Paddlesports
The minimum age for all our paddlesports activities is 8 years old. We have a range of paddle craft available at the centre:
- General purpose kayaks
- Sea kayaks
- Playboats
- River Runners
- Marathon Boats
- Canadian canoes
- Bellboats
Introduction to Kayaking Course
Castlegate Quay runs a regular half-day introductory kayaking course on the second Sunday of the month from April to October, priced at £25. The morning course runs from 9.30 - 12.00 and the afternoon course runs from 1.00 - 3.30. Our Intro Courses are very popular and booking in advance is essential. The course will cover the centre, the kit, boats and equipment you need and how to launch, paddle forwards, paddle backwards, stop and spin round. Be prepared to get wet! If you have attended an Intro Course and would like to do some further paddling you can come to our regular Kayak Club sessions.
BCU 1 Star Course (Under 16s)
A 2 day course in foundation paddlesports skills working towards the British Canoe Union 1 Star Award. Be prepared to get wet! No previous experience necessary.
Kayak Clubs
Every Saturday there are two kayak sessions at our Saturday Club. The morning session runs 10.00 - 12.00 and the afternoon session 1.00 - 3.00. During the summer months our Adult Kayak Club runs on Thursday evenings from 5.30 - 7.30. You need to have previously attended an Intro Course so you know where all the kit lives and how to adjust your boat. Once you are happy paddling a basic boat you can try out some of the different styles of kayak we have available and see what suits you. Sometimes we also use our open canoes. A qualified BCU Kayak Instructor is always present on the water. You do not have to be a member, but club members benefit from reduced session fees. Pre-booking is essential.
Kayaking White Water River Trips
During the February and October half term holidays we run a residential trip away (usually to the Lake District) to give our club paddlers a chance to take on some gnarly white water. Due to the nature of the rapids being tackled these trips are only open to regular club attendees who are of an appropriate paddling standard.
Canoeing
We have a fleet of Mobile Adventure canoes which are used by groups undertaking a BCU award, or as part of a kayak club session. Canoeing is a popular activity for school groups.
Bellboating
A bellboat is a wide twin hulled canoe which can accommodate 10 children or up to 8 adults. It is a very stable craft which is good for introducing people to watersports. The boat will be helmed by a qualified Instructor who steers the boat, whilst the crew paddle together to make the boat move. Bellboating is a popular activity for school and youth groups
