Stour Kayak offers paddlesports adventures on the idyllic River Stour. An area made-famous by the world-renowned painters John Constable and Thomas Gainsborough. Home to an abundance of wildlife, from Kingfishers to Grey Herons, white-legged damselflies to butterflies, and majestic swans to grazing cows, it’s the perfect spot for your river-based adventure.
At The Henny Swan, we provide kayak, canoe and rowing boat hire, along with guided tours, team-building experiences, corporate events, and expert tuition—all set against the stunning backdrop of the tranquil English countryside. Reservations for the Henny Swan can be made here.
We also offer a full events and tours programme between April and September.
Beginning Spring 2025, we’ll be operating at an exciting new location in the heart of the beautiful Suffolk and Essex countryside, where we’ll be offering kayak, canoe and paddle board hire.
ABOUT US
Where can you find us?
The Henny Swan
Find us a short, four-mile drive away from Sudbury, Suffolk, in the village of Great Henny. We operate from the riverside garden at The Henny Swan, a highly-regarded and revered pub, with an extensive drinks menu, superb food, a large pub garden and views across the surrounding meadows.
The Henny Swan, Henny Rd, Great Henny, Sudbury, CO10 7LS. Find a map here.
Our New Location
For 2025 you’ll find us at beautiful new location on the idyllic River Stour. We’ll update this page soon with further information.
What’s on offer?
Craft Hire
We offer single kayaks, tandem kayaks (two-persons), Canadian canoes, paddle boards and rowing boats. All our craft are chosen for their manoeuvrability, stability and style. Available for 1, 2, 4, 6hr hire or multi-day hire. All craft hire include paddle(s), buoyancy aid(s), navigation map, and a thorough pre-launch briefing and safety talk.
Single kayaks, tandem kayaks and Canadian canoes are available across all hire locations. Rowing boats are only available at The Henny Swan. Where paddle boards are available they can be booked through our partner The Paddle Company.
Tuition and Lessons
Tuition and lesson are available from our friendly, patient and expert instructors. We offer open group lessons, and additionally private, bespoke tuition. For open group lessons, please see our events page. For private sessions (individuals or groups) please email us at ollipaddlelessons@gmail.com or hello@stourkayak.co.uk.
Corporate and Team Building
We offer tailored team-building and corporate experiences, including single and multi-day events, across our hire locations. Our expertly curated programs are designed for groups of up to 80 participants, combining thrilling water-based activities with land-based adventures and optional overnight camping for an unforgettable experience. Please email us at hello@stourkayak.co.uk for more information.
Events and Tours
New for 2025, we offer a full events programme throughout the year. This includes tours, group lessons, water safety initiatives and challenges. Check out our events page here.
What amenities and facilities are there?
The Henny Swan
Private launching of personal watercraft is only permitted from the time the pub opens. Please note that this option is only available to groups where some members are hiring from us. Those bringing their own craft will not be permitted to launch before the pub opens.
Toilet and washroom facilities are available when the pub is open, currently from 11.30am (12 noon on Sundays). We recommend checking their website for up-to-date opening times. Limited parking is available, but please travel in as few cars as possible. Food and drink are served from the Henny Swan. We recommend booking a table for their outside/inside restaurant, but reservations cannot be made for the riverside garden. There are no picnic facilities onsite, but you are welcome to take picnics on our boats.
When are we open?
The Henny Swan
April/May: Friday-Sunday, 10am-6pm
June: Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-6pm
July/August: Open every day, 10am-6pm
September: Wednesday-Sunday, 10am-6pm
October-March: Closed
School Holidays: Open every day, 10am-6pm
Our water craft
We don’t offer the bulky rental-spec watercraft typically offered by outdoor hire centres. Across all our hire locations, our watercraft are exceptionally stable, manoeuvrable in the water and stylish. We use Wave Sport Scooter, Wave Sport Gemini and Tootega kayaks, which are fitted with padded seats for comfortable paddling. Our rowing boats are stable and sturdy, and perfect for gentle family paddles.
You will receive everything you need for your adventure, including navigation map, paddle(s)/oars and buoyancy aid(s). A limited number of dry bags and waterproof phone cases are available for you to use.
2025 Prices
Online Prices
Single Kayak:
Up to 1 Hour - £14.00
Up to 2 Hours - £23.00
Up to 4 Hours - £42.00
Up to 6 Hours - £52.00
Tandem Kayak:
Up to 1 Hour - £28.00
Up to 2 Hours - £37.00
Up to 4 Hours - £56.00
Up to 6 Hours - £74.00
In-Person Prices
Single Kayak:
Up to 1 Hour - £15.00
Up to 2 Hour - £25.00
Up to 4 Hour - £45.00
Up to 6 Hours - £55.00
Tandem Kayak:
Up to 1 Hour - £30.00
Up to 2 Hours - £40.00
Up to 4 Hours - £60.00
Up to 6 Hours - £74.00
Rowing Boats:
£30 (1 Hour) | £40 (2 Hours)
Canadian Canoes:
£40 (1 Hour) | £70 (2 Hours) | £90 (4 Hours) | £120 (6 Hours)
For tuition, tours, events and corporate activities, please see respective pages or email hello@stourkayak.co.uk for more information.
Meet our Team
Team information coming soon.
