stand up paddle boarding IN CROYDE, NORTH DEVON

We visited Croyde and were lucky enough to get perfect conditions for a beginners’ stand up paddle board lesson. We started at 5pm and after a short intro to how to use the boards and the paddle we were in the sea and paddling across the bay.The instructors were both really friendly, helpful and reassuring. After initially kneeling on the boards to get the hang of paddling we managed to stand up at our first attempt and then spent the rest of the session exploring the coastline as the sun set. We’ll definitely give it another go next time we’re in Croyde.

JENNIFER GRAY – LINCOLN

stand up paddle
in our natural adventure playground

Stand up paddleboarding or SUPing is on of the fastest growing sports in the UK, and for good reason! Come and experience SUP with an award winning surf school that’s been featured in The BBC, Vogue, The Independent, Airbnb, Carve Magazine, Surfing England. Add to that a plethora of 5 star TripAdvisor reviews, and you know you’ll be in safe and fun hands when paddle boarding in Croyde.

Stand up paddle boarding is an awesome way to enjoy the beautiful North Devon environment. Also known as SUPing or SUP the sport involves standing on a large paddle board and paddling using a single-bladed paddle.

DISCOVER WHY SUP
IS SO MUCH FUN

Trip Advisor

Stand up paddleboarding with Surfing Croyde Bay has numerous 5 star Tripadvisor ratings. Did you also know our watersports school is rated as the number 1 “Things To Do in Croyde”.

suP North Devon

Croyde is a fantastic place for stand up paddleboarding. You can surf the paddleboard on the beach, explore caves in the coastal area and visit Crow point estuary. There are even inland lakes so that you can learn the skills in a safe environment.

Places such as Lee Bay offer the chance to visit secluded beaches, paddle through gullies, and explore smugglers caves. With the North Devon Coastline as your backdrop its a beautiful day out.

Why not add coasteering or a croyde surf lesson to your SUP experience and make a full day of it! Or if you don’t want another lesson just hire some surf boards.

stand up paddleboarding ADVENTUREs

You can start with an introduction to paddle boarding lesson, and develop the skills you’ll need in the ocean. Paddling, steering, balancing and general technique. Once you’ve mastered the necessary skills, you can then explore one of our SUP locations and get to understand the beauty of the sport. As an ISA school, all of our instructors are fully qualified ISA SUP instructors. So what are you waiting for? Book a lesson with us now and introduce yourself to a whole new sport.

The Complete SUP Guide

Is Stand Up Paddle Boarding Dangerous?

Stand up paddleboarding is a very safe activity if you wear the correct equipment, use a good quality board and properly plan for weather conditions.Particular attention should be paid to wind and tides. Stand up paddle boards are large and it is possible to be blown offshore, or caught in strong rip currents. A paddleboarding guide will always monitor these weather factors before any SUP adventure.When you are in the sea your SUP is your personal flotation device. If it deflates then this could be very dangerous. Cheap poor quality SUP boards should be avoided.You should always wear a wetsuit when on your SUP. If something untoward does happen then your wetsuit will help keep you warm, as well as providing flotation to you in the water.

Is Paddleboarding Easy?

Stand up paddle boarding is very straightforward to do. There are five basic skills to master: 1. balancing on the SUP 2. using the single blade paddle 3. steering left and right 4. speeding up and slowing down 5. getting on and off the stand up paddle board. It’s also a fantastic full body workout that really does strengthen your core muscles. Even better it can be enjoyed on the water surrounded by nature.

Is Stand Up Paddle Boarding Good Exercise?

Stand up paddleboarding is brilliant exercise. The combination of exercise whilst balancing on an unstable platform is excellent for your whole body.SUPing works out your arms, legs, back, shoulders and particularly your core. Additionally, being a low impact sport the wear and tear on your body is minimal.Over time and with practice you will build up endurance and significantly improve your overall fitness.

Do You Wear Shoes When Paddle Boarding?

When you are paddle boarding you don’t need to wear shoes on your feet.SUPs are designed to be ridden with bare feet. The surface of the SUP is designed to grip bare feet, giving you the traction you need to stand and not slip.If the water or air temperature is low, you may choose to wear trainers or wetsuit boots to keep your feet and toes warm.

What Equipment Do You Need?

You’ll need some essential equipment. Firstly a warm wetsuit, an excellent quality SUP board, and a single bladed paddle.The wetsuit will keep you warm while you paddle. The board is your mode of transport for the experience. The paddle is your power.

We use high quality, flexible and warm wetsuits from Tiki. This means you’ll stay warm and comfortable for the duration of your SUP session.

What Should I Wear To Stand Up Paddle Board?

A good quality wetsuit.
Some swimwear under your wetsuit.
Bring a towel to dry off afterwards.

Your Experience

Surfing Croyde Bay pioneered SUPing in North Devon. We want you to enjoy paddleboarding as much as we do. That ethos shines through in our excellent Trip Advisor reviews and ratings. You will not find a more accomplished SUP centre in North Devon.Surfing Croyde Bay also provide school activity days. School SUP sessions can be combined with surfing, coasteering, and first aid. We can also integrate educational aspects of water safety, coastal habitats, nature, wildlife and even erosion. Engaging in education while enjoying paddleboarding is highly engaging for school pupils. The school SUP sessions can reinforce classroom education and bolster existing ideas and educational insights.

Military Team Building Trips

Surfing Croyde Bay also offers military experience trips in North Devon. These bespoke packages are held in a number of locations including Croyde, Ilfracombe amongst other North Devon locations. Your military guide can help your servicemen and women work on team skills. We help with leadership, teamwork, mental strength and other qualities required in operational service.

SUP Instructors

To be a Surfing Croyde Bay guide you need to be fun, friendly and enthusiastic. Our guides are also experienced, qualified and safe.Our SUP centre prides itself on providing you with a unique experience you will never forget. Our instructors are continually exploring the North Devon coastline, to discover new experiences for you to explore.We know if we love paddle boarding, then you will too.

An Ideal Location, North Devon

Our paddle boarding centre is strategically located at Baggy Lodge, Moor Lane, Croyde EX33 1PA. A short 2-minute walk brings you to Croyde Bay. Depending on the tide and sea conditions, there are several locations you can stand up paddleboard. We offer SUP experiences on an inland lake for beginners. There are estuary exploration trips at Crow Point. There are coastal exploration SUPs in Croyde Bay. Whatever your level of experience or confidence, there’s a trip for you.

Weather & Facilities

Weather

Unlike other sports, SUPing is not really weather dependent. Your experience can take place when it is raining or sunny. One of the significant benefits of a sport that isn’t weather dependent, is that the adventures are very rarely cancelled or re-arranged. You can rely on your booking time and date.

Facilities

Surfing Croyde Bay is a unique activity centre in Croyde. Overlooking Croyde Bay we have a location with both amazing views yet convenient for the beach.