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Start summer with a splash – challenge yourself to some watersports!

29th June 2020

Categories: Visitor News

Did you know that Devon is the surf capital of the UK? Well, now you do! We’re sure that you’ve all been itching for an adventure after being stuck in during lockdown, so why not have your first taste of adventure out on the open waves? Devon is full of amazing attractions and outdoor organisations offering everything from sea safaris to surfing lessons, if you fancy learning a new skill or brushing up on an existing one, take a look at these adventure businesses offering water sports sessions this summer.

Starting off with the main sports: surfing, paddle boarding, kayaking etc, the best place to try your hand at these sports is in North Devon which has some of the best waves and beaches for watersports in the UK, but don’t limit yourself to just visiting the North Devon coast, the English Riviera has some incredible surfing and watersports organisations too.

Reach Outdoors are based in the heart of the English Riviera in Paignton, making it perfect for those of you who are planning to escape to the Torbay post lockdown. The team at Reach Outdoors have a wide range of sessions available including wild kayaking, paddle boarding and coasteering amongst others. They have put extensive measures in place to make sure that they are covid-19 safe, including restricting access to their changing facilities, so visitors are asked to wear clothing that can be worn under the provided wet suits. With top of the range equipment, friendly instructors and a stunning coastal environment to explore, this is a great way to get your blood pumping after being stuck in for months. You will need to prebook your sessions, so please do visit their website for a full list of available experiences and to read their full Covid-19 safety statement.

Image: Reach Outdoors

Also in the English Riviera are Jet Set Go! who will be operating their tours from 4^th July in line with the government relaxation of restrictions. Like many of the other organisations, you will be required to prebook your safari sessions and other tours by visiting their website. The team at Jet Set Go! Are great for those of you who want to try something new as full training is given during the session and no previous experience is required to use their equipment. Head to their website for full details on available safaris and dates.

If you choose to base yourself in the English Riviera / the Torbay region, you can find a whole host of attractions, accommodation providers and eateries here. Please remember to check with the individual businesses for the most up to date information regarding their openings and restrictions.

Image: Roadford Lake

For those of you looking for something gentler to ease you in, take a look at the activities available at Roadford Lake. Currently, the Activity Centre and water are open to visitors who have prebooked online. Because of social distancing measures, at the moment, they are only able to offer self-launch trips on the lake, but as this is ever changing, remember to keep checking back with them for the latest updates. Roadford Lake does have its own onsite camping area, which is set to reopen in early July, for those of you who are thinking of staying over and keeping the adventure going. Located in the Wolf Valley between Okehampton and Launceston, Roadford Lake is one of Devon’s must visit attractions offering something for everyone from den building to sailing to exploring the woodland. It’s the ideal place for getting the family away from the screens they’ve been reliant on since March and back out into the world.

You can find full details of the sessions being run and dates for the campsite opening on their website.

As we’ve mentioned Okehampton, we would be remiss not to include Adventure Okehampton, who are based nearby and really take advantage of being in the middle of Dartmoor. While they do offer a few river and other water based activities, like kayaking, most of their outdoor pursuits involve climbing and gorge scrambling which are equally as fun and a great compromise if you have members of your party who have yet to find their sea legs. The team at Adventure Okehampton are running a variety of different courses and adventure that adhere to current guidelines, so if you’re in the area, don’t forget to check them out.

You can find plenty of accommodation options, eateries and other activities to keep you busy during your stay in the Okehampton/Launceston area. Take a look at some of our recommendations here.

Finally, in North Devon, there is the North Devon Wake Park which is located just ten minutes from the stunning North Devon Coast and offers the best of both worlds with their lake situated in beautiful countryside. The park is open for online prebooks at the moment and there are a number of restrictions in place which can be viewed online, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun! Wakeboarding is their most popular activity and is like a mix between skateboarding and snowboarding, but on water! They also offer paddleboarding and other activities all overseen by experienced coaches. As it is on the water, but not out in the wild, the Wake Park is a great place to kick start a new hobby and try out a new sport.

Image: North Devon Wake Park.

You can find more information about places to stay and other things to do in North Devon here. Please check with the individual businesses before travelling as they will all have their own policies in place.

Still looking for inspiration for getting out on the water, find these and a host more here.