Catriona Thomson: Stick your oar in ... or your paddle, at any rate, and give the serene art of Canadian canoeing a try

C an I canoe you up the river, was a Billy Cotton ditty that I recall my dad attempting to sing to us. It reverberates around my head, as my daughter Eve (nine) and I kneel at the edge of the Union canal in Linlithgow. We are here to have an introductory lesson in Canadian canoeing, however, before we take the plunge, we have to learn the paddling basics from our instructor Dave from the safety of dry land.

Only once we have mastered how to hold the paddle, move forward and backwards, and how to manoeuvre the canoe sideways, and crucially how to apply the brakes, are we allowed to take to the water. I imagine it makes quite an amusing spectacle for my partner Graham and my younger daughter Hope (five), but the age restriction means Hope has to sit this one out. They delight in laughing at our expense, before heading off to enjoy a wander around Linlithgow Palace.

We manage to set off up the canal, without any catastrophes. Dave patiently instructs us, letting us know any steering corrections we should make. I have to say I’m loving the lazy charm of Canadian canoeing. Eve was terrified we were going to have to master Eskimo rolls, but luckily that’s a skill required for kayaking we will save for another day.

The Union canal provides a sheltered waterway for beginners, however, if you are keen there are several canoeing and kayaking courses you can undertake at the Low Port Centre, even leading up to overnight expeditions.

We are complete novices so we are tasked with nothing harder than collecting floating toys to practice the strokes we have been learning. I am content to let Eve tell me what we should be doing, which makes a pleasant change.

Further up the waterway, Dave tested our balance with a few exercises. First Eve had to stand up in the canoe then clamber on to her seat and stretch out her arms. Then she was instructed to stand on the very edge of the canoe, which she nervously did.

Then it was my turn, and with our balance well and truly tested, it was time to head back. Eve got a chance to paddle her own canoe. She found the slightly different paddling technique a bit tricky to master but she really enjoyed giving it a go.

Although you don’t have to get wet, you are more than welcome to take the plunge at the end of the session. As landlubbers we gave that option a wide berth.

Low Port Centre’s introductory canoeing lessons run until 31 Oct, and there are other activities throughout the year. Sessions cost £12 per person, with a maximum of two children (ages eight and over) per adult.

For more tel: [phone], or visit www.lowportcentre.co.uk and www.visitwestlothian.co.uk