Everyone is welcome to join this public event, and kayaks, canoes, and SUPs are all invited! It is suitable for novice paddlers and above who can comfortably cover 18 miles on flat water (around 4–8 hours).

The route follows slow‑moving grade‑1 rivers with four easy portages. Please ensure your group or craft is properly equipped. Once registered, you will be covered under British Canoeing’s event and public‑liability insurance. 

The event starts off at Elizabeth Park in Royal Leamington Spa. Participants will paddle downstream the River Leam, and upon joining the River Avon, you will continue downstream towards Warwick Castle.

After portaging the weir, you will paddle past Warwick Castle, the only opportunity for paddlers to complete this! Please do not stop at the grounds.

As you leave the outskirts of Warwick, participants will encounter the next milestone at Barford, where participants have the option to either run or portage a weir. Please follow instructions from the Event Marshalls, as there is a 2nd dangerous weir marked ‘No Entry’.

At around the halfway point, you will arrive at Hampton Lucy Weir. This is the best place for lunch along the route, but please be respectful of the field and take all rubbish with you. Again, you can either run the weir or portage on the river right before the weir. There is a 2nd dangerous weir marked ‘No Entry’. 

Soon after, you will reach Charlcote Park, where you will get to see the famous Victorian home set in landscaped deer park. We ask that participants do not land or stop for lunch as this is National Trust Grounds. Doing so will jeopardise us running future events, but feel free to grab some photos and watch out for the roaming deer!

A few miles after, you will reach Alveston Weir with a steep portage at river right to the left of the weir. Again, please follow instructions from the Event Marshalls as there is a 2nd dangerous weir marked ‘No entry’.

Your now on the home stretch! The finish is a few hundred meter after the bridge in Stratford-Upon-Avon on the river left, opposite the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, where you will be able to meet some of the Guide Dogs, grab an ice cream and relax in the sun after a long day paddling!

• The start location is Elizabeth Park: Elizabeth, Edmondscote Rd, Leamington Spa CV32 6AG

• The Start field will be open at 6am.

• Paddlers will be allowed to leave at 8am.

• No camping at the start field is allowed the night before.

• No cars can be left in the start field. They will be locked in. 

• The Start field needs to be empty (incl. no cars) by 10am.

The latest launch time from the start field is 9:15. 

• The Finish Location is Stratford-Upon-Avon Recreational Ground. 

• Please be respectful of other members of the public and wildlife using the surrounding area.

• The Doggy Paddle shuttle is a morning lift service that lets groups with only one car drop kit at the start, move a vehicle to the finish, and ride back to the start so transport is ready at the take‑out.

• Shuttle tickets will be available to purchase.

• We have limited shuttle capacity due to availability, it will also be limited to one ticket per booking. We encourage participants to organise their own shuttle on the day if possible.

• The shuttle will run between 6:45 and 7:45.

• The shuttle cars will be located at Stratford-Upon-Avon Recreational Ground, near the parking entrance. They will have ‘Doggy Paddle Shuttle’ sign in their windscreen, and will return you to the start location.

Groups/individuals must be suitably equipped for the paddle. It is highly recommended that buoyancy aids should be worn while afloat. Helmets are recommended if shooting weirs.

• A reminder that no ankle leashes should be used on Stand-up Paddleboards/SUP Paddlers. 

• Buoyancy Aids are required to run Weirs. Helmets are recommended.

• There are Safety Marshalls at each weir to provide assistance - please listen to them, they are there to help you. Any verbal or physical abuse against marshalls will result in removal from the event and ban from future events. 

• Please remember to bring any personal medication.

• Please dress according to the weather (hats, suncream), and bring sufficient water and food for the day. There is no refill station or opportunities to buy food along the way.

• Participants must bring their own craft, which must be river worthy.

• We do not have any repair stations/ pumps along the way.

• Please note that the Doggy Paddle Event organisers cannot accept liability to loss or damage to participant’s kit during the event.

The following car parks are available and a short walk to the start location:

• Victoria Car Park

• Adelaide Bridge Car Park

• Please do not park on Edmonscote estate as this is a residential area and want to minimise the impact to those that live there.

The following car parks are available near the end location:

• Recreational Car Park

• Participants will get wrist bands which must be worn throughout the event. Those without a wrist band will not be allowed to participate.

• We will check for wrist bands at all weirs throughout the day. 

• Juniors with wristbands, preferable to have parent/guardian contact details written on them.