A vast stretch of water in Exmoor National Park where you can try lessons in sailing, windsurfing and canoeing. Permits for angling and fly fishing are available onsite from the Angling and Watersports Centre. For land lovers, there's a tea room, children's play area, bird watching and walks, including a nine-mile circular walk around the lake and the Woodland Discovery Trail.
A great place to hire paddleboards or kayaks for those who love spending time on the water. They offer a delivery service locally and lessons for beginners or those wishing to improve their skills.
Take an amble down the coast or a potter along the banks of the River Torridge. Bideford Cycle, Surf and Kayak Hire offer hire and sale of cycles, kayaks, surfboards, body boards and wet suits.
Its reputation as one of the windiest inland waters in England makes this a popular spot for windsurfers and sailors. The Angling and Watersports Centre also offers canoeing and rowing lessons as well as fly fishing permits. There's plenty to do off the reservoir too, with a children's play ship, bird watching, walks and a family-friendly cycle trail.
Sailing, windsurfing and canoeing on a big expanse of mercifully calm water on Bodmin Moor. Watersports tuition, equipment and permits for rainbow trout fishing are available from the Angling and Watersports Centre. For those who prefer to keep their feet on dry land, there are miles of scenic walks, excellent bird watching, children's playareas and a lakeside tea room with great views across the lake. New in 2012 a cable waterpark has been installed offering a wakeboarding system with professional tuition, pro clinics and a variety of obstacles for the more advanced riders!
Operating from both Tuckenhay and Stoke Gabriel on the River Dart in easy reach of Totnes, Dartmouth and Torbay, Canoe Adventures offer steersman guided 9 and 12 seat open passage canoes for every age and abilty year round. You may come as a small family or as a couple to canoe share, or as a group and book a whole canoe.
Guided canoe trips on the River Tamar. Take in the scenic views of Cotehele up river and paddle passed the village of Calstock and into the wilds of the upper river.
This friendly surf school near Padstow offers lessons in surfing, paddleboarding, sea kayaking and coasteering. The sheltered, safe location makes it ideal for introducing families, individuals and groups to a variety of water activities. Private and group lessons for beginners, improvers and developers are available. Tipped by The Sunday Times to be building a reputation as 'the best surf school on the North Cornish Coast'.
Based in Falmouth, Sea Kayaking Cornwall offer courses and expeditions for all levels of kayaker. Owners Jeff Allen and Simon Osborne are both extremely experienced and enthusiastic kayakers, with over 15 years of sea kayak coaching experience to offer.
Just on the eastern fringes of Dartmoor, Roadford Lake has an Angling and Watersports Centre offering windsurfing, sailing, kayaking and brown trout angling. The Lakeside Restaurant and interactive vistor centre, plus miles of footpaths and a cycle way provide plenty of fun on dry land too.
A few years ago, the Classic Cottages team started writing about where we live and why we love it. Over time these have evolved into the Classic Guide.
15 April 2023
A vast stretch of water in Exmoor National Park where you can try lessons in sailing, windsurfing and canoeing. Permits for angling and fly fishing are available onsite from the Angling and Watersports Centre. For land lovers, there's a tea room, children's play area, bird watching and walks, including a nine-mile circular walk around the lake and the Woodland Discovery Trail.
3 September 2014
A great place to hire paddleboards or kayaks for those who love spending time on the water. They offer a delivery service locally and lessons for beginners or those wishing to improve their skills.
26 April 2012
Take an amble down the coast or a potter along the banks of the River Torridge. Bideford Cycle, Surf and Kayak Hire offer hire and sale of cycles, kayaks, surfboards, body boards and wet suits.
2 November 2011
Its reputation as one of the windiest inland waters in England makes this a popular spot for windsurfers and sailors. The Angling and Watersports Centre also offers canoeing and rowing lessons as well as fly fishing permits. There's plenty to do off the reservoir too, with a children's play ship, bird watching, walks and a family-friendly cycle trail.
21 June 2011
Sailing, windsurfing and canoeing on a big expanse of mercifully calm water on Bodmin Moor. Watersports tuition, equipment and permits for rainbow trout fishing are available from the Angling and Watersports Centre. For those who prefer to keep their feet on dry land, there are miles of scenic walks, excellent bird watching, children's playareas and a lakeside tea room with great views across the lake. New in 2012 a cable waterpark has been installed offering a wakeboarding system with professional tuition, pro clinics and a variety of obstacles for the more advanced riders!
15 June 2011
Operating from both Tuckenhay and Stoke Gabriel on the River Dart in easy reach of Totnes, Dartmouth and Torbay, Canoe Adventures offer steersman guided 9 and 12 seat open passage canoes for every age and abilty year round. You may come as a small family or as a couple to canoe share, or as a group and book a whole canoe.
16 May 2011
Guided canoe trips on the River Tamar. Take in the scenic views of Cotehele up river and paddle passed the village of Calstock and into the wilds of the upper river.
16 March 2010
This friendly surf school near Padstow offers lessons in surfing, paddleboarding, sea kayaking and coasteering. The sheltered, safe location makes it ideal for introducing families, individuals and groups to a variety of water activities. Private and group lessons for beginners, improvers and developers are available. Tipped by The Sunday Times to be building a reputation as 'the best surf school on the North Cornish Coast'.
9 November 2009
Based in Falmouth, Sea Kayaking Cornwall offer courses and expeditions for all levels of kayaker. Owners Jeff Allen and Simon Osborne are both extremely experienced and enthusiastic kayakers, with over 15 years of sea kayak coaching experience to offer.
14 August 2009
Just on the eastern fringes of Dartmoor, Roadford Lake has an Angling and Watersports Centre offering windsurfing, sailing, kayaking and brown trout angling. The Lakeside Restaurant and interactive vistor centre, plus miles of footpaths and a cycle way provide plenty of fun on dry land too.