Experience of magic of paddleboarding around Devon’s waterways, from canalside meanderings to thrilling coastal explorations, with the help of a new book by Lisa Drewe in which she reveals her choice of top spots.
Lopwell Dam to Bere Ferrers
Explore the protected waters of Lopwell Dam’s nature reserve or take a relaxed trip along the River Tavy to an excellent local pub. Start beside the dam’s overflowing waters near the tidal ‘road’ that crosses to the heavily wooded west bank. At the upper tidal limit of the Tavy estuary, this once busy river quay served nearby mines. Head downstream through the brown waters and don’t be alarmed by large bubbles erupting all around. They emanate from the old mine shafts that still exist below the riverbed. Set on a steep hillside, Whittacliffe Wood’s broadleaf trees cloak the west bank, their colours perfectly mirrored in the still water and making this a spectacular paddle in autumn.
DISTANCE:5km return
STARTING POINT: Lopwell Dam, PLG7BZ. Grid ref. SX 4746 6499 (50.4649,-4.1505).
LAUNCHING: Slipway adjacent to tidal road, 50m from car park.
PARKING: Alongside Lopwell Dam (free)
PITSTOPS: The Old Plough Inn, Bere Ferrers (try the ribs)
Hooe Lake
Explore river wharfs where the Plym merges with Plymouth Sound, then discover a tidal lake formed from a flooded quarry, diverse wildlife, and boat wrecks. Leave Oreston slipway and head downstream into Cattewater.
Lined by old wharves and commercial areas, this is an intriguing stretch of water and, apart from an occasional small oil tanker, mostly used by fishing trawlers, yachts, and small craft. Enter Hooe Lake and paddle between the stanchions of the derelict Turnchapel Branch swing bridge. Along the north shore, you’ll find an old stone jetty and the wooden skeletons of several ancient boats. On the east shore a dam-like bridge with a romantic derelict folly, Radford Castle, separates freshwater Radford Lake from tidal Hooe Lake.
DISTANCE:5km return.
STARTING POINT: Oreston slipway, PL9 7NB. Grid ref. SX 5001 5357(50.3629, -4.1102)
LAUNCHING: Slipway adjacent to car park
PARKING: The Quay, Rolls Park Road ,PL9 7NB; 20 spaces next to slipway.
PITSTOPS: Great food at super-friendly and popular Clovelly Bay Inn, Turnchapel; good Sunday roast, the Royal Oak, Hooe Lake; great coffee near Oreston Quay on SW Coast Path, the Mess Room.
Wembury to Noss Mayo
Launch from this popular family beach and discover secluded coves, tranquil rivers, and an old smuggler’s village. Wembury Bay is well worth exploring but the confident paddler can extend the trip up the Yealm Estuary to Noss Mayo by heading east along the base of cliffs thronged with seabirds. Beyond the rocky shoreline, slate reefs and massive wave-cut platforms have created one of the UK’s best marine life habitats with myriad seaweeds beneath you and dolphins and seals in the open water towards the Great Mewstone. Once around Season Point and through the estuary mouth, guarded by a sandbank, make for Cellar Beach on the opposite bank and you’ll probably have this sandy, rocky cliff-cove all to yourself.
Continue into the magical estuary, enclosed by steep wooded banks. Enter Newton Creek and if tides permit, turn right into Noss Creek, featuring two old inns and an assortment of characterful cottages. once the haunt of smugglers.
DISTANCE:8.5km return.
ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: £20per craft/season to enter Yealm Estuary; pay licence fee to river Yealm Harbour Authority.
STARTING POINT: Wembury Beach,PL9 0HR. Grid ref. SX 5161 4845(50.3176, -4.0846)
LAUNCHING: 50m walk, with steps, from car park.
PARKING: Two Moors Way car park, Wembury,PL9 0HR.
PITSTOPS: Wembury Home-made scones, the Old Mill Café. Noss Mayo Great food, local beers and views, Ship Inn; creek views and pub grub, Swan Inn. Newton Ferrers popular and with riverside garden, Dolphin Inn.
Burgh Island circumnavigation
Leave civilisation behind to explore the cliffs, hidden coves, and gullies of Agatha Christie’s island retreat. Launch from the causeway beach, opposite the island’s famous hotel, and paddle towards the island, heading to the right of the Pilchard Inn. Once round Herring Cove Point, weave through the rocky outcrops and reach the island’s southwest corner, where steep cliffs loom large. Splashed pink by pockets of sea thrift and colonised by gulls and cormorants, this spot is known locally as ‘cormorant corner’. After negotiating more rocky outcrops, look for a giant flat slab of slate: hidden behind it is a cliff cave you can swim into. Paddle through Death Valley, a rocky chasm between Little Island and Burgh Point, to discover a secluded pebble cove that makes a peaceful picnic spot.
DISTANCE: 2km island circumnavigation.
STARTING POINT: Bigbury Beach, Marine Drive, TQ7 4AS. Grid ref. SX6504 4415 (50.2818, -3.8955).
LAUNCHING: Beach, 100m walk from car park.
PARKING: Bigbury-on-Sea Car Park, Marine Drive, TQ7 4AS.
PITSTOPS: Fabulous home-made food at Bigbury Tea Garden; Venus café, conveniently located near car park; atmospheric, Pichard Inn, Burgh Island.
Torquay explorer
Torquay may be one of the UK’s busiest resorts, but this stretch of the English Riviera is also a UNESCO global geopark, with a wilder side. Leave the crowds behind at Torre Abbey Sands and paddle southwest along the coastline to reach Corbyn Head, a sandstone cliff in tones of pink, terracotta, orange, and brown. Continue towards Livermead Head, where the cliffs are riddled with small caves. From here, enjoy great views over the Bay and across to London Bridge, the sea arch to the east. There are several small caves around this impressive limestone arch, some accessible on a very low tide, and you can also swim through a cave on the left under the arch. Here the water is intense turquoise and rich in marine life including sea sponges, dead men’s fingers, and starfish that cling to the walls of the cave.
DISTANCE:5km circular.
ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: No access into marina or harbour.
STARTING POINT: Torres Abbey Sands, Torquay, TQ2 5DG. Grid ref. SX9101 6355 (50.4620, -3.5370).
LAUNCHING:150m from car park.
PARKING: Abbey car park, Belgrave Road,TQ2 5TY.
PITSTOPS: Tasty breakfast, lunches, cocktails, and chilled vibe at WeSUP HQ, Torquay Marina.
Whitford to Seaton
A long, gentle paddle, following the reed-edged and willow-lined river Axe down to a fishing hamlet and the sea. Start just downstream of Whitford Bridge below the weir and glide beneath overhanging willows as the river meanders through the Devon meadows. Shortly after the road bridge, the Coly tributary joins the Axe, which widens as it enters its tidal estuary flanked by marshes and mudbanks. Pass Axmouth on the east bank and gaze over at Seaton Wetlands on the west bank. Paddle under the road bridge, passing a large shingle bank and moorings on the west bank, and Seaton’s harbour walls and fishing boats on the east. Continue down to the estuary at Seaton Bay for wonderful views of the Dorset coastline to Beer Head.
DISTANCE:16km return
STARTING POINT: Downstream of Whitford weir. Grid ref. SY 2619 9529(50.7525, -3.0476).
LAUNCHING:30m walk from carpark to bankside launch.
PARKING: Adjacent to weir, Whitford Road, EX13 7AN.
PITSTOPS: Unpretentious harbourside snacks while watching fishermen weighing their catch, Chris’s Café, Seaton,.
Crow Point and River Caen
Explore the sheltered waters around the Point –a sandy peninsula where two rivers meet the sea – or head upstream to historic Velator Quay. Crow Point is a narrow sand spit extending into the Taw Estuary, and part of the Braunton Burrows nature reserve. Leave from Crow Point’s extensive dune-backed sands, and enjoy a high-tide paddle in its protected waters. To extend the trip, head east along the Taw’s north bank to the mouth of the river Caen and Horsey Island. You may catch a glimpse of a spoonbill or golden plover here, and it’s a busy feeding ground for migrating birds. Enter the river, pass the hulks of long-abandoned boats, and continue to Velator Quay. At this rural spot, farm produce and clay were once loaded onto ships that brought back coal, bricks, and limestone to the quay.
DISTANCE:8.5km return
STARTING POINT: Crow Point Beach, adjacent to car park. Grid ref. SS4686 3288 (51.0748, -4.1874).
LAUNCHING: Beach, 20m walk from car park.
PARKING: Car park, Crow Point Toll Road, Crow Beach House, Braunton, EX33 2NX
PITSTOPS: Quality breakfasts at the Quay Café, Velator.
Lee Bay explorer
A beautiful bay hugged by soaring cliffs with numerous rock gullies and secluded coves for family adventures. Once a haunt of smugglers, Lee Bay is tucked away at the end of a deep, wooded coombe dotted with picturesque stone cottages. Launch from the small sand beach that’s exposed at low tide in the main rocky cove. Head west past Outer Appledore Rocks to reach Sandy Cove, or paddle east to visit the otherwise inaccessible and sandy Broadoar Bay. Take snorkelling gear and on higher tides float over the rock shelves and look out for the wafting fingers of gem, beadlet, and snakelock anemones. Furhter out into the Bristol Channel , you may catch sight of dolphins.
DISTANCE: Free-range.
STARTING POINT: Lee Bay beach, EX34 8LR. Grid ref. SS 4791 4653(51.1978, -4.1781).
LAUNCHING: Slipway, 150m from car park at high tide; beach at low tide.
PARKING: Car park (free), Lee Bay, Ilfracombe EX34 8LR.
PITSTOPS: Brewery, distillery, and food at the Grampus Inn; simple fare, Old School Room Craft Gallery.
Tiverton to Sampford Peverell
A peaceful 10km paddle on the Grand Western Canal, through beautiful countryside and charming villages. This one-way trip, with plenty of wildlife to spot on the way, explores the stretch between Tiverton Canal Centre and the Globe Inn, Sampford Peverell. From the canal centre, pass through a residential area to East Manley Bridge, then a short distance beyond, paddle along the double-arched aqueduct. Paddle beneath the A396 Tiverton Road Bridge, the turnaround for the horse-drawn passenger barge that runs from the centre, and reach the Dudley Weatherley Jubilee Bridge. Paddle along Swing embankment, enjoying wonderful views across the Blackdown Hills, to reach Swing Bridge. Pass beneath the A396 again at Rock Bridge by Rock house and then again one final time to reach Sampford Perverell and the Globe Inn.
DISTANCE:10km one way; bus return.
ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: Canal permit required, £5/day
STARTING POINT: Tiverton Canal Centre, Lime Kiln Road, Tiverton, EX16 4HX. Grid ref. SS 9650 1239(50.9017, -3.4732)
LAUNCHING: Canalside, 100m walk from car park.
PARKING: Grand Western Canal car park, Canal Reach, The Avenue, Tiverton..
PITSTOPS: Excellent tearooms and garden at the Tiverton Canal Centre; expressos served from a horsebox, the Box Circa 75 (weekendsonly), Tiverton Road Bridge car park; good lunches, the Swan’s Neck Café, Greenway Bridge; good roasts, the Globe Inn, Samford Peverell.
Combe Martin and Broad Sands
Beginners and families will enjoy exploring the rocky nooks and crannies, and there’s the option of a trip for the more experienced to a sheltered, little-known cove. Combe Martin Bay,is fringed by some of the highest sea cliffs in England. Leave from the beach and paddle alongside the concrete walkway to explore the various pools and mine adits (drainage tunnels) towards Lester Point. If conditions are suitable, continue around to visit remote Wild Pear Beach and gaze up at the vast sea cliffs of Little Hangman. Then cut back across Combe Martin Bay to Newberry Beach. For the more experienced, a short paddle further north-west in good conditions past caves and rocky inlets below cliffs clad in luxuriant woodland, leads to the stunning turquoise waters of Broadsands Beach.
DISTANCE:4.5km return.
ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: No landing in Small Mouth (wedding venue); absolutely no entry into Watermouth Harbour.
STARTING POINT: Combe Martin Beach, EX34 0AW. Grid ref. SS 57704728 (51.2070, -4.0384)
LAUNCHING: Beach, 50m from car park.
PARKING: Kiln car park, Cross Street, Combe Martin, EX34 0DN.
PITSTOPS: Walk/drive to nearby Watermouth Harbour, the best homemade cake and crab sarnies, quirky seating inside the boat and huge smiles, Storm in a Teacup.
Dartmouth Explorer
Absorb the maritime vibe of this strategically important naval port as you paddle the Dart, past impressive historic buildings to secluded coves. Launch from the smaller slipway on the downstream side of the ferry then head downriver to explore the west bank. Passing Dartmouth’s historic waterfront to Bayard’s Cove Fort, a Tudor stronghold perched on the rocky bank. Further downstream, the small tidal inlet of Warfleet and its calm waters are perfect for honing paddling skills. In light winds, continue round the promontory to Sugary Cove, a secluded beach of shingle and rocks, before crossing the river mouth to the estuary’s opposite shore. Make for quiet Mill Bay Cove and enjoy a dip before heading back upstream below Kingswear Castle.
DISTANCE:6.5km circular.
STARTING POINT: Slipway,Dartmouth-Kingswear higher ferry, TQ6 9PQ. Grid ref. SX 8795 5193(50.3565, -3.5764).
LAUNCHING: RH (downstream) side of slipway, short walk from road parking.
PARKING: Roadside (A379), 2hrs only from May-Sept; or Dartmouth car park, Mayor’s Avenue, TQ6 9NF (400m walk to launch).
PITSTOPS: Dartmouth Castle Tea Rooms (via steps from St Petrox Church landing)
South Milton to Hope Cove
Explore an iconic sea arch and the twin beaches of a traditional fishing village, once the haunt of smugglers and pirates who profited from ships wrecked in the bay. Launch from sheltered South Milton Sands, a very popular family beach and, if tide height permits, head straight for the Thurlestone Rock and paddle through it. Continue south towards the twin beaches of Hope Cove. At Harbour Beach, the largest sandy inlet in Hope Cove, a harbour wall offers safe haven for small boats, and the village itself is well worth a visit for great refreshments. If the sea is exceptionally calm, extend the trip to explore some of the largest sea caves along the south coast at the base of the Bolt Tail headland.
DISTANCE:6.5km return.
STARTING POINT: Milton Sands,Thurlestone, TQ7 3JU. Grid ref. SX6763 4147 (50.2584, -3.8583).
LAUNCHING: Beach adjacent to car park.
PARKING: NT car park, South Milton Sands,TQ7 3JU.
PITSTOPS: Milton Sands rustic shack serving top quality fish, seafood and snacks, the Beachhouse. Hope Cove great food and views, Lobster Pod Bistro; huge selection of craft beer, the Cove; local food and beer, Hope and Anchor.
READER OFFER
There is more detailed information on all these routes and many more paddling adventures across Devon and the South West, alongside advice and tips in Lisa’s book, South West England Paddleboarding: 100 places SUP, Canoe, Kayak. Wild Things Publishing, £18,99.
Devon Life readers can get 25 per cent off the cover price and free P&P with the code DevonLife23 online at wildthingspublishing.com
