Check out what our customers have to say

Click here to leave your review

Just booked in for 2022, Can't wait to get on the boat again. Amazing service every time we visit and Fowey is wonderful to explore.
     
Norman Pearce, Bodmin, Mon, 7 Feb, 2022

Had a fabulous afternoon kayaking around the Fowey Estuary. The member of staff was so friendly and helpful and gave us a great route to follow. We were lucky the sun was shining and there was so much to see. Thoroughly recommend doing this activity, well worth the money and nice to burn off some of those pasty calories gained during the week.
     
Lizzy, East Sussex, Sun, 31 Oct, 2021

Love the river Fowey, pre-booked for 2021. Always somewhere to explore and the service is excellent.
     
Ben & Claire, Holsworthy, Tue, 2 Mar, 2021

As first time kayakers we did wonder if doing so on a damp October day would be a winning introduction to the sport and the possibility of it ending in disaster was high. I'm not sure if Ben thought the same when he saw us rock up in our inappropriate attire (not allowed to hire wetsuits during Covid 19) and learnt we had no idea what we were doing-if he did, he hid it well 😂‚ After the safety instructions and paddle guidance we were off on the water with Ben keeping a close eye on our group. I can't express what a delight time we had spotting kingfishers and other wildlife and thoroughly enjoying the river at a slower pace. Ben was an excellent guide with lots of historical knowledge. With his excellent tuition no disaster befell us and we returned to the quay planning to purchase a kayak soon. Best day in our week in Fowey, can't recommend it enough, thanks Ben you were fantastic.
     
Nicky & Louise, Epsom & New Forest, Fri, 30 Oct, 2020

Fantastic day exploring the river Fowey in our motorboat.
     
Julia, St Austell, Wed, 22 Jul, 2020

Great service, good kit and route plan. Spot on, see you again soon.
     
Andy, Bodmin, Wed, 22 Jul, 2020

If you're wondering if you should or shouldn't book a beginners Kayak experience, just book it! Ben took our group of complete strangers for a 3 hour paddle up river and all I expected was to learn how to Kayak. What you get in addition is a very relaxed time with lots of interesting information about the river, some wildlife sight seeing and quite a bit of humour from Bens questionable “true” tales like the reason Bodmin Moor isn't called Fowey Moor!!!! You soon forget that you're a beginner. He and Brett have worked for the Harbour Master for over 20 years so you are in excellent and safe hands. Thanks for a great time and I look forward to returning for the up-river Kayak tour.
     
Stewart, Surrey, Sun, 30 Jun, 2019

Great experience, A very knowledgeable guide. Would recommend to all!
     
Corrine, London, Sat, 25 May, 2019

Brett and the team are so great, very knowledgeable and easy going! If you want a chilled few hours/day on the river, whether it be by boat or kayak, Fowey River Hire is the place to go
     
Charleo, Par, Thu, 23 May, 2019

Had the best afternoon on the river, the staff are very friendly and gave us all the information we needed to operate the boat and the best places to go along the river, would highly recommended everyone to give it a go, had so much fun.
     
Laura Jane, Portsmouth, Sun, 19 May, 2019

We did a stand up paddle tour, we were all complete novices but that didn't matter. We was in very safe hands and we was all up on our feet paddle boarding really quickly with no previous experience. It's such a fun activity, we had a great time. We all absolutely loved the tour. You will be provided with everything you need.
     
Jodie, Kent, Sun, 19 May, 2019

Good value kayak hire, great brief on where we could get to within a reasonable time frame. Lots to see along the Fowey River, great day out.
     
Sarah Brightwell, Southampton, Wed, 15 May, 2019

Awesome Kayaking experience - manager was more then helpful. Great value for money.
     
Clare Harding, Barnstaple, Wed, 15 May, 2019

Absolute fun! We had a crazy time with these guys, they are professionals and know what they are doing. We were a group of 10, Brett and Ben let us customise our kayak tour as per our wants. Ben's patience with our unearthly kayaking skills made sure we reach the shore safely. The river tour with Brett and Ben is for one and all, friends, family. I'd recommend this to anyone and everyone especially to those who haven't been on a kayak, this a good way to start.
     
Mandar, London, Mon, 13 May, 2019

Our family of 4 had a lovely afternoon. This included an 8 year old and a 19 year old. Ben was helpful, friendly and accommodating from beginning to end. I suppose you could rent a kayak and kayak around yourself but that is all you would do. With Ben, it was more a Kayaking Tour of the river. He gave us lots of information at each point that we stopped at and the pace was just perfect even for an unfit person like me. The stop at the village was perfect. Great stuff
     
Karen, Uk, Mon, 13 May, 2019

“Our guide (Ben) was very patient with us, he laughed and smiled throughout; nothing fazed him. When our daughter tired towards the end and she climbed onto the escort boat, he took time to show her how it worked, which was above and beyond our expectation. We had a fantastic time and highly recommend the experience.”
     
Marta, uk, Thu, 18 Apr, 2019

Just needed to leave a review about Fowey river hire What a top bloke Brett is, so open honest and not a rip off merchant We hired wetsuits (but still to cold for an April dip) and then later 2 motor boats We had a fantastic time and felt safe even on a proper working river with Bretts guidance, knowledge & instruction I could not recommend this firm highly enough and it really is a must as part of your holiday
     
Chris, Nottingham, Tue, 16 Apr, 2019

I would absolutley recommend to do this. I was so impressed with the team and professionalism with their vast knowledge to put you at ease within minutes so that you can relax and enjoy what was an amazing trip to know a bit more of Cornwall in a totally different way. The stories and information at stop off points was so interesting too. Felt safe at all times and really felt like achieved a challenge! This has given me the confidence to do more kayaking and to come and do this again. wonderful memories for our holiday...Thank you
     
Suzanne Coutinho, Medway, Fri, 17 Aug, 2018

The safety briefings were fast and simple, giving you maximum time on the kayaks themselves. The guides did amazing jobs at keeping us engaged and safe. The information along the way was something you couldn't find out of a book quickley. The team worked well keeping around 30 of us together at all times. With small stops of information on the way to regain your energy, you knew the drink at the end was worth it.
     
Thomas, Morden, Thu, 16 Aug, 2018

We went with our 10 year old daughter and had a really great time. Really well organised trip with good safety instruction and support boat always with us .... just as well to keep any stragglers safe and to give a tow if needed. The guide was very knowledgeable and we stopped in several locations to take in the views and also to hear some interesting details and one or two 'tall tales'.... we all loved it and would definitely come again and recommend it for anyone... even with no experience as with my wife who had never done it before and cannot swim... she was so well looked after and the team took great care to make sure she had the right type of Kayak and always kept a close eye on her all the time. All in all a great and memorable experience .... thanks guys !. Bill, Elena and Sofia Oakdon
     
Bill, Uk, Thu, 16 Aug, 2018

You can be assured of a very interesting experience with these guys, Ben looked after us on the day and led us on a sight seeing tour up the River Fowey estuary to see the fantastic sights and wildlife, unfortunately it was a little too wet maybe for the seal and kingfishers to make an appearance, however Ben's stories kept us going. Would really recommend this experience to all ages.
     
Steve, Brocton, Thu, 16 Aug, 2018

We had a great day despite some very rainy weather, very knowledgeable guild and a very interesting tour. Ben was our guild and was fantastic! I would highly recommend. Suitable for any level!
     
Natalie, Henley-on-Thames, Thu, 16 Aug, 2018

Great trip on many levels, Good gear, good guides and stunning scenery, great adventure to do with teenagers. It helps that all the guides, staff are very charming and very easy on the eye!
     
Jane, Brighton, Wed, 15 Aug, 2018

fabulous family day out today with Fowey River Hire .The weather wasn't the best but Ben and his team kept us going and a very interesting and enjoyable day . Highly recommended
     
Susanne Nicholson, South Shields, Sun, 12 Aug, 2018

We had a fantastic family kayaking trip this morning!!! Our experience was Very professional, friendly and great fun from start to finish. Even though I grew up in Fowey I learnt loads more from Ben about a it's history. Which is great as I now run a B&B in Taunton and send all my guests enroute to Cornwall to Fowey. I ll be recommending a kayaking experience to them now plus adding in some extra history lessons!!! Fabulous experience for locals and visitors alike as you can never tire of a trip up the River Fowey 👌👍😀 Thank you so much
     
Rachael Knight, Taunton, Sun, 12 Aug, 2018

“Booked this trip as part of our family holiday to Cornwall. Really great 3 hour experience for my 8 year old daughter and I. Guides for the trip were pleasant and informative offering stories about the local area en-route up the estuary. We stopped for lunch at a pub in Gallant at the mid point where folk were having a quick pint and a sandwhich before the return leg. We took a picnic which was stowed on the safety boat fine along with phones, keys, wallets etc.. Points to note. Car parking is tricky in peak summer so get there in plenty of time ahead of your trip. The car parks there only take coins so have change. I think we paid £5 for the afternoon. You will get wet as you paddle so dress accordingly for this and also make sure you sun screen up. One of you in the kayak needs to be physically capable at least. The hoard of kayaks move's at a fair pace as everyone gets used to the kayak. Overall great experience and I'd do it again. Thanks to Brett's team for the event. ”
     
John Dixon, Norwich, Fri, 10 Aug, 2018

A great afternoon out in Fowey! Such an enjoyable experience for both my husband and I. The whole team that took us out was fantastic, would not hesitate to reccomend to anyone!
     
Rachel, London, Fri, 10 Aug, 2018

Fantastic first time kayaking. Harry was really friendly and had loads of good info to take us along on the trip. We also hired a self drive boat .. customer service fantastic. Upgraded to a bigger boat free as they were so busy. We fell in love with fowey. This is number 1 must do trip xx
     
Sarah, Pontypridd, Fri, 10 Aug, 2018

All went well and the guys were very helpful. I would recommend you don't where shoes as you could well need to get out of the kayak and get a wet foot ! If you can take a picnic as it's a quick turn around but a great day out and believe or not take some sunscreen.
     
Geoff, Dubai, Fri, 10 Aug, 2018

I went their with my two children (12 and a14 yrs.). The elder one had a cayak on her own. Although she had no experience at all with such an equipment, after the introduction of our guide, Ben, and a short while on the water, she was able to master the cayak and enjoyed the tour. Our guide, Ben, welcomed us in front of their base, the Fowey River Expedition, which is located right next to the Fowey Custom House Quay Landing on the car park Station Road. After an intense and well understandable introduction to the equipment, tour and environment we enjoyed a wonderful day on the water. Ben took us on a well planned tour. At a few stops he told us about the area, its' stories - such as the River Fowey Monster - as well as the local fauna and flora. Also, we rested in a nearby pub at about the half of the tour. Ben took pictures of the entire group and distributed them to us. Our valuables were dry and safely stored in a dry box in his boat. Overall, it was a fun tour, with interesting and entertaining talks.
     
Marcus, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, Fri, 10 Aug, 2018

Very well organised, lovely and beautiful area. Also he had a lot of knowledge of the local area.
     
Jean-Paul, London, Sun, 5 Aug, 2018

Thoroughly enjoyed our kayaking trip with Ben, lots of info and stories on the river and wildlife.
     
Adam, Caerleon, Fri, 3 Aug, 2018

“Really nice and relaxing! Felt well looked after, in a lovely area too!”
     
Millie Severino, Dagenham, Sun, 29 Jul, 2018

After our holiday everyone in the family rated their top 3 favourite things we did. Every single one of us said "kayaking!" as number 1!
     
Amy, Oxford, Fri, 27 Jul, 2018

This was an amazing and informative trip, the kayaks themselves were really sturdy and I was not worried about capsizing at all. An amazing guide and was full of really interesting info of the local land and sites! Pub stop was really beautiful, true country pub with a nice view of the river. I would highly recommend this trip out to make your Cornwall trip perfect. Very friendly staff and super amazing trip!
     
Emma, Manchester, Fri, 27 Jul, 2018

Loved our experience. The host was really knowledgeable and made the trip interesting. Would definitely recommend.
     
Rebecca, Nottingham, Tue, 24 Jul, 2018

We had a brilliant time on our tour with Ben last week. He was a very knowledgeable and funny guide and made us novice kayakers feel perfectly confident to paddle our way around the estuary. The pictures he took for us were great too! Thanks again!
     
Leah, Nottingham, Tue, 24 Jul, 2018

My family came to visit me so we decided to try kayaking with Brett and since they do not speak English I was slightly worried that they would feel left out but they did enjoyed it. It was really nice to be able to do something different and we did enjoy it a lot. None of us had any experience in kayaking, but we felt like professionals in the end. Would definitely recommend this activity.
     
Leva, London, Mon, 16 Jul, 2018

We had a fab afternoon out on the river with Ben and Ross. Felt really safe and had lots of laughs whilst exploring the river. A must even if you have never done it before!
     
Kev & Joey, London, Mon, 16 Jul, 2018

We booked a guided kayaking safari and were given the chance to try the new totally transparent kayaks. It was an amazing experience, especially when we had little fish below us. lovely place to kayak and see the area from a different perspective.
     
Ben Dawe, Salcombe, Thu, 31 May, 2018

The guys at Fowey River Hire went out of their way to make our first trip on a kayak a great one. They boosted our confidence, explained everything clearly and suggested a fab route. Thank you - we'll be back!!
     
Kate and Katy, London and Plymouth, Sun, 27 May, 2018

We had a beautiful sunny day for our kayak trip. My sister and I had a great time and I was the lucky enough to see the seal ! It was a nice small group and our guide was very informative and fun.
     
Ruth Finlay, Cornwall, Fri, 27 Apr, 2018

Fabulous Afternoon on the water, we had a party of 8 that kayaked and paddle boarded. The team in the shop advised us where to go and the best route. We all had great time, will defiently be back.
     
James Newman, Devon, Fri, 13 Apr, 2018

I would like to say what a great afternoon was had by myself and my son. Ben was the man in charge today and after the H and S was out of the way into the water we went. We did the 3 hour guided tour and it was very relaxed with regular breaks. During these breaks Ben shared his local knowledge with us. We had a longer break about half way into the trip which gave time for drinks and food. I would highly recommend the trip and the team and we can't wait to come back and do it again. I would recommend, that unlike me, you do not wear long trousers as your legs will almost certainly get wet, especially if your in the rear seat of the two man kayak. Thank you for a great afternoon.
     
Jason Evans, Rotherham, Thu, 20 Jul, 2017

Absolutely fantastic day out exploring the Fowey estuary.Good H and S talk before we started and excellent instruction on managing our 5 person tiller. Would highly recommend this as a great activity for all ages .
     
Ruth Pye, Brentwood, Thu, 20 Jul, 2017

Absolutely fantastic time, be prepared for a wet bum change of clothes and a towel are compulsory. Can't wait to go again
     
Jonathan leigh, St Austell, Sun, 28 May, 2017

Very highly recommend If you get the weather unbeatable environment to explore.
     
David Monroe, Newquay,, Wed, 7 Dec, 2016

Hugely appreciated the effort and knowledge Brett gave to us on our first ever boating experience. Our second family holiday in Fowey and i wanted to explore the river this time round. I booked online a couple of months before our arrival, Brett called the week before to confirm things and check i knew their location. On arrival day everyone was fitted with buoyancy aids, I was run through the controls of the boat and designated "captain". A very helpful boat pack with maps, tide times and route instructions was included. Finally Brett gave me a brief on how to and where to moor for the week. We had a fantastic week of adventure's and highly reconmend. See you Next Year.
     
Rick Booth, Newton, Dorest, Tue, 22 Nov, 2016

Just had a superb morning in the company of Luke, Owen and Ryan from @foweyriverhire. I'd definitely recommend their guided kayak expedition, no experience needed and includes a free upper body workout. Cheers chaps.
     
Mark Kane, Nottingham, Thu, 25 Aug, 2016

AMAZING!!!!! Fowey river hire deserves their excellent rating. This was the best kayak tour I have ever been on! My husband and I did many things during our stay in Cornwall but kayaking and paddle boarding in Fowey was the best part of our trip!!!! Our tour guide Harry was incredibly fun, professional, and showed us the best time. They provided nice, clean and tidy equipment and we stopped at a really great place for lunch. This excursion was worth every single penny and is definitely a great memory that we will never forget. You just have do this tour while in Cornwall !!!
     
Sam T, Bredbury, Thu, 25 Aug, 2016

Amazing trip on the river, such a friendly and helpful team who were able to answer all of our questions!
     
Gabrielle Brown, London, Thu, 11 Aug, 2016

Stunning day out on the river today! Whole family loved it!! Thanks for being so friendly and helpful.
     
Jenny Wood, Fleetwood, Thu, 11 Aug, 2016

The four of us had a great day exploring the river Fowey by Kayak in a group of 20 despite a couple of light showers, our excellent guides looked after us and taught us everything we needed to know on our first kayak experience and were very informative, sharing local history and wildlife tips. Would definitely do it again.
     
David, Wimbledon, Fri, 5 Aug, 2016

Highlight of our holiday, were not sure how hard it would be (with an 8 and 6 year old) so we did the guided tour with a safety boat first, 3 days later we came back to do a half day going up river (against the tide!!) on our own. The kids loved it and want to do it every holiday!
     
Gavin, Essex, Thu, 21 Jul, 2016

We had a great time kayaking the Fowey River. You didn't have to be an expert paddler to enjoy the trip. The water was crystal clear and very refreshing (we chose not to wear wetsuits). Before we got on the boats, they let us leave our valuables in a safe locked place. Will do it again and highly recommend.
     
Ben Hemsworth, Dundee, Thu, 7 Jul, 2016

Had another great time on a kayak on the River Fowey in mid-May. Started up river in the last 90 minutes of an incoming tide launching from Albert Quay, much easier than last time when the tide was going out. The kayak was very stable and despite the inevitable dripping from the paddle onto my legs, the rest of me remained dry. I went up the river past the Bodinnick ferry and the clay boat berths and had a good look at a magnificent 360-foot long clay boat (from a respectful distance) and then up to Golant, exploring the creeks, Penpoll Creek is wonderful, had a great time going round a few old decaying wrecks at the edge of the creek. I saw two herons, and glimpsed a kingfisher amongst the tree roots opposite Golant. Passing traffic was light, and easily avoided, and the odd cormorant came by. Coming back down I went around the harbour into Pont Pill (Polruan side) and had great views of the town and harbour. It's hard work to go kayaking, the tides mean that you always have to do something, and keep an eye out for 'steam', but a quick spin round is easy. The sights are fantastic and the whole thing feels very safe. I only did 3 hours, but time flew by. Tips, wear old clothes and bring a towel and a change of clothes for when you get back, and keep your legs moving regularly. You get a good kayak, buoyancy aid and a briefing and help getting launched, and you can get extras like a waterproof bag. This was, and will be next time, the highlight of my holidays in Fowey, an exhilarating trip, and I'm sure I burned off the doughnut I bought in Nile's to fortify myself for the trip.
     
Ed McFarlane, Harborough, Leicestershire, Sun, 22 May, 2016

Loved our day boat hire in Cornwall. Kayaking next time.
     
Zhang Lu, London, Thu, 19 May, 2016

We had a great day on the river, it was beautiful and peaceful. Thanks to Brett and Aiden for all of their help, making the trip very informative. Would recommend this experience to everyone.
     
Amanda Dalton, Humberside, Sun, 15 May, 2016

Very impressed! Will come back again for sure... Highly recommended!
     
Sam Boex, Cornwall, Thu, 7 Apr, 2016

If you visit Fowey and you want to properly explore the river and harbour you need to hire a kayak from these guys. Really helpful and friendly , explaining where the best places to go to. Up river we saw Kingfishers and Ospreys ! Yey!! Fab afternoon out . Recommended to everyone.
     
Kate Sutherland, Fowey, Thu, 7 Apr, 2016

Nice paddle today, saw two kingfishers. Had a pasty. Ideal
     
Richard Greet, Fowey, Thu, 7 Apr, 2016

Had a great day,Many thanks.
     
Adrain Smith, Northampton, Thu, 7 Apr, 2016

We had a great time! Our first time in a kayak and it's tougher and wetter than we expected. We paddled against the tidal flow which was hard work but with the flow on return. Rachel, our guide, was very helpful, knowledgable and told loads of stories about Fowey and the river, pointing out the wildlife, naming birds and keeping us out of harms way. We'll do it again, next year.
     
Terry, Bristol, Thu, 7 Apr, 2016

Whilst wondering through Fowey we saw the advertisement for Fowey River Expeditions and on spec decided to book for the following day. My wife was not keen but my two teenage children were well up for it and after some carefully applied “pester power” we booked for the following day. The tour starts in Fowey and involves kayaking about 90 minutes up the river to a local pub for lunch and then Kayaking back. All the equipment is supplied and we were accompanied by a safety boat and an experienced Kayaker. The trip is suitable for novices as there are stops every 10-15 minutes where our tour leader David regaled us with interesting stories and facts about the river and local area. You are advised to have a change of clothes as you will get a little wet and there is a dry box in the safety boat for valuables. In total the trip was about 4 hours long including the lunch stop. We all agreed this was probably the best thing we did in Cornwall, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone.
     
Nick, London, Thu, 7 Apr, 2016

We had an awesome time hiring out Kayaks and exploring the harbour - best day of our holiday!
     
Pete, Cornwall, Tue, 15 Mar, 2016