The best places to go kitesurfing near Manchester & Liverpool
Looking to go kitesurfing near Manchester or Liverpool? The closest beaches are Hoylake on the Wirral, Kinmel Bay near Rhyl and St Anne’s near Blackpool, all within about two hours of both cities.
Where to book
There isn’t a kitesurf school near Manchester or Liverpool on eola, so here are the closest watersports you can book, plus kitesurf and wing schools on the south coast for a trip.
- Liverpool Watersports Centre: paddleboarding, sit-on-top kayaks and open water swimming in Queens Dock on the Liverpool waterfront. A good first taste of the water close to home.
- Easyriders: 1:1 kitesurfing and wing foiling tuition, plus beginner wing lessons, in Poole, Dorset.
- Nomadic Kitesurf: kitesurf tasters, beginner lessons and private improver sessions at Calshot, near Southampton.
- Get Kiteboarding: kitesurfing and wing surfing lessons at Bracklesham Bay in West Sussex, in small groups of up to four.
Hoylake, Wirral Peninsula
What we like: 6 miles of sandy beach, chest deep water makes it an excellent (safe) spot for beginners and the good riders.
Travel: 30min from Liverpool, 1 hour from Manchester.
Kinmel Bay, Rhyl
What we like: Great beach, perfect for learning! Nice flat water lagoons nearby as well.
Travel: 60min from Liverpool, 1.5 hours from Manchester.
St Anne’s, Blackpool
What we like: Great beach, perfect for learning!
Travel: 60min from Liverpool & Manchester.
Before your first session
Kitesurfing depends on the wind more than anything. Beginners usually need a steady 12 to 25 knots blowing onshore or cross-shore, so the kite pulls you along or towards the beach rather than out to sea. Our guide to when to go kitesurfing in the UK explains how to read wind, gusts and tides.
Take lessons with a school registered with the British Kitesports Association (BKSA) before you ride on your own. Your instructor brings the kit, picks the right beach and tide for the day and teaches you the safety systems. The tide goes out a long way on these beaches, so local knowledge matters.
Not ready for a kite yet?
Paddleboarding is a gentle way to get used to balancing on a board, and you can do it in the city. Liverpool Watersports Centre runs paddleboarding and sit-on-top kayak sessions in Queens Dock. If you want to feel wind power without kite lines, a wing lesson is another way in: read what wing foiling is, then book a beginner wing lesson with Easyriders in Poole.
Now that you know about all the spots within 2 hours of Liverpool & Manchester, there really is no excuse not to get out there and give it a go!
When you’re ready for a trip south, Easyriders, Nomadic Kitesurf and Get Kiteboarding all take kitesurf bookings on eola.
Happy Kiting!
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