Skip to content
Family in canoes sailing down river
Enjoy a canoe ride downstream on this Houghton Mill route | © National Trust/John Millar
Cambridgeshire

Houghton Mill trout stream loop

Enjoy a delightful canoe paddle from Houghton Mill down the Houghton trout stream to Hemingford Lock, and then return on the River Great Ouse.

Licence requirement

Don't forget you'll need a licence – contact the Canal & River Trust or British Canoeing for more information.

Total steps: 4

Total steps: 4

Start point

Houghton Mill, grid ref: TL281720

Step 1

Launch your canoe from the portage located through the mill. (If you do not have a boat of your own you can hire one from a local boat hire company. For more details contact: Neil Chapman, Houghton Boats, tel: 07759 316260). Set off downstream.

Step 2

Shortly after passing Houghton Mill pond, paddling downstream on the River Great Ouse, you will see a weir on your left. Continue past this weir and in a short distance you will come to two more weirs close together on your left. Portage your canoe/boat down to the Houghton Trout Stream and continue downstream towards Hemingford lock.

Step 3

The Houghton Trout Stream joins the River Great Ouse slightly downstream of Hemingford Lock. As you enter the River Great Ouse turn upstream and proceed to Hemingford Lock. Portage your canoe/boat past the Lock and continue upstream to Houghton Mill. On this leg of your journey you will pass St James' Church on your left, a weir on your right, Battcock's island in the middle of the river (keep to the right of this island) before passing the weirs you saw earlier on the downstream leg of your journey.

Step 4

Return to Houghton Mill, where you can relax and enjoy a well deserved lunch at our riverside café.

River lock at Houghton Mill, Cambridgeshire
Houghton Lock | © National Trust

End point

Houghton Mill, grid ref: TL281720

Trail map

Map of Houghton Mill trout stream loop
Map of Houghton Mill trout stream loop | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey

You made it

Share your experience

More near here

A view of Houghton Mill across the river in winter, Cambridgeshire
Trail
Trail

St Ives and the Hemingfords walk 

Discover unspoiled villages and an old market town, alongside water meadows and the delightful Ouse valley landscape, on the St Ives and The Hemingfords walk.

Activities
Walking
DistanceMiles: 5 (km: 8)
Visitors canoeing at Attingham Park, Shropshire
Trail
Trail

Canoeing from Houghton Mill to St Ives 

Enjoy a couple of hours canoeing with the family from the National Trust's Houghton Mill to the historic town of St Ives, Cambridgeshire.

Activities
Canoeing
DistanceMiles: 5.5 (km: 8.8)
A view of Houghton Mill across the river in winter, Cambridgeshire
Trail
Trail

Huntingdon and Godmanchester walk 

Head off through a watery landscape in search of lost mills on this 8-mile walk through the delightful landscape of the Ouse valley.

Activities
Walking
DistanceMiles: 8 (km: 12.8)
View across river and meadows
Trail
Trail

Houghton Mill and Houghton Meadows walk 

Follow this circular walk across the water meadows and over the Ouse valley landscape as you discover the history of the local area.

Activities
Walking
DistanceMiles: 1.8 (km: 2.88)

Get in touch

Mill Lane, Houghton, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE28 2AZ

Our partners

Cotswold Outdoor

We’ve partnered with Cotswold Outdoor to help everyone make the most of their time outdoors in the places we care for.

Visit website 

You might also be interested in

Walkers climbing rocks against a bright blue sky with the mountains in the distance at Sugarloaf, Monmouthshire

Walking 

Explore some of the finest landscapes in our care on coastal paths, accessible trails, woodland walks and everything in between. Find the best places to walk near you.

A group of people in a hiking group are being guided on a hike by rangers at Marsden Moor, West Yorkshire
Article
Article

Cotswold Outdoor: our exclusive walking partner 

Find out more about the National Trust’s ongoing partnership with Cotswold Outdoor as our exclusive walking partner.

Visitors kayaking on the sea past the Old Harry Rocks, Purbeck Countryside, Dorset
Article
Article

Staying safe while canoeing 

While canoeing and kayaking are great ways to experience nature and keep fit, they can be dangerous if you don't follow the guidelines. Learn how to stay safe with our advice and guidance.

Visitors canoeing on Tumbleton Lake at Cragside, Northumberland
Article
Article

Outdoor activities at Houghton Mill 

Find out how you can get active on your visit to Houghton Mill and Waterclose Meadows with a range of walking and cycling trails as well as scenic canoeing routes close by.