Canoeing - Durham University

Welcome to Durham University Canoe Club (DUCC)

DUCC is a friendly and supportive club open to both experienced paddlers and complete beginners. Whether you’re looking for adrenaline, adventure, competition, fitness or a relaxing social afternoon on the river, the club has something to offer you.

Competitive Paddling

We compete annually in BUCS canoe polo and wildwater racing. Experienced paddlers can represent the club at BUCS slalom and sprint.

Don’t worry! Most people have never tried (or even heard of) these exciting events before they join the club. We run regular progressive training sessions on the River Wear in Durham and River Tees in Stockton, as well as weekly gym and pool sessions. Our men’s and women’s canoe polo teams compete locally throughout the year.

Whitewater and Trips

Love whitewater kayaking? Want to try it for the first time?

The club runs relaxed beginner whitewater trips on local rivers such as the Tees. We also run more exciting rivers throughout the year. Our residential trips allow you to seriously progress your paddling and have a great social atmosphere. These include:

- Tyne Tour weekend (Michaelmas term)

- Refreshers weekend, Lake District (Epiphany term)

- Scotland (Easter break)

- Alps (Summer)

- Wales (Summer)

Socials, Recreational Paddling & Touring

We love whitewater and polo, but for many of our members DUCC is just about relaxing and having fun. To this end we offer:

- Weekly ‘chill paddles’ on a Wednesday, including relaxed games and chat.

- Regular socials, from bar crawls to our annual Christmas dinner

- Evening de-stress paddles during the exam season

- Adventure ball and DUCC alumni reunion weekend

- Annual multi-day social touring trips on gentler rivers such as the River Wye.

Beginners

No experience? No problem! We welcome complete novices and provide all the training and equipment you’ll need. Your first three sessions are free. After this we ask for an annual membership of £50. We offer a reduced summer membership.