Boating at Cliveden

Boating has been a popular pastime at Cliveden for over a hundred years. Cliveden Reach is renowned as one of the prettiest spots on the Thames. Find out more about how you can enjoy boating here.

Plenty of ways to enjoy the river

‘Boating at Cliveden’ is a boating service, running daily between April to October, subject to river and weather conditions. To reduce pollution, the fleet is fully electric with skippered cruises and self-hire vessels including electric motorboats, Canadian canoes, rowing boats and a pedal boat.

A history of boating for pleasure

Boating on the Thames was a late Victorian and Edwardian craze in most social classes. One of the prettiest stretches of the river, Cliveden Reach had the heaviest traffic of any up-river lock, and on one single day in 1894, a record 129 launches and nearly 1000 smaller craft passed through it.

By 1939, the river-loving Astors owned a varied collection of river craft including skiffs, canoes, (both rowing and Canadian) punts, whiffs, a dinghy and an electric canoe.

Inspiring Wind in the Willows

In 1908 the river was brought to life in Kenneth Grahame’s well-loved children’s classic, The Wind in the Willows. A regular visitor to Cliveden, it is believed Grahame was inspired to write the book by spending time on Cliveden Reach. Why not ‘mess about in boats’ like Ratty and Mole on your own boating adventure?

How to book

Please visit our third-party operator's Boating at Cliveden website for full details.

The Duchess of Sutherland boat on the water at Boating for Cliveden | © ©National Trust / Sue Green

The 2025 Boating Season commences on Thursday 3 April

Liddesdale

Restoring the Liddesdale Canoe

Cliveden has always made the most of its position on the Thames, never more so than during the early part of the 20th century when the Astor family and their guests enjoyed pleasure cruising along Cliveden Reach, a stretch of the river running below the house.

One of the Astor’s boats was a specially commissioned electric canoe named ‘Liddesdale’, beautifully constructed from mahogany. Electric canoes were very popular at the time, running silently and elegantly on battery power.

When the Astor family left Cliveden, the electric canoe was sold. Twenty-five years ago, the Liddesdale came back to Cliveden when the Cliveden House Hotel bought it. However, by 2016 the canoe had fallen out of favour and into disrepair. Thanks to the generosity of donors, the National Trust acquired this once-cherished vessel. A fundraising appeal raised £25,000 for restoration to take place and in 2019 boat builders worked on the canoe inside Cliveden’s Boat House.

This project has ensured the survival of one of the UK’s few remaining historic electric canoes and enabled everyone to enjoy canoe trips just like the Astor family did along Cliveden Reach, on the very same stretch of the Thames that entertained guests at Cliveden for centuries.

Booking a trip on Liddesdale

Enjoy a 45 minute cruise on this iconic reach of the River Thames. Liddesdale was built in the 1920's in nearby Maidenhead as one of the early electric canoes on the Thames which became the height of fashion, taking advantage of Cliveden's state of the art generator house to charge her batteries.

Please note the seating position is very low, passengers will be in a seated position with legs outstretched for the full duration of the cruise. If you are not comfortable in this position we would recommend enjoying your time on the river with one of our skippered cruises aboard the Duchess of Sutherland.

Liddesdale is a traditional open electric canoe with no cover. In order to protect her from the elements cruises may be cancelled at short notice in the case of wet weather - please ensure the contact details provided when booking are correct. Bookings will be rescheduled or refunded if this is the case.

Available Mondays, Fridays and Sundays. Please note: From 7 September 2025, Liddesdale will only be avaiable on Fridays and Sundays. Liddesdale's last day on the water will be Sunday 28 September 2025.
£29.50 per person for a 45 minute cruise.

Click here to read more about Liddesdale.

^{Skippered Cruises}

Available Thursday - Sunday.
45min Cruise - Adults £15.50, Children £10.00 (includes babies)
2hr Cruise - Adults £25.00, Children £15.50 (includes babies)

Click here to read more about skippered cruises

Self-drive electric launches

Weekends and throughout July & August

5 Seater

First Hour £69.00
Additional Hours £65.00

10 Seater

First Hour £135.00
Additional Hours £110.00

All other times

5 Seater

First Hour £65.00
Additional Hours £60.00

10 Seater

First Hour £120.00
Additional Hours £100.00

Click here to read more about self-drive electric launches.

Pedal Boat

£35.00 for 1 hour.

Click here to read more about Pedal boat.

Rowing Boats & Canadian Canoes

£25.00 for 30 minutes.
£30.00 for 1 hour.
£50.00 for 2 hours.

Click here to read more about Rowing Boats and Canadian Canoes here.

National Trust - London & South East / History and Restoration of Nancy Astor's electric canoe 'Liddesdale' at Cliveden

History and Restoration of Nancy Astor's electric canoe 'Liddesdale' at Cliveden

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Getting to the river

The shuttle bus service is run by volunteers and is not guaranteed. If you have accessibility requirements, please contact the boating team in advance of your booking. Access to The Boathouse is a 20–30-minute walk from the main car park via Yew Tree Steps or Spring Drive.

By walking

From the walled garden, walk towards the house and turn right before the forecourts. Walk alongside the Parterre to Yew Tree Steps to head down to the river. All boating starts from the Boathouse. Alternatively, for a step-free route, please use Spring Drive. A map will be sent through on your boat booking confirmation and can also be viewed here.

By boat

Boating at Cliveden and National Trust River Custodians regularly patrol the river along Cliveden Estate. Boating at Cliveden staff and National Trust River Custodians have been appointed by National Trust to collect the mooring fees for Cliveden Estate.

River by-laws

No fires at any time, or in any place
No bikes are permitted
Music is to be kept low in consideration of others
No collection of wood
No visitors allowed in Cliveden’s grounds after estate closing time

Disclaimer

All information correct as of February 2025. On rare occasions, including in the event of inclement weather, there may be a change to the boating schedule at short notice.
If you are making a special trip, please telephone Boating at Cliveden in advance during office hours on 01628 918026 for the latest details.