Paddleboarding is an incredible summer activity that provides incredible health benefits, along with a change to get out onto the open water and take in the scenery. If you’d like to see certain parts of the UK, it offers a unique perspective – and there are social benefits, too.
Less intensive than surfing, it’s an activity that’s prompted many Brits to invest in their own equipment. All that’s required is a suitable stretch of coastline where you can practice.
Beautiful spots for paddleboarding
If you have a group of like-minded friends who’d like to participate in this particular sport, then you can simply jump into a shared car and head down to the sea. If you’re sharing driving duties, you can invest in temporary car insurance and get yourselves covered for the day – which might be particularly worthwhile if you’re looking to rent a vehicle large enough to carry the boards themselves.
So, which locations in the UK are best suited for this activity? A few candidates stand apart from the crowd.
Burgh Island
This little island sits just off the coast of Devon. It will be familiar to fans of Agatha Christie as the setting and inspiration for And Then There Were None, with its distinctive Art Deco hotel. You can take paddleboards to explore the coast of the island, provided that the weather is favourable and you have the skill for it.
Penzance
The waters in the bay in Penzance are well suited to paddleboarding, sheltered as they are from the wind and the swell that makes other areas of Cornwall so appealing to surfers. You can take lessons in the harbour of Abbey Basin, or on Marazion Beach. The culture here is forgiving, and so you can start from scratch.
Porthcurno
Head a little further out toward the tip of Cornwall, and you’ll find the village of Porthcurno, with its incredible beach. You can venture from the beach right out to Logan Rock – a massive boulder that’s nestled neatly into the surrounding jagged coastline. The beach itself is reminiscent of a tropical island, thanks to a combination of gleaming white sands and pure blue waters. The crowds here also tend to be sparser, which is great if you’d like to enjoy your paddleboarding in seclusion.
Brighton
Beloved by those looking for a seaside holiday, Brighton offers a compelling mix of modern culture and traditional beach-based charm. It’s also a very approachable place to get started with paddleboarding. You can board from pier to pier, but only once you have some basic paddleboarding chops. All of the major routes here are exposed to the tides, and thus, it’s a good idea to check the weather warnings before you head out.