What is it?
Canoeing and Kayaking are sports that evolved from the boats people would use to travel on waterways. The progression into a recreational activity came in the mid 1800s as people began to race each other and created courses to navigate, and evolved into two separate types of boat; the canoe (often open topped, and being propelled by the use of a single-bladed paddle) and the kayak (more typically having a closed deck, and the paddler using a double-bladed paddle).
What does it involve?
At beginner level, canoeing and kayaking would involve getting to grips with operating the paddle correctly and propelling yourself forwards, but once you have gotten to grips with the technique you can perform tricks, paddle down whitewater rivers at a higher speed and even use small sails to power your movement.
Why do it and what are the benefits?
Canoeing and Kayaking are good for exercising gently - the manner of movement required gradually builds strength in both the upper body and the legs, and there's little risk of any impact injuries in this sport. Being out on the water can be a thrill and a novel experience, especially for younger students who may not have been in such close quarters to the open water before.
What equipment do we need?
It's unlikely you will need to provide any equipment for going canoeing or kayaking as the establishment you visit should supply everything for you as part of the price, but always double check with your chosen providers beforehand to make sure.
Who is it suitable for?
There's no real minimum age for having a go at canoeing or kayaking, but you should feel confident that any youngsters will pay attention to the instructor/be okay on the water before taking them on a trip!
Costs?
Prices will vary between establishments, but about £30-40 per person for a half day is reasonable - be sure to shop around in your local area before deciding on where to go.
Issues/Things to think about? (unsuitable for age groups, medical conditions etc)
Canoeing and Kayaking are reasonably safe sports that are suitable for a wide variety of ages, so the main thing to keep in mind is to pay attention to the instructor and obey all the safety procedures - especially when it comes to wearing bouyancy aids!
How do we include?
There is a great disabled canoeing/kayaking culture in the UK, so most people should be able to be included - consult your chosen provider to find out what they are set up for.
Doing it abroad?
There should be many places abroad who host canoeing and kayaking, but countries with expanses of open water will obviously have more options - if it's something you want to include in your trip, consider your destination carefully!
Main website:
You can visit here for some good general information, but you must check out the websites of the individual venues to find out the specifications of what they provide.
Prince's Trust centres currently offer the Fairbridge programme, which is an individually tailored personal development programme combining one-to-one support and group activities.
Originally Fairbridge North Manchester, we became part of The Prince's Trust in 2011.
Striving to bring new opportunities to young people in the local area with our dedicated team of Outdoor Instructors and Youth workers.
We endeavour to provide activities that help to develop skills within a safe & supportive environment.
Dobroyd Castle is a 19th century mansion set high up on the Todmorden moors enjoying some fantastic views of the surrounding area and accommodated up to 285 children. The castle has both architectural and historical significance in the area.
Watermark Experiences creates unique and challenging river adventures for young people aged 12 to 23.
WE are a team of qualified professionals with unmatched experience of leading expeditions to the most challenging environments in the world. WE also run regular UK training courses in kayaking and other adventure activities.
Releasing Potential is a charity, based in Havant, which has been delivering outdoor education since 2001. We began by providing activities in schools to help marginalised young people develop social, emotional and practical skills.
Our aim is to enable young people to develop through taking part in outdoor activities in a fun and safe environment. This simple aim has led us to develop our Centre that rivals commercially run Centres in terms of both facilities and activity provision.
As we are a charity we are able to maintain excellent value for money.
Bring a group to spend a memorable day at one of our Centres, or we can come to you. We can also support DofE groups, BTec / GCSE and provide team building courses for young people or adults.
We have a small team of highly qualified and experienced coaches, giving you quality sea kayak instruction on the stunning south Devon coast. We provide guided sea kayak trips and skills courses for all ages and abilities.
Radical Services provide fun, educational and stimulating care to young people, in small family style homes. We help them to reach their full potential, with a team of well trained staff, who care and believe that the young person’s voice should be central to the way they work.
You can choose from dinghy sailing, keelboat sailing, power boating, windsurfing, paddleboarding and kayaking with both short sessions and longer courses suitable for all levels and abilities whether: you are a first timer; you wish to enhance your skills/qualifications; build up your team; you simply want a fun experience whilst on a weekend break or longer holiday.
Ulley provides students the opportunity to develop new skills in a Safe and Fun environment. Students are encouraged to grow and progress in a time and space that suits their needs, with Learning and Progress at the heart of all the programmes.
Reach Beyond Adventure, based in The English Lake District, offers outdoor adventure activities, organisational and business development, team building, management training, bushcraft skills and challenge events for individuals, teams and organisations throughout the UK.
The Kepplewray Centre occupies a large Victorian mansion set in its own grounds situated in the south of the Lake District National Park. We provide accommodation for those wanting to enjoy the spectacular scenery on our doorstep and also offer an extensive range of outdoor activities led by our enthusiastic instructors.
We are totally passionate about one thing; when you are with Rough Edge, you will have the time of your life.
We run adventure trips in the UK and abroad.We supervise and assess Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Gold expeditions. We specialise in mountain navigation training to NNAS Gold standard. And we offer team building and challenge events for companies too.
Our fantastic location and team of dedicated staff enable us to offer a wide variety of activities for people of all ages to enjoy. Whether you are looking to host an action packed party or simply spend some time with adventurous like-minded individuals.
Fun and safety are at the heart of our youth clubs, offering an energetic and educational setting for youngsters! Our youth clubs are designed to keep youngsters busy and interested, giving them worthwhile, hands on experiences out on the water.
Our primary focus is to offer a wide range of opportunities in the outdoors to young people and adults (primarily for the 13 to 19 year olds but some are good for as young as 8) across the area through a series of development courses and through our club membership.
The Ultimate Activity Company provides adventure activities at over 54 locations across the UK. We have a fantastic reputation within the leisure industry and provide adventure activities to schools wanting affordable activity programs.
Discover the true potential of your team on a programme that strikes the perfect balance between adventurous challenge and inspirational learning opportunity.
The activities are delivered in a fun and exciting way with all of the usual high standards of safety and group management that you would expect from a company that is passionate about developmental outdoor education for young people.
Our activities promote trust, respect, co-operation, communication and caring for those around you, all whilst having bags and bags of fun!
Centre Manager Matt Collins and the team welcome you to launch your own canoe, kayak or sailing boat or book an instructed session for you and your group. Families, friends, schools and youth organisations, and corporate groups can all benefit from activities at this fantastic centre within easy reach of Manchester, Sheffield and Barnsley.
Stubbers have been serving the schools and groups of Essex, London and Hertfordshire for over 20 years. Offering a range of outdoor activities to students of all ages.
Learning outside the classroom; great experiences, self discovery, team work and team building, taking and managing risks, building self esteem and confidence, discovering hidden strengths and talents.
We offer outdoor and adventurous activities for young people and adults throughout the year.
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.