With the Thames just down the road and some stand-up paddleboards ready to hire, it didn’t take much convincing to get a group of us onto the water for a day. We’d been watching Ed Pratt’s Source to Sea series and figured… how hard could it be, right? Our mission: paddle 18km from Cricklade to Lechlade.

Getting Set Up

Our adventure started in classic style — almost according to plan. We were meant to have four boards, but only three were actually available when we arrived. Luckily, the carpark near Cricklade had just enough wiggle room between the bollards to squeeze the cars through. A few hundred meters from the river, it made for an ideal launch spot: spacious, easy to access, and a handy wooded area nearby for getting changed.

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We stashed our “top of river” and “bottom of river” bags in the correct cars — an important bit of logistics that paid off later. Two of us stayed back to start setting up the boards while the others shuttled a car to Lechlade to meet us at the finish. What should’ve been a quick trip turned into a 1-hour-15 saga thanks to traffic and a stubborn parking machine.

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Meanwhile, back at the launch site, we discovered a classic rookie mistake: pumping up all three boards… only to realise we hadn’t put the air-stopper pins in. Cue dramatic deflation. After a second, much more successful round of inflating, and some wetsuit-wrangling in the woods, we were finally ready to hit the water.

On the River

Launching off the bank one by one, we were full of energy — for about 30 seconds. Around the first bend, the river threw down its first challenge: a full-on tree blockade. We had to haul the boards out through thick mud and a charming mix of stinging nettles. Proper adventure vibes.

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The early section of the river felt wild and overgrown, with lots of low-hanging branches and hidden logs. Half the time we were ducking under branches or bumping our way over submerged ones. It was slow going — took us about 1.5 hours to cover the first 2km — but it was all part of the fun.

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After a quick lunch stop (basically sitting on our boards eating squashed sandwiches), the river widened out, the pace picked up, and the atmosphere switched from jungle expedition to gentle cruise. We glided past swans, ducks, and the odd swan nest (which we gave a wide berth).

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At Castle Eaton, the river shallowed under a bridge, so we had to hop off and walk to avoid wrecking our fins. Fortunately, soon after, a steady tailwind picked up, helping us along nicely through open fields and past the pretty houses of Kempsford.

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Around kilometre 12.5, we found the perfect fallen tree sticking out into the river and stopped for a proper break. It was about then that our toes started to notice how cold water shoes really get after a few hours…

The final stretch into Lechlade was stunning: wide river, strong current, cows and sheep grazing peacefully by the banks, and some impressive boats moored along the edges. As we came into town, the finishing point was easy to spot — just upstream of Lechlade’s main bridge.

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We washed off as much mud and twig debris as possible in the river before hauling the boards through Riverside Park back to the car.

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Wrapping Up

After a very necessary outfit change and some creative board-packing, we piled back into the car, swung by Cricklade to grab the other car, and celebrated with tea and food at The White Hart Pub. Solid food (if a bit on the pricey side), and the perfect way to warm up before heading home to deal with the mountain of soggy kit.

Final Thoughts

This was a brilliant day out — just the right distance to feel like a challenge without turning into a slog. The early, branch-dodging sections made it feel like a real expedition, but the tailwind and open river later on gave our tired arms a break. Shuttling the cars around was a bit of a faff but worth it in the end.

Things we’d tweak next time:

  • Bring better water shoes (cold feet are no joke).

  • Try the Riverside pub in Lechlade.

  • Pack the board bags into the bottom car for easier packing at the end.

And huge thumbs up to dry bags — they kept our gear dry despite some very sketchy moments!

Kit Lists

On the Water:

  • Wetsuits

  • Raincoats (great for extra warmth even without rain)

  • Drybags for valuables (phones, wallets, keys)

  • Warm water shoes (worth it)

  • Optional gloves (plus spares because wet gloves are sad gloves)

  • Snacks & water

  • Board pump

  • Duck tape (always handy)

  • Rope for tying gear to boards

In the Bottom (Lechlade) Car:

  • Warm clothes and dry shoes

  • Towels for you and the boards

  • Bin bags for wet kit

  • Extra snacks and drinks for when you finish

  • Ideally, bags to stash the boards once packed down

Honestly, if you’re looking for a different kind of day trip — a mix of adventure, chill, and a little bit of problem-solving — this paddle is a brilliant option.
Already looking forward to the next one.