By Richard Harpham
Photos: Ashley Kenlock and Richard Harpham
A SUP adventure is one of the most rewarding and accessible means of completing a river journey or microadventure. Either rent a SUP or if you have access to one, plan a route, arrive, pump it up and paddle off into the sunset. Obviously a little planning will make your trip run smoothly with the correct kit, people and transport logistics in the right place.
Richard Harpham bio
Richard Harpham is a human powered adventurer and inspirational speaker who has completed over 10,000 miles of expeditions by kayak, canoe, bike and on foot including exploring the Yukon, cycling the Sahara and Canada’s Inside Passage. He is the former editor of Bushcraft and Survival Magazine and writes for Outdoor Adventure Guide, MoD’s Resettlement magazine and the Paddler magazine. His adventures are supported by: Flint Group, Paramo Clothing, Olympus Cameras, Valley Sea Kayaks, Silverbirch Canoes, Bamboo Clothing, MSR, Canadian Affair, Osprey Rucksacks, Extreme Adventure Foods, Air North, Reed Chillcheater and Exposure Lights. You can follow his adventures through social media & @ www.richadventure.com
Richard works as a professional paddling coach, teaching SUP with his wife Ashley at Canoe Trail, where they share SUP adventures with a wide range of people from around the country. Canoe Trail has been voted top 52 things to do in the world by Lonely Planet and also featured at number three in Red Bull’s list of best UK SUP adventures. They recently hosted a SUP microadventure with Red Paddle Co, where people could come and try a SUP microadventure. www.canoetrail.co.uk
Grab yourself a… SUP microadventure
How easy is it?
One of the best things about SUPs is the ease with which most people can pick up stand up paddle boarding. Usually within five minutes of taking to the board you are standing up and paddling. After that of course, it can take a lifetime to master with different tricks, skills and paddling strokes. Thicker, wider boards with more volume are more stable, whereas longer and narrower boards are generally faster. Also worth a mention is the benefit of inflatable technology, meaning the iSUP boards fit easily on planes, trains and automobiles, allowing you to access more remote locations or end to end travel more easily.
At the initial stages when learning, you can use your paddle at a 90-degree angle to the board in the middle as a stabilizer to stand up. Most people start with feet placed either side of the carrying handle before moving onto the ‘guide stance’ and moving their weight along the board. Sticking the paddle in the water in front of you (the catch), allows the board to move forward. Initially it is much easier to keep changing sides with the paddle to stay in a straight line until you can get to grips with paddling on one side. To learn forward paddling on one side it is effectively combining a forward paddle stroke with steering (corrective stroke).
Once you have mastered the basics then you can develop your skills in different conditions such as increased river flow, catching a small wave through to headstands and pivot turns. The good thing about a SUP is it provides great fitness and core strength training, ensuring you are almost always in calorie credit.
How can you plan your microadventure?
Maps are a great place to start with planning adventures and microadventures – there is nothing quite like the feel of a paper map on a journey. The Ordnance Survey maps are perfect where you can either use their waterproof maps or get a decent map case. Pesda Press do a series of paddling guides for canoeing and kayaking that may also provide inspiration for routes, including access points, hazards and other route planning information. Al Humphrey, pioneer of the microadventure movement also has a good book with plenty of great suggestions.
There are various sources of inspiration for adventures including the Canal and River Trust and British Canoeing have a section on canoeing trails: https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/go-canoeing/places-to-paddle/canoe-trails You can read more on www.richadventure.com about my adventures and also www.canoetrail.co.uk where we offer guided, ‘free range’ and other paddling adventures.
Consider daily mileage, seasons and likely conditions, your fitness and the ability of the group in your planning. If conditions are particularly windy or choppy, like my Majorca attempt, then 2.2m waves and strong winds can mean paddling on your knees. Generally as a rule, we suggest training and completing the required mileage beforehand, so you know you have it in the bank. Similarly, it is better to know you can handle the conditions before a microadventure/trip rather than facing the eye of the storm and wondering.
Don’t forget to consider the ‘what if’ scenarios and make sure somebody knows your route and finish time. If you are not sure then there are plenty of great guides and coaches around the country to help you learn the ropes, or paddle strokes! You may also want to search out some of the new SUP clubs that are springing up as part of the world’s fastest growing watersport.
What do I need to know?
Make sure you are comfortable with the board and equipment you are using and try different boards before buying. Plenty of SUP schools, like us, run demo fleets so you can #trybeforeyoubuy. On the sea or open water in particular, make sure you use a leash as falling off can result in your board getting blown away from you. On moving water and rivers with flow, then a leash can provide a snag hazard, so it is important to consider the risks at your location. Personally I prefer to wear a buoyancy aid to carry kit and provide personal floatation, although some people prefer a waist belt or relying on the board floatation.
Check out local conditions and river access by getting a good weather forecast and always ‘ask a local’ for the best spot. There are some brilliant apps including Windfinder Pro and River App for weather and river levels respectively. Wild camping needs to be ‘stealth camping’ if you are using a non-designated campsite with an absolutely ‘leave no trace’ policy and be up and out early. If you can’t stick to these simple rules then perhaps a designated camp spot is a better option for you.
Be aware that river access is a contentious issue in England and Wales, with the majority of water being privately owned under riparian ownership (if you own the river bank you own the water and river bed). In Scotland there is a right to paddle but obviously respecting other water users such as anglers. In essence in England and Wales, much of the river access is linked to the right of navigation, so anywhere with bigger craft will usually be accessible to SUPs, canoes and kayaks.
You can support the campaign for greater river access by joining this movement for increased wild swimming, SUP’ing and responsible use of our rivers. Have a look at the ‘Clear Waters Clear Access’ campaign. Beyond this there is a brilliant encyclopaedia of paddling info for rivers @ UK Rivers Guide for paddlers https://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/ (mostly white water).
When paddling coastal locations, there are increased environmental and weather conditions to be aware of including tides, sea state and weather. Off shore winds, rip tides, overfalls and tide races can make conditions challenging. Again find out about the weather and location conditions. Magic Seaweed and local webcams can help with this or ask the local life boat crews, as they have fantastic inside knowledge.
Coastal and open water journeys generally require a greater level of planning, so ensure tides and conditions are within your ability.
What do I need to take with me?
As microadventurers, we quickly need to learn a few lessons about packing light but also making sure we determine the difference between what we ‘want’ versus what we need. So a statement that also rings true is nothing weighs very much but everything weighs something. With this in mind, a simple idea is to pack considering the rooms of your house as a guide. For example for the bedroom, I will either need a camp mat, bivvy bag and sleeping bag and maybe a tarp, or mat, sleeping bag and lightweight tent (I use an MSR Elixr 2). Similarly for the kitchen I may opt for ready made meals like those from Adventure Nutrition, where I reheat or add water or go for a more culinary experience by cooking from scratch.
One thing I always pack is a ‘grab bag’ or ‘DS bag’ which contains all the essential elements I might need in an emergency or incident. This might include items such as spare torch, fire lighting equipment, gaffer tape, leatherman, first aid kit and other important items. There are many lightweight options for SUP adventures in particular such as MSR dromedaries for carrying water, water filters, Pocket Rocket and small gas canister, DD small tarps and other kit you will figure out over time. A mobile phone and charger is a good plan for communications and if you are going further off grid, a Garmin In reach has great tracking and communications in wilder areas.
On coastal waters I also take an ICOM VHF radio (you need a licence), EPIRB and marine flares, to ensure I have several ways to contact the emergency services.
Where to go?
There are many incredible places to paddle around Britain’s coastline and further afield. As an island nation there are many nooks and crannies to explore but as mentioned above, start with flat calm conditions on the sea, no white caps or wind and paddle within your limits. Similarly the lochs in Scotland offer a majestic backdrop for any paddle, although these like many lakes, may behave like small seas in stormy conditions.
England’s capital city boasts the River Thames with its many iconic locations to learn SUP’ing, check out Active 360 (www.active360.co.uk) who run trips on the Thames. Leaving London and heading out into the sticks, less than an hour by train, you will find leafy Bedfordshire with the River Great Ouse and the Canoe Trail team and next door in Northamptonshire, there is River Spirit SUP on the Nene.
There are some excellent SUP locations in West Wales with its rugged coastline and golden sandy beaches including TYF in St Davids and the Big Blue Experience on Newgale Beach. Linking along the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO world heritage location you might also like The Watersports Academy, another family run friendly business.
Also check out the Canal and River Trust for places to paddle closer to you for a day trip or overnight camping adventure.
Anything else?
Don’t forget to purchase a licence. Joining British Canoeing will provide you with a waterways licence for accessible rivers and lakes as well as other membership benefits. Alternatively, you can purchase a licence from the Environment Agency although this often has regional designation. The Canal and River Trust have an Explorers Licence, which provides up to 30 days of paddling in a year.
Go for it
Start with some easier routes and build skills in your tool box such as camp craft, rescues, first aid and different paddling strokes so you can expand your range and goals. Be warned, wild camping and outdoor activities can be addictive. Try different seasons, night paddling on rivers and explore our amazing country or further afield. If you want to book the same SUP microadventure we shared with the team, then get in touch with the Canoe Trail team (www.canoetrail.co.uk).
SUP’ing offers a fantastic way to access our incredible rural waterways and connect with wildlife, our heritage and escape the digital world we live in. Personally just writing this has reignited my plans and I have some cool SUP microadventures in the pipeline including a 24-hour SUP as part of my Project 24 adventures, Bedford to Birmingham using waterways and roads and some longer trips. Stay tuned…
Happy paddling
