Fast Track Paddle Boarding Experiences With The Wow Factor!

STORY BY Debbie 19th July 2017

If you’re planning to visit the North of England this summer and fancy something a bit different that gets you outside, guaranteed to de-stress you from the daily grind and help improve posture and balance then stand up paddle boarding could be for you.

Admittedly the sport has become popular over the last few years with lots of people offering it at their local beach, river or lake but you seldom find an operator who is willing to travel to the best locations and provide intensive 1-2 day coaching courses effectively taking you from beginner to winner.

Boardskillz  was one of the original Stand Up Paddle (SUP) Schools that helped popularise SUP in the early days primarily operating from Tynemouth just outside of Newcastle. It soon became clear that the coast offered too many variables for running reliable beginner sessions, if anything onshore wind or larger waves made for a poor customer experience so owner Joe Thwaites soon decided the river at nearby Durham offered a more reliable platform for those initial steps which lead to exploring a lot more flat water locations within a couple of hours drive.

Boardskillz now offer a range of fast track clinics for small groups and individuals happy to join a group where the focus is on getting clients up and paddling with minimum fuss, developing confidence & core skills and sending people home with sufficient experience to go paddling unsupervised. Their most popular course is the 1 day beginner to winner which incorporates a flat water session in the morning taking you through the basics followed by a break for lunch before heading out at the coast in the afternoon to try your hand in the waves (if there are any) or enjoy a coastal paddle taking it all in from as unique elevated vantage point.

For those looking for a full weekend or short break centred around SUP Joe also offers SUP Micro Adventures  which operate over a couple of days. If you’re less keen on salt water and want to enjoy some pretty scenery you should opt for the Lake District where you’ll get to paddle at a variety of locations across the two days, enjoy some lakeside camping with beers and burgers to help you unwind of an evening.

If you’re already a water baby and prefer the coast then Boardskillz offer a similar experience but located up in beautiful Northumberland. You’ll get to paddle board at some truly breath taking locations including Bamburgh Castle in crystal clear water and you have a strong chance of encountering dolphins over the warmer summer months which makes for a truly magic experience. Alongside structured coaching sessions there is plenty of time to free paddle or indeed do you own thing so if you’re travelling up by car you may want to bring a bike, hiking boots etc.

If you’re suitable taken with what Boardskillz has to offer then why not join Joe over the colder months in sunnier climes? Choose from relaxing flat water experiences in the mountains to full throttle surf clinics in reliable wave locations.

Alongside running Boardskillz Joe has developed his own brand Loco which is considered by many as one of the most exciting SUP brands in Europe providing composite and inflatable paddle boards across a range of disciplines. If you’re looking for a paddle board and want some solid advice from one of the UK’s top SUP coaches we can wholeheartedly recommend Joe and Loco.

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