Find your paddling goals for 2025

January is all about new beginnings and it’s a great time of year to set out your intentions for the year ahead, whether they are paddling related or not. But if you’re anything like us, you’ve already started thinking about the many paddling adventures, challenges and skills you can learn and do. Take some inspiration from us and check out some ideas for paddling related goals, and how you can make them happen in 2025.

Level up your paddling skills in 2025
As we enter a new year, now is a great time to consider your paddling progression for 2025. Whether you’re looking to develop your personal paddling skills, your safety skills or become an instructor, coach or leader, there’s something for everyone.

In 2025 the British Canoeing Awarding Body released a number of new and improved courses and eLearning resources. These included the surf and well, weather and tides eLearnings and the new SUP Sheltered Water Leader Award, plus many more.

Head over to the British Canoeing Awarding Body website to explore our Paddlesports Instructor, Coaching and Performance Coaching Awards, plus much, much more and start your 2025 paddling development journey today.

Discover new places to paddle
It’s time to start planning your paddling adventures for 2025. Is there a location you’ve always wanted to paddle or a paddling distance you’ve always wanted to achieve? Let us help you reach your paddling goals.

Our handy tool PaddlePoints can help you discover new places to paddle across the UK. It includes a detailed map of launch and landing locations, plus tips on where to park, or change from local paddlers who have visited before. https://gopaddling.info/paddlepoints/.

Paddle UK’s Go Paddling website https://gopaddling.info also holds a wealth of paddling route articles to help guide and inspire your paddling adventures. You’ll be able to find tips for different paddling routes, plus their distance and difficulty level. The perfect way to explore somewhere new this year. Find the perfect paddling location for your 2025 adventure at https://gopaddling.info/tag/paddling-routes/.

Take on a paddling challenge
With a New Year come new possibilities for adventures and challenges. If you’re thinking about taking on a paddling challenge in 2025 then you are in luck. We have a collection of challenge routes on waterways across the UK that have been carefully chosen to provide you with unique experiences.

Why not try the Three Lakes Challenge. Paddling three of the longest lakes in the UK. Now that would be a great achievement for 2025. Check out all our challenges here: https://gopaddling.info/gopaddlingchallenges/.

Keep our waterways clean
Together as a paddling community we can help make a difference to the health of our blue spaces. A vital addition to your 2025 goals would be taking part in a paddle cleanup of plastic pollution or invasive non native species on your local waterways.

Organising a paddle cleanup with your friends or paddling club is a great way to get outside and do some good for waterways near you. You can find a guide on the Clear Access, Clear Waters website to help you organise your own. Find out how you can get involved with our 2025 Big Paddle Cleanup at https://paddleuk.org.uk/the-big-paddle-clean-up-returns-for-2025/.

Another great goal could be to help stop the spread of invasive non-native species. All you need to do is Check, Clean, Dry your equipment every time you go paddling. By following these three simple steps you can help stop the spread of invasive non native species in the waterways you love to paddle, helping them to thrive. You can find out more through our informative video series at www.youtube.com/playlist?list= PLPnshMnHWb0LZnauTD4XcfEOAxkmLF-mO.

We hope these ideas help inspire you to make some new paddling goals this year and that 2025 brings you plenty of opportunities for adventure and growth. Paddle UK is here to help you get the most out of paddling and enjoy another fantastic year on the water.