Heatwave activities: keep cool at these top paddle boarding, kayaking and sailing holiday destinations

Heatwave activities: keep cool at these top paddle boarding, kayaking and sailing holiday destinations

News of the African plume has sparked searches for cooling water sports activities, with paddle boarding becoming the most popular (+79% in search).

SportsCover Direct has created a list of the top places to keep cool and enjoy water sports activities as the UK reaches temperatures of up to 30C, plus advice if you're going paddle boarding.

Sean Walsh, Marketing Manager from SportsCover Direct, comments:

“Whether you’re a beginner at paddle boarding or you’ve tried it in the past, it never hurts to do your research so you can get the most out of your experience in the warm weather:

• If you’re a beginner: visit a SUP or water sports centre where you can hire boards and see if you enjoy the experience before investing in your own
• Size of board: What size you get will depend on your weight and how stable in water you want to be. The bigger the board, the more stable but the slower the experience
• Finding your balance: Consider having a lesson or taster session to learn the basic skills, such as moving from the kneeling to standing position, turning, stopping and the correct use of the paddle
• Check your location: In England and Wales, a licence is required to paddle on any waterway maintained by the Environment Agency and the Canal & River Trust - this doesn’t apply to Scotland where you have a ‘right to roam’
• Safety first: For anyone that paddle boards, you might want to wear a flotation device such as a buoyancy aid or life jacket for safety. Finally, always use a leash (most boards come with these but check before you buy). Attach the leash to your ankle which means that if you fall in the water your board won’t float away from you.”