Paddleboarding in autumn and winter: what to wear and where to go

Yes, you can paddleboard in autumn and winter, as long as you dress for falling in, keep sessions short and paddle with a guide or instructor. Rivers and canals are quieter, the low light is lovely, and plenty of paddleboard schools on eola keep running lessons and tours into November.

Here's how to stay safe, what to wear, and where to book a guided paddle this season.

Quick picks

• Group lesson on the River Medway with Stand Up Paddleboarding with Ana, Tonbridge, with drysuits to hire for the winter months
• Richmond 2hr Group SUP Experience with Paddle Richmond, on the Thames by Richmond Bridge
• Master The Basics group lesson with Paddleboard The Lakes, Newby Bridge near Windermere
• Paddleboarding starter lesson with Channel Kayaks on the River Avon in Bath

Is it safe to paddleboard in winter?

It's safe with the right precautions, and the main risk is the water itself. Falling into cold water triggers cold water shock, a gasp and fast breathing that make it hard to swim until your breathing settles. Winter rivers can also run higher and faster after rain.

• Wear a leash so your board stays with you if you fall in. On moving rivers, instructors often recommend a quick-release waist leash.
• Wear a buoyancy aid. Schools usually provide one on lessons and tours.
• Keep sessions short and stay fairly close to the bank or your launch point.
• Paddle with other people, ideally a qualified instructor, and tell someone on land your plans.
• Check the forecast and the river conditions, and stay off the water if it's windy or the river is in flood.

The RNLI has more paddleboard and cold water safety advice at rnli.org. If you have a heart condition, check with your GP before getting into cold water.

What to wear paddleboarding in winter

Dress for the temperature of the water, because that's where you'll be if you fall in.

• A wetsuit or drysuit. A full-length wetsuit keeps you warm even when wet. A drysuit keeps you dry, with warm layers underneath, and suits paddlers who rarely fall in. SUP with Ana offers drysuit hire for the colder months.
• Thermal base layers in synthetic fabric or merino. Avoid cotton, which stays cold and wet.
• Neoprene boots or roomy shoes with good grip, and neoprene gloves for your hands.
• A warm hat, and a windproof top on breezy days.
• A dry bag with a full change of clothes, a towel and a hot drink for afterwards.

London: Paddle Richmond and Active 360

Paddle Richmond is based near Richmond Bridge on a beautiful stretch of the Thames, with a second site at Teddington Lock. Its Richmond 2hr Group SUP Experience suits complete beginners and improvers alike. If you've paddled before, Dawn Patrol is an early-morning small-group paddle run at half-tide, when there's almost no river flow at Richmond. See more ideas for Richmond.

Photo: Paddle Richmond

Active 360 calls its Kew base, under the arches of a bridge built in 1903, the original home of SUP in London. It runs a year-round programme on the tidal Thames, teaches you how to paddle the Tideway safely, and has changing rooms and showers. For calmer, non-tidal water, it also runs private sessions at Ladbroke Grove on the canal.

Thames Valley and Hampshire: Maidenhead and Basingstoke

Paddleboard Maidenhead paddles the Thames around Maidenhead, Cookham, Bray and Hurley. Beginners start with SUP Starters, a two-hour session in the quiet backwaters near Boulters Lock with one instructor to four paddlers. Once you've had a lesson and can stand and paddle, join a guided river trip from Boulters Lock towards Cliveden. Find more things to do in Berkshire.

In Hampshire, Paddle SUP Company teaches on the Basingstoke Canal with Paddle UK instructors and coaches. The Beginner 2hr Mixed Group Lesson is designed for absolute beginners and earns you the Paddle UK Start Paddling award, and there are one-to-one and private group lessons too. See what else is on in Basingstoke.

Kent: Stand Up Paddleboarding with Ana

Ana teaches on the tranquil River Medway in Tonbridge and is set up for the cold, with drysuits to hire through the winter months. Book a one-to-one lesson to work on getting on and off the board, your stance, paddle strokes and self-rescue, or a group lesson and tour around Tonbridge Island, which starts with river etiquette, safety and kit. Find more paddling in Tonbridge.

Photo: Stand Up Paddleboarding with Ana

Bath: Channel Kayaks

Channel Kayaks is Bath's only BSUPA-recognised paddleboarding school, on the River Avon. Its starter and refresher lesson keeps groups to six per instructor, begins with a land-based safety briefing and includes a buoyancy aid, so you don't need to be a confident swimmer. It's for ages 10 and up. Once you've had lessons, the 2hr guided paddleboarding tour heads downstream looking out for herons, kingfishers and the river's other wildlife. See more in Bath.

Lake District: Paddleboard The Lakes

Paddleboard The Lakes launches from the grounds of the Swan Hotel at Newby Bridge onto the River Leven, a short paddle from the foot of Windermere. It's an ASI accredited school with Paddle UK qualified instructors, offering Master The Basics group lessons for three to eight people, private tuition, and family lessons for ages 8 and up. Explore more activities in Cumbria.

Photo: Paddleboard The Lakes

Cornwall and Cardiff

In Cornwall, Big Green Adventures runs a SUP Lesson & Tour up the Gannel Estuary from Crantock Beach, with all kit and tuition included and ages 8 to 108 welcome. The route depends on the conditions on the day, and sessions need at least two people. Big Green also runs coasteering at Crantock, which we cover in our guide to coasteering in autumn and winter.

If you already paddle, Lisvane and Llanishen in Cardiff has paddleboard hire on the reservoir, with a café and walking trails for afterwards.

Winter paddleboarding FAQs

Can you paddleboard in winter in the UK?

Yes. Many schools run lessons, tours and hire through autumn and winter on rivers, canals and lakes. Wear a wetsuit or drysuit, a buoyancy aid and a leash, keep sessions short, and go with an instructor if you're new to paddling or to cold water.

Should I wear a wetsuit or a drysuit for winter paddleboarding?

Both work. A wetsuit keeps you warm when you're wet, so it suits beginners who expect to fall in. A drysuit with thermal layers underneath keeps you dry and comfortable on longer paddles in the cold. Some schools hire drysuits, so ask when you book.

Should I have a lesson before paddling in winter?

Yes, especially if you're new. A lesson teaches you to stand, turn and climb back on after a fall, which matters more when the water is cold. An instructor also knows which stretches of water are sensible in winter conditions.

Keep reading: 7 stand-up paddleboarding spots in and near London, SUP's health and well-being benefits, and our guide to cold water swimming for beginners.

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