Boating on the River Rother

Kayaks, canoes and rowing boats for hire on the River Rother at Northiam — ten-plus miles of flat, gentle water winding down towards Bodiam Castle.

When

Open seven days a week, excl. Christmas. Boat hire and camping run March–October; river cruises April–September; the Lime Wharf Café is open year-round.

Where

Riverside Cottage, Station Road, Northiam, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 6FE

Info

Visit the official website for more details

Bodiam Boating Station sits on the River Rother at Northiam, with kayaks, canoes, rowing boats and paddleboards for hire on more than ten miles of flat, gentle water. It's easy, unhurried paddling — no tides, no crowds, just reed banks, the odd heron and the slow green pull of the river. If you'd rather sit back and let someone else do the work, the station runs skippered river cruises down towards Bodiam Castle, and the licensed Lime Wharf Café serves breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea on the bank, with riverside camping pitches for anyone tempted to stay over.

Northiam is a twenty-minute drive up the valley from The River Haven. Make a morning of it on the water, then head back for lunch by the river — or turn it into a full day out, pairing the boats with the moated ruins of Bodiam Castle and a ride on the Kent & East Sussex Railway, both just along the line.