**Duration:** 2 - 3 hours
Our Half-day canoe trip (2-3hrs) is a stunning 5 mile paddle, starting in the picturesque town of Hay-on-Wye.
Often described as **"the town of books”**, Hay is home to the famous literary festival. The Hay-Whitney paddle is a diverse and exciting stretch with an abundance of kingfishers, otters, sand martins, herons and leaping salmon. If you’re going to canoe the Wye, there’s no better a place to start than our home stretch!
Highlights
- Our Half- day trips start with a kit out and safety briefing at our site in Hay. This takes approximately 30 minutes to ensure you guys are prepped and ready for your adventure! Once on the water, you can expect to see a number of spectacular and fascinating characters in their natural habitats, including kingfishers, herons, cormorants, swans and otters – all from the prime viewpoint of your canoe.
- The 5 mile paddle starting from Hay, takes approximately 2-3 hours, finishing at the historic Whitney Toll Bridge. There is a beautiful riverside cafe/restaurant that we certainly recommend popping in for a refreshment or lunch prior to catching one of our shuttles back to our site in Hay.
The trip includes
- Hire of the canoe
- Buoyancy aids and paddles
- Barrels and dry bags
- Free parking (you are welcome to leave your car and explore Hay-on-Wye when you finish your trip)
- Complimentary transport from the finish point, back to your vehicles (last shuttle from Whitney-on-Wye back to Hay-on-Wye is 6pm)
Booking Notes
## Confirmation of your Half Day Trip from Hay-on-Wye to Whitney Toll Bridge
Thanks for booking with us. We look forward to seeing you soon!
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### Important information about your trip
This email outlines everything you need to know about your trip with us. It contains your check-in time, check-in location, suggestion on what to wear, what to bring, and importantly what not to bring. If in doubt feel free to check out our guide online here and if that doesn't answer your questions then please make contact with us. You can forward this email to other members of your group.
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### Check-in time and location
- Your check-in minimum time is **15 mins** before departure time. You are welcome to arrive earlier if you want to visit Hay-on-Wye town. If you arrive more than 30 mins early then pop over to see Dan or Edith at the [Tree House Cafe](https://www.instagram.com/treehousehay?igsh=d3BmNHJ0YjUwa3A=) for a great coffee and a cheeky cake.
- Your check-in location is **Hay-on-Wye.**
- Car parking is on our site. From the gate at the top of the road, proceed down the drive, a slight left bend and through the bottom gate. Our reception is immediately to your right as you pass through the gate. Parking is on the **grassed area** on the right past the office.
- Your landing point is Whitney Toll Bridge (5 miles) down river. This site is owned by us so there is no need to call us. At our site there is a café, bar and restaurant called [Casa Bianca] (https://casabaianca.co.uk). You can see their [menu online] (https://casabianca.co.uk/our-menu/). Casa Bianca is not a want to canoe? company.
- **We offer a complimentary Shuttle Bus** that leaves Whitney Bridge back to your starting point. The last shuttle bus from Whitney-on-Wye to Hay-on-Wye **leaves at 6pm**
- We lock our gates in Hay after the last shuttles guests leave **approximately 6.15pm**
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You will need to arrive earlier than your minimum check-in time if you or any other members of your party have not signed our online waiver.
[Hire Terms, Conditions and Rules] (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qFxkrRtRpe5RZ979NBOOrlmgrSUnyOJE/view?usp=sharing). You will need some time to be kitted out correctly with your safety equipment and paddles. You may also need to pack your bags into water resistant containers or dry bags.
**Important** please note our Safety and Trip briefing commences ***on the hour***, so please do arrive before your booking time. Late arrivals will need to be accommodated in a later slot time.
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### What to wear
- Come dressed in loose comfortable clothes, and anything you don't mind getting damp or wet. Quick dry or wicking clothing would be best.
- It's best to check the weather forecast for the day, if there are changes due then pack appropriate items such a windcheater or a waterproof top if rain is expected.
- During the sunny warmer months, hat, shorts and t-shirts are best all round for your party. - You might also consider some sort of sun protection for the skin.
- Consider bringing a change of clothes and a towel
- *No barefoot paddling* so please make sure you have suitable footwear, a pair of old trainers would do! **Please** no flip flops, sliders, wellies, or loose footwear that can easily slip off.
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### What to Bring
The length of your trip will have an impact on what you should bring. Here are some suggestions.
- **At least one mobile phone is required for your trip**, bring suitable water protection if your phone is not IPX rated (waterproof).
- Paddling for any length of time can be thirsty work so please consider bringing plenty of water or other hydrating drink.
- For a shorter trip bring some snacks to keep your energy, fresh fruit, trail mix, or other easy to nibble items whilst floating down the river.
- There are picnic tables at **Want to Canoe** and the end of your trip if you wish to pack your lunch
- Don't forget your dog, they will need clean fresh drinking water, maybe a treat or two. Make sure you have a leash and a suitable way of controlling your animal.
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### Please do not bring
There will be other river users on your trip so it is important to have a safe and enjoyable day when paddling. So we ask you to not bring
- Alcohol. It's simple really, water sports and intoxication do not go well together. It is an unnecessary risk, and there are plenty of opportunities to drink at the end of your trip. If you do bring alcohol then you should consider that the same rules for driving under the influence are the same for being on the water, except *all persons* within the watercraft are under the same rules not just the 'driver'. For your information we have given instructions to our staff at departure points, that if they believe anyone to be impaired due to alcohol or drugs they will have our full backing if they refuse to allow you on your trip.
- Boom boxes & portable speakers. You will be sharing the river with other paddlers, wildlife, people fishing, and those who live on the banks of the river. Loud music is not what they want to hear.
- Items of value; cameras, jewellery, drones etc., anything you would not want to loose. Please leave them at home and not in your car. We do not accept responsibility for loss, damage or theft of anything stored in vehicles, or vehicles themselves at our parking locations.
- Fishing rods. Unequivocally, fishing is not permitted from watercraft and carries a heavy penalty. Stopping to fish without a license also attracts significant penalties. The local fishing beats are supervised by wardens.
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## What to know
As we are based in Wales, the NRW (Natural Resources Wales) asks all Canoe Hire Operators to provide the following links to the [Country Side Code] (https://naturalresources.wales/days-out/the-countryside-codes/the-countryside-code-advice-for-countryside-visitors/?lang=en) and the [Canoeing Code] (https://naturalresources.wales/days-out/the-countryside-codes/the-canoeing-code/?lang=en) to their customers. Please take the time to read these before coming for your trip. Thank you.
Cancellation Policy
## want to canoe? Cancellation and Now Show Policies
We understand that our customers' circumstances may change and they may need to reschedule or cancel their bookings. We will always do our best to accommodate such changes.
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## Cancellation Policy
It is important that you fully understand this Cancellation Policy and our want to canoe? [Hire Terms, Conditions and Rules] (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qFxkrRtRpe5RZ979NBOOrlmgrSUnyOJE/view?usp=sharing). If something is not clear or if you need any assistance we ask you contact us before you make your booking! We are always happy to help you and clarify anything you might want to know. By making a payment for a booking your are accepting this Cancellation Policy and our "want to canoe? Hire Terms, Conditions and Rules."
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### Half Day Trips Cancellations by you
- **15 days or more notice**, we offer a a full refund^ or the option to convert the full amount of the booking to a voucher^^
- **14 to 8 days notice** we offer a 50% refund^ or the option to convert the full amount of the booking to a voucher^^
- **7 days to 24 hours notice** no refund or we offer the option to convert the full amount of the booking to a voucher^^
- **23 hours or less notice** no refund and we will not offer a voucher.
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### Cancellations by Us
We will only ever cancel a booking for a serious situation that does not allow us to operate safely, if we do, you will be offered a full refund. Refunds through our booking provider Fareharbor.com can take 2 to 3 working days to be returned to your payment method.
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### Cancellations by Us for a breach of our Terms and Conditions
If we cancel all or part of your trip due to a breach of our terms and conditions there will be no refund, and we reserve the right to seek compensation or restitution for any additional costs incurred by us due such a cancellation.
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### No Show Policy
It is important in peak season that you contact us if you are going to be late! We will do our very best to accommodate you at later time slot on the same day if we have availability. If you do not contact us and do not show for your departure time then your booking is considered to be cancelled by you. The cancellation policy takes effect.
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^ Refunds are returned to the payment method used at the time of booking.
^^Vouchers are issued for the amount of the booking at the time. They can be used within the same season (April to September) for the exact trip. If used in a following year, the amount of the voucher can be used against a booking, if there is a price difference then that difference will need to be paid. Vouchers are non-transferrable. Vouchers can not be redeemed for cash. Vouchers expire after 24 months from the date of the original booking.
