PARTNERS
We have plenty of amazing friends that we can personally recommend.
Fun for Young People (YMCA)
Fun for Young People is a fantastic charity based in Bedford providing youth activities for young people in Bedford and Kempston. We deliver our adventure school programme in partnership with them, building life skills and a lifelong love of the outdoors. The young people enjoy canoeing, kayaking, bushcraft skills, overnight camps in our woodland, and even our ever-popular residential in the Peak District, exploring further afield.
http://www.ymcabedfordshire.org.uk/f4yp/
Forest of Marston Vale
The Forest of Marston Vale is one of our stunning and important Millennium Forests. A legacy project to reforest huge areas of land the Forest Centre is the hub for a stunning series of walks, woodland planting and nature reserves. We work closely with the Forest of Marston Vale Charity on events, the Grange Estate, 300 acres of riverside woodland and lakes and general support.
https://www.marstonvale.org
Woodland Ways
Woodland Ways are the leading force in Bushcraft and Survival Skills with woodlands and courses around the UK. Set up by Jason Ingammells a pioneer and voice of the industry we are proud to work closely with Woodland Ways delivering canoe and bushcraft courses, canoeing and sea kayaking expeditions and our ever popular Yukon Canoe Expedition. Woodland Ways have an excellent online shop retailing some of the best bushcraft and outdoor equipment available from their base in Derbyshire.
https://www.woodland-ways.co.uk
Paddler Magazine
Paddler Magazine are the voice of paddling, canoeing, kayaking and SUP in the UK. They also publish SUP Magazine and Windsurf magazine. Paddler founded by Peter Tranter are the main media partner of British Canoeing, the National Governing Body, NGB for paddlesport. Richard and Ash have written articles for Paddler Magazine over the last decade about where to canoe, bigger expeditions and lots of advice for paddlers.
https://paddlerezine.com
Bushcraft and Survival Skills Mag
As the former editor of the Bushcraft and Surivial Skills magazine Richard is a regular writer and authority in the world of Bushcraft. Other team members Adam and Bob are also Bushcraft ninja’s each with their own areas of expertise including friction fire. lighting, and campfire cooking. We work closely with the Bushcraft and Survival Skills Magazine writing, speaking at the Bushcraft Show and running the watersports.
https://thebushcraftshow.co.uk
Ride Leisure
Ride Leisure are Bedfordshire’s premier watersports lakes with a giant aquapark, 4x4 driving activities, wakeboarding and a host of other activities. Co-located at Wyboston Lakes, the lakes and club house offer stunning food, drinks and lake side ambiance. Canoe Trail work with Ride Leisure providing air guns, low ropes, bushcraft and paddling activities for their corporate events.
https://rideleisure.co.uk
Carers in Bedfordshire
Carers in Bedfordshire are an amazing local charity providing support for carers in our county. Canoe Trail work closely with their young carers team delivering our Adventure School programme with woodland camping, canoe, kayak and SUP courses, water safety and bushcraft activities.
https://www.carersinbeds.org.uk
Bedford Borough Council
We are proud to live in Bedfordshire where the river is the heart beat of the town. Bedford Borough Council are a progressive organisation who run a large number of fantastic events including the Bedford International Kite festival and the Bedford River Festival, the 3 rd largest outdoor event in Europe. We work closely with the Sport Development Unit and the Events team where Canoe Trail has delivered the watersports arena and adventure village for the past 16-18 years and also run our adventure school programme as a holiday club.
https://www.bedford.gov.uk
LOCAL FRIENDS
Buying local is important to us. We support local and British suppliers wherever possible in a number of different ways
Buy Local
Browns of Stagsden
Local farming family Browns of Stagsden(est 1959) provide our free range and high welfare standard meat for all our canoe and camping trips from youth camps to corporate events and also our popular free range food hampers. You may be able to buy cheaper but not better. The meat travels 15 miles field to fork in many cases and the farm shop is less than ½ mile from our offices.
https://www.brownsofstagsden.co.uk/
Sinfields Fruit and Veg
Sinfields are a family run fruit and veg business with over 100 years experience of supplying fantastic fruit and veg at good prices. They are local to us and located in the same village as our riverside woodland campsite. We have used them for years on Bedford market so it is great to work with them for the business as well.
https://www.facebook.com/Sinfield-Fruiterers-791789724244933/
GCH Fish
GCH are our local fish mongers with an eye for the best fish, sustainability and years of experience. Although founded in 2015 as a ‘new family’ business dad Gary has been in the fish trade for years and was the seafood specialist for Tesco’s. Son George was a trainer for fish operations for a large supermarket and both of them have been active in the fishing trade industry. We are proud to work with them to supply high quality fish for our customers and BBQ’s.
Buy British
Silverbirch Canoes and Tootega Kayaks
We have worked with British manufacturer Silver Birch Canoes since the beginning and have known Director Steve for decades through the world of surf kayaking. Friends and suppliers we have changed all of our fleet to Silverbirch using their Duralite plastic and have 15ft, 16ft and 17ft Duracore canoes with over 35 in the fleet in a variety of stunning colours.
We use the same canoes for our white water training opting for their highline models and offer a try before you buy service with a demo fleet. Based in Attleborough we love visiting and loading up new canoes. We sell new and second hand silver birch canoes. They also produce the Tootega ‘sit on top’ range with fantastic hatches, fittings and even rod holders for fishing.
Motiv Trailers
Motiv are in our opinion the best trailers on the market. We changed over 3 of our trailer fleet to their robust and functional trailers.
WE SUPPORT
Other activities we support.
http://www.active4seasons.co.uk
Nestled just South of the Scottish Borders in the historic walled town of Berwick Upon Tweed Active 4 Seasons offer some of the best paddling in the UK and possibly the world. Olly Jay is a qualified teacher, kayak and canoe coach and all-round master of paddling. You can canoe the magnificent River Tweed or sea kayak the iconic Northumberland Coast with must see locations such as the Farne Islands and incredible caves. They offer canoeing, kayaking and coasteering.
Located in the Yukon Territories in North Canada Up North Adventures offer canoeing, kayaking and outfitting from Whitehorse and in winter ski, dog sled and skidoo. The team have an impressive CV of outdoor skills and experience and put simply will make your holiday or adventure the trip of a lifetime. Richard has worked with the. UpNorth team on several of his adventures.