People
come to
us to build their own canoes in our riverside workshop. This makes a
lovely alternative holiday for a family or a group of friends. We
provide all
the materials, templates, instruction and as much hands-on assistance
as you require. The course is especially suited to people who lack the
space, the equipment, the experience or the confidence to build their
own canoe at home, but the method we use is so straightforward that you
will be able to make additional canoes when you get home, with your new
found skills. We use traditional hand tools for most of the work, and
the result is a canoe you will be immensely proud of.
We are now able to offer courses throughout the year,
please don't hesitate to get in touch to discuss your particular
preferences.
We are now able to offer a wide range of course options, and are much
more flexible on dates, so we can probably offer you something
suitable. The options now include one-to-one courses where you get the
full time personal attention of your instructor, and a "Come and Learn"
option which is considerably cheaper, where you attend the course to
learn all the skills so that you can build your own canoe when you get
home. The canoe building holiday ( includes accommodation, and your
family or a couple of friends can come along at no extra charge) is
£899, click here for the full range of prices and
details of these and other options.
It
makes a lovely family holiday. The Guardian newspaper awarded
us 11th place in their " 100 Flight Free Holidays" in 2008 which was very nice
of them..
We are currently advertising the courses on Ebay; you should be
able to find the ad if you search for "Wooden Canadian Canoe" on Ebay.
I strongly recommend that you buy your course through Ebay as this
provides you with the reassurance of a third party in the transaction.
Camping in our
riverside garden is free during the course, as is the option of a
comfortable flat ( for a couple) or the use of a simple wooden cabin (
with electricity and running water) which sleeps 4, or 5 at a pinch.
Alternatively you could opt for
B&B accommodation in the nearby village of
Rearsby. There is a recently renovated Travelodge at Thrussington just
3 miles away too. We have been
building canoes since 1994, and have gradually improved
the canoes we build, culminating in the Lakota canoe that we are sure
you will fall in love with. It has a lovely shape, modelled on Canadian
First Nation canoes. It can be paddled easily as a solo canoe but is
big enough to take the whole family. It is also light enough to carry
single handed and on the roof of your car. Best of all, YOU can build
one in just 3 days. The whole family can help with the process, an
experience you will all treasure. You will be so proud of the canoe you
will build.
We are based in
the English Midlands, just a few miles from the M1, in
the valley of the River Wreake, designated as an "Area of Particularly
Attractive Countryside"
The
address is
John Clohesy
Brooksby Station House, Hoby Road Brooksby Melton Mowbray Leicestershire LE14 2LE
The home phone
number is 01664 434689
Scroll down to
see some photos of the Lakota canoes we build here. Here is a
link to my photograph album.
To discuss building a canoe with fellow enthusiasts, why not log into Song of the Paddle, a lovely friendly
forum for like minded people.
