ORCA (Open River Canoe Adventures) offers one of the Lake District’s most unusual hands-on experiences: build your own Canadian-style wooden canoe in a workshop beside Ullswater, then take the finished canoe home. Based in a green lakeside barn a short walk from Pooley Bridge, this small independent team welcomes complete beginners as well as experienced makers.
Why ORCA is worth visiting
Rather than hiring a boat for an afternoon, you get to create a practical canoe with guidance from the people who designed it. ORCA’s friendly workshop format combines basic woodworking, boat-building and time beside the lake. No previous woodworking experience is required. Once the build is complete, the canoe is yours to keep.
Build your own Lakelander canoe
The main course builds a Lakelander canoe, designed for stability and family paddling, over three days. ORCA’s current specification describes a boat about 14 feet long and roughly 25 kg in weight, with a solo variation available on request. The team guides participants through cutting, assembly, joining and finishing. A final paint or protective varnish may need to be completed at home.
£550
Workshop price
Advertised cost to build one Lakelander canoe
3 days
Build duration
Typically around 9.30am to 3.30–4pm on workshop days
Beginners
Skill level
Guided construction with no prior woodworking skills needed
2027 canoe-building workshop dates
- 29–31 March 2027
- 28–30 April 2027
- 31 May–2 June 2027
- 23–25 June 2027
- 19–21 July 2027
- 2–4 August 2027
- 15–17 September 2027
These are the dates published by ORCA at the time of writing. Places are limited: check current availability and book a canoe-building workshop.
Photographs from ORCA
Other ORCA experiences
Alongside courses, ORCA advertises canoe hire for longer periods, completed canoes for sale, build-at-home kits, canoe plans and gift vouchers. If you want a gift for somebody who enjoys practical outdoor activities, a canoe-building voucher may be particularly appealing. Contact ORCA for hire terms, current stock or commissions.
Finding the workshop beside Ullswater
Location: Ullswater lakeshore, just outside Pooley Bridge, Cumbria.
Phone (Steve): 07706 244891
Phone (Dan): 07963 852547
Email: openriver@hotmail.co.uk
Official website: orcadventures.co.uk.
Important: Do not rely on a generic Google Maps search for ORCA: the business specifically warns that its mapped postal address is not the workshop. Park in Pooley Bridge, then use the footpath beside Eusemere car park towards Waterside House. The workshop is the large green barn approximately 300 metres along the path. Follow ORCA’s official arrival instructions and map rather than a guessed pin.
Practical tips for your visit
- Food: bring lunch; tea and coffee are provided.
- Children: family helpers are welcome, with age-appropriate tasks.
- Dogs: the operator says dogs can come to the workshop.
- Transport home: plan how to carry your finished canoe, including suitable roof bars and straps; ORCA can advise.
- Staying nearby: Pooley Bridge, Ullswater campsites and local guesthouses make convenient bases for the three-day course.
Explore more around Ullswater
Make a longer stay of the experience with our Ullswater visitor guide, Pooley Bridge guide and walking routes and trails.
Visitor information checked against ORCA’s official website on 9 November 2026. Workshop dates, prices and details may change.