoon.
It’s designed to make getting smaller craft onto the water considerably easier. You can fit several kayaks on the pontoon at once – potentially around eight, depending on the size of the boats and how they’re positioned.
For a group of paddlers, that’s a big advantage.
Rather than everyone trying to launch separately from a riverbank, you have a proper access point where people can prepare their boats and get onto the Thames. The pontoon is also relatively low to the water, making it much easier to get into a kayak or launch a paddle board.
There’s Also a Full-Size Slipway
If you’re bringing something larger, Lechlade Marina has another major advantage. It has a substantial slipway capable of handling full-size boats. Obviously, that’s considerably more infrastructure than most kayak and paddle board users need, but it demonstrates just how accessible the marina is for different types of craft.
For anyone bringing a larger canoe, inflatable or other small boat, the slipway could be particularly useful.
Parking at Lechlade Marina
Another major advantage of the marina is the parking. Unlike some of the other launch locations around Lechlade, you can park your vehicle at the marina while you’re out paddling. That means you don’t have to carry your equipment several hundred metres from a public car park to the river.
For a full day’s paddle, that’s a significant benefit. It’s also a more secure environment, with controlled access to the marina.
How Much Does Lechlade Marina Cost?
The marina charges a fee for launching and parking. I recommend contacting Lechlade Marina directly or checking its website before travelling. For me, though, the small charge is justified by what you’re getting.
You’re not simply paying to put your kayak into the river.
Exploring the River Thames From Lechlade
Once you’re on the water, Lechlade is an excellent starting point for exploring the upper Thames.
You can head upstream towards the quieter upper reaches or travel downstream towards Kelmscott, Radcot and beyond.
The river provides a fantastic mixture of countryside, wildlife, historic buildings, bridges, locks and riverside communities.
And because Lechlade is so close to the upper reaches of the Thames, it makes an excellent base for a whole series of paddling adventures.
READ MY GUIDE ON THIS STRETCH HERE.
Watch my video on this below.
#LechladeKayakLaunch, #LechladeCanoeLaunch, #LechladePaddleBoardLaunch, #LechladeSUPLaunch, #KayakingLechladeOnThames, #PaddleBoardingLechladeOnThames, #RiverThamesLaunchPoints, #RiverThamesKayakLaunch, #WhereToLaunchAKayakInLechlade, #WhereToParkForKayakingInLechlade, #LechladeMarinaKayakLaunch, #LechladeMarinaSlipway, #UpperThamesKayaking #PaddleWithTom