The River Roding rises in Essex and flows through East London before joining the Thames at Barking Creek. The tidal lower section, from the Thames confluence up to Ilford, is the primary paddling reach and is navigable on a rising tide. The total journey from the Thames to Ilford and back takes roughly three and a half hours at a relaxed pace.

The main access point is at the tip of Barking Creek Park, where steps lead down to the foreshore at the mouth of the Roding. Parking on River Road is no longer available due to double yellow lines, but spaces can be found on nearby side streets. When launching from the Thames side at Barking Creek Park, access must be made within two hours of high tide, as lower water exposes a wide expanse of deep, sticky mud that makes entry and exit very difficult. Paddling upstream from the Thames is best timed to coincide with a rising spring tide, which provides a strong current to carry paddlers upstream.

The lower Roding and Barking Creek are tidal and industrial in character. The eastern shore of Barking Creek is lined with wharves, some still active and others converted to warehousing, with high river walls fringed by mud, rubble, and reeds. Residential apartments begin to appear further upstream, and the river passes under the A13 before reaching Ilford, where the North Circular road crosses overhead. Historically, wharves once lined both banks near Ilford, with river trade believed to have ceased by the 1930s.

Wildlife is a notable feature of the broader area. Harbour seals are present in the Thames estuary at any time of year, particularly in summer, and have been observed hauling out on nearby beaches and approaching kayakers closely. The Barking and Dagenham Canoe Club is based on the River Roding in Barking and offers racing and touring training sessions on the river for competent paddlers, with sessions running on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Paddlers venturing onto the Thames from the Roding mouth should exercise caution around river traffic, keeping to the starboard channel relative to their direction of travel. The Barking Creek Barrier is a prominent structure at the river's mouth and marks the transition between the Roding and the Thames.