Lessons and courses

Skills Sessions: Flat Water Kayaking

Keep building your confidence and refining your paddling with our Skills Sessions at Lee Valley White Water Centre.

Led by one of our coaches, these 1 hour sessions are designed to help you progress after completing our Intro to Flat Water Kayaking Course, or if you already have some kayaking experience. Each session is unique, with the coach tailoring activities and training to the group’s needs, while still giving you plenty of time to practice and enjoy being out on the water.

Some examples of things we will work on:

• Boat control and balance
• Efficient forward paddling
• Turning and edge control
• Bracing and recovery
• Rescues and safety skills
• Confidence building
• Preparation for white water

Each session is a standalone, tailored experience, making them a great way to keep improving at your own pace. If you have previous White Water Kayaking experience gained elsewhere, and would like to join these sessions, please get in touch.

Skills Sessions: Foundation White Water Kayaking

The Foundation White Water Kayaking sessions are open to anyone who has successfully completed our Intro to White Water Kayaking course. These 1.5 hour sessions, led by one of our coaches, aim to take the foundation principles and skills learnt in our Intro Course and build upon them.

The coach will oversee and aim to run appropriate level activities and training for those who attend. There is no pressure to commit to every week, these will all be run as unique, tailored sessions making them a great way to keep improving at your own pace.

These sessions are also open to those who already have passed a legacy Assessment and would like some additional coaching. If you have previous White Water Kayaking experience gained elsewhere, and would like to join these sessions, please get in touch.

Skills Sessions: Developing White Water Kayaking

The Developing White Water Kayaking sessions the next step after our Foundation sessions. On these sessions we will be looking to use the whole of the Legacy course, looking at reading the water, refining line choice & kayak control, and building confidence in the more challenging sections of the course.

These sessions are open to those who already has passed a legacy Assessment or those who have progressed through our Intro to White Water courses and Foundation Skills Sessions.

Each session is run as a standalone, tailored workshop, so you can drop in whenever it suits you and continue building your skills at your own pace. A white water coach will guide the group with individual coaching and appropriate targeted activities.

 If you have previous White Water Kayaking experience gained elsewhere, and would like to join these sessions, please get in touch.

Skills Sessions: Legacy to Olympic Paddling

These sessions are designed for confident Legacy Course paddlers who are ready to make the step up to the Olympic Course. With double the flow and far larger features, the Olympic Course can feel intimidating at first, but our coaches will help you break the challenge down into achievable, progressive steps.

These sessions are open to those who have passed a Legacy Assessment. They are also a suitable option for paddlers who already hold an Olympic Assessment but would like to rebuild confidence, refresh skills, or ease themselves back onto the course with guided coaching. If you have equivalent white water experience gained elsewhere and would like to join, please get in touch.

Each session is unique, working at an appropriate level for the individuals in the group. A white water coach will guide the group with targeted activities, individual feedback, and support as you develop the skills needed to tackle the Olympic Course with confidence.

Junior Flat Water Sessions

Starting Thursday 2nd April 2026

Our Junior Flat Water Sessions are open to young people aged 8-16 of all abilities and are all about having fun on the water while developing paddling skills and confidence. 

These 1-hour sessions have a relaxed, club-style feel and are designed to encourage regular participation and progression. Led by one of our coaches, sessions will include a mixture of skill development, games and challenges, with activities adapted to suit the group. While kayaking will often be the focus, sessions won’t be limited to kayaks – we may also use stand up paddleboards, sit-on-top kayaks, open canoes and other craft to keep things varied and engaging. 

The aim of these sessions is to create a welcoming environment where young people can enjoy being on the water, build friendships, and steadily improve their paddling skills. Over time, these sessions will help prepare participants for our Junior Intro to White Water Kayaking courses. 

These sessions run weekly on Thursdays: 17:30–18:30 and regularly on Sunday Mornings. 

There is no pressure to attend every week – each session is run as a stand-alone, enjoyable experience, while still supporting long-term development for those who attend regularly. 

Junior - Skills Sessions: Foundation White Water Kayaking

These sessions are open to young people aged 8–16 who have successfully completed our Junior Intro to White Water Kayaking course. These 1.5-hour drop-in sessions are designed to consolidate skills, build confidence and continue developing young people as white water paddlers. 

Led by one of our coaches, each session builds on the foundation skills learned during the Intro course. The coach will oversee the session and run appropriate activities and training based on the abilities of those attending, ensuring everyone is challenged and supported at the right level. 

There is no pressure to commit every week. Each session is run as a stand-alone, tailored workshop, making them a flexible and enjoyable way for young paddlers to continue progressing at their own pace. 

These sessions are also open to those who already have passed a Legacy Course Assessment and would like some additional coaching. If you have previous White Water Kayaking experience gained elsewhere, and would like to join these sessions, please get in touch. 

As confidence and ability grow, young people will be able to progress beyond these sessions and, when appropriate, join our Adult Developing White Water and Legacy to Olympic Skills Sessions.