Docklands Adventures

You may have noticed upon arriving in London, the importance of the Thames. This 2,000 year old river has helped shape the storied skyline of this magnificent city, provides a stunning backdrop to many top tourist attractions and necessitated the construction of many illustrious bridges. Tucked away in East London along the Thames lies an area steeped in history. Once home to the eerie skeletons of new building development, it has been rejuvenated, rebuilt and become a bustling haven for water based activities: London’s Docklands.

You may not have visited London with the intention of seeking adrenaline pumping adventures, but in a few moments you may want to reconsider including this within your trip.

Canary Wharf

20 minutes from Westminster Tube Station on the Jubilee line lies Canary Wharf, perhaps the most well known area of the Docklands. In addition to being home to some dining hotspots and the world headquarters for banks, you are also within walking distance of the Millwall docks where you will find the Docklands Sailing and Watersport Centre. Here, activities such as sailing, rowing, kayaking, standup paddle boarding and windsurfing await you. With no other boat traffic to speak of, Millwall docks provide a perfect opportunity to learn any of these activities.

If you’d prefer to watch friends and family from the safety of land, there are plenty of dining and drinking options in the immediate area. The closest is actually one of Canary Wharf’s hidden gems: Pepper Saint Ontiod. With a quirky interior, fantastic drink list and great staff, you’ll still feel like you’re taking part in the adventures as you look out over Millwall Dock and watch your party float on the water.

Wakeup

For more adrenaline pumping activities, you’ll have to venture slightly further east from the City. A 25 minute DLR (Docklands Light Railway) ride from Bank Station is Royal Victoria (docks), home to a host of attractions, events and activities based around water including WakeUp and the London location for Big Crazy Flyboarding. Preferably, you should rather splendidly take the Jubilee line to North Greenwich, disembark and enjoy the spectacular views from the Emirates ‘Air Line’, which transports you by cable car across the Thames to Royal Victoria.

WakeUp is just beside the Emirates cable car station and here you can either learn to wakeboard or use your skills to hit their obstacle course. If you aren’t a wakeboarder, that’s not a problem as they also have paddleboards (and paddleboard yoga!) for you to rent and if you aren’t inclined whatsoever, you can always watch friends and families from the safety of WakeUp’s own bar: The Shack.

Big Crazy Flyboarding

Big Crazy Flyboarding; here, you will be fitted into their ‘BIG CRAZY’ boots affixed to a flyboard and propelled by a jet ski at the end of a 15 metre hose. Within minutes you can be hovering over water! This is a unique adrenaline ridden experience hard to replicate anywhere; the buoyancy jacket and helmet (supplied) mean that you don’t even have to be a good swimmer. But you must book in advance so make sure you call to arrange your session at their London location first!

As with Canary Wharf, if being on the water isn’t you, there is ample opportunity to grab a bite to eat or a drink, and watch your friends get soaked! The best vantage point is WakeUp’s own bar, “The Shack”. However, if you’d prefer a full meal, walk (1 minute) to Nakhon Thai, a modern Thai restaurant with an excellent menu and patio overlooking the water. Failing that, in the summer, there are food trucks that line the water, serving a host of different foods. Or simply head for London’s largest urban beach beneath the Emirates cable car on the embankment of Royal Victoria Dock (open to the public from 10am to 8pm from July 11 to August 31 2016) and simply relax in a deckchair (British weather permitting!).