Best Places for Stand Up Paddle Boarding in Devon and Dorset

In Devon and Dorset there are a great many opportunities to learn to paddle board. You may be lucky enough to own your own board and just be looking for safe and easy to access SUP locations. This post offers suggestions of some of the best places where you can paddle board in Devon and Dorset as well as some great local instructors to help you enjoy this popular sport.  It’s great for kids as well,  who let’s face it usually have better balance than the grownups!

A Little History of SUP

Stand up paddle boarding or SUP is a sport that has really become popular in the UK in the last few years. It turns out the idea of stand up boarding has actually been around for 3000 years and was first recorded in Peru where fisherman would stand up on their reed boats.

More recently though, SUP can be traced to Hawaii in the 1960s. Here a group of surfing instructors known as the Beach Boys of Waikiki started to stand on their boards when teaching tourists and to take their photos.  It took until the 1990s for the idea to become popular in Hawaii as new sport with specialist boards,  but by 2005 SUP had reached California. From there on popularity is history.

SUP in Dorset

Paddle Boarding in Portland and Weymouth

With a fabulous sheltered area, Portland Harbour is a great place to learn or practice SUP.  Another popular spot nearby is the Fleet Lagoon at Chesil Beach.  There is easy parking at the Chesil Beach Carpark. If you are looking to hire boards or have lessons take a look at Weymouth Watersports based at the Ferrybridge Boat Yard or Adventure4All based in Portland Marina and Weymouth Harbour. Alternatively Jurassic Coast Activities is located to the East of Weymouth town.

Paddle Boarding in West Bay

The pretty harbour village of West Bay is dominated by the beautiful cliffs of golden sandstone and these make a wonderful backdrop to any paddle boarding experience or even just a day at the beach.

West Bay also has a selection of interesting shops, a great antiques / bric a brac centre, numerous cafes and fabulous fish and chips near the harbour.

SUP West Bay Dorset

West Bay is just a short drive from Bridport. It has a number of car parks quite close to the beach which make it easy to bring your own boards. If the weather is not good enough for sea paddling, then there is also the option of heading up the River Brit which is a nice wide river and a great sheltered alternative, especially for the first time or nervous paddle boarder.

Paddle Boarding Charmouth

Another lovely beach along this coast is Charmouth.  Famous for it’s fossils this is a popular beach all year round. If you own your own kit then it’s a lovely place to paddle and easy to access from the beach front carpark. 

For lessons and guided SUP safaris, get in touch with the lovely Esther who runs Jurassic SUP.  Boards are included,  so for beginners lessons or a safari all the way across the bay to Lyme Regis,  Esther and her loyal dog Daisy will provide a great experience for you.

Jurassic SUP Esther and Daisy at Charmouth

Paddle boarding in Lyme Regis

With its iconic Cobb harbour wall,  colourful fishing boats, pretty sandy beach and a long promenade all along the seafront, Lyme Regis is popular town with tourists.

It’s popular to paddle around the bay from the sandy beach.  As an alternative to paddle boarding there is also Lyme Bay Kayak Hire on the seafront in the summer. 

If you are taking your own gear you will ideally need to drop kit off and park back up the hill at Holmbush to avoid the quite expensive seafront parking charges.

Paddle boarding in Seaton

My first ever paddle boarding experience was in Seaton.

If it’s choppy it is not the easiest place to learn as you need to get out over the waves first, but on a calm day it really is lovely.

Seaton has a pebble beach to cruise along parallel to. For more experienced paddlers you can go round the headland to the little fishing village of Beer. Some people also choose to start from Seaton Hole. 

If the sea is a bit too choppy then you can retreat to the wide and sheltered Axe Estuary, spot the many birds and even a passing tram.

Note the estuary mouth can have a fast flow a certain tide times. 

Best Places for Stand Up Paddle Boarding in Devon and Dorset Seaton Devon

Sidmouth

Another popular place to paddle with a mixture of pebble, shingle and a flat sandy seabed exposed as the tide goes out. Popular with families there are two beaches, the beach in front of the main town and around a headland (walkable at low tide) is Jacobs Ladder Beach.

Sidmouth is also a great place for rock-pooling.

Sidmouth beach great for paddle boarding

Budleigh Salterton SUP

Budleigh Salterton has a pretty, long pebble beach with easy access from a large seafront carpark.  Budleigh Paddle Sports offers SUP sea safaris and kayaking. Non paddlers can enjoy a walk along the seafront or follow the river upstream towards Otteron.  I can vouch for the good choice of ice cream shops as well.

The pretty River Otter reaches the sea at Budleigh Salterton and the river estuary is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, home to many breeding birds.

Although it’s a sheltered spot,  paddle boarders and kayakers with their own equipment are asked to avoid the salt marsh estuary so as to not disturb the wildlife and definitely must not launch from the river banks.

Exmouth SUP

Exmouth marks the most Westerly end of the Jurassic Coast. The largest town since Weymouth, Exmouth has plenty to offer as well as a large sandy beach. There are a number of SUP hire companies as well as kite surfing in the resort.

The Exe River estuary provides a sheltered area and a wide sandy beach area.

Best Places for Stand Up Paddle Boarding in Devon and Dorset Edge Exmouth

Check out Edge Watersports for lessons and hire as well as some helpful videos on You Tube. Watch them explaining where is best to paddle such as the estuary and the area by the Life Boat Station which is protected by a sandbank.

Other providers of gear and lessons are Exmouth Watersports and they also hire out equipment.

If you want a really sheltered river based option then you can start your supping in Exeter.  AS Watersports Exeter and Haven Banks both hire a range of equipment and easy access to the Exeter canal and River Exe.

Edge Watersports SUP Exmouth

Best Places for Stand Up Paddle Boarding in Devon and Dorset

I think you will agree that there are lots of great places for SUP paddle boarding along the Jurassic Coast. Although it’s lovely to be out in the sunshine if you assume you are likely to get wet then the weather doesn’t matter too much. A lot of places hire wetsuits as well if you don’t have your own.

If you are an experienced paddle boarder then you may be happy to head out in the winter, but many of us will prefer to wait for warmer weather and some instruction.  Please ensure you check weather conditions and tide times and tell someone your plans. No-one wants to have to be responsible for call out the Coast Guard.

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Header photo: Esther and Daisy at Charmouth, Jurassic SUP

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Paddle boarding in Devon and Dorset
Jacobs Ladder Sidmouth beach