What do I need to know before I go paddling?

A day out paddling should always be fun. If you haven’t been before or would like to learn some initial skills, we would recommend heading to your local club or centre to take the Discover Award. This will give you the skills to help remain safe on the water.

If you’re keen to head out independently then check out our New to Paddling articles. They cover a huge range of topics for the beginner or recreational paddler, including the all important Safety Checklist.

Use PaddlePoints to find easy routes and check out comments from other paddlers. Seek routes away from weirs and white water as a beginner. Canals are a good place to start. Check out our Canals pages here.

If near an Environment Agency water level monitoring station, each PaddlePoints point will also have latest water levels. Check these before paddling to ensure it is safe.