Watersports
With 250 miles (402 kilometres) of coastline, and a superb selection
of inland waters - the East of England offers some of the best areas
for watersports in the country. Enjoy courses, lessons and holidays
Inland Waters - Bedfordshire, Essex
Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire
Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire
Bedford is home to one of Britain's leading provincial
rowing clubs. They hold a range of races and
regattas on the River Great Ouse. Learn to sail in
Bedfordshire at Priory Country Park (Bedford) and
Stewartby Water Sports Sailing School
(nr. Bedford) who both offer courses and lessons.
The famous University city of Cambridge is noted for
its college rowing teams. Look out for them
practising on the river. During the year, the unusual
‘Bumps Races' are held - in which a number of boats
chase each other in single file, with each boat
attempting to catch the boat in front without being
caught by the boat behind.
Why not enjoy a cruise along the river aboard the
famous punts? These are square-ended boats that
are steered with a pole. The helmsman stands on
the platform at the back of the punt, and pushes the
pole against the riverbed to move the craft. Have-a-go
yourself or hire a chauffeured one.
Enjoy a range of watersports in Cambridgeshire and Essex (sailing, wind surfing
and canoeing) at the Lakeside Leisure Watersports Centre (Peterborough), Mepal
Outdoor Centre (nr. Ely), Grangewaters Outdoor Education Centre (nr. Grays),
Lakeside Diving and Watersports Centre (Thurrock) and the Grafham Water
Centre (nr. St. Neots) - based at Britain's third largest man-made reservoir.
The Lee Valley Park is a wonderful mosaic of landscapes and habitats, with
lakes and watercourses, nature reserves, meadows, open spaces, farm and
woodland - inlaid with centres for leisure, sports, heritage and entertainment. The
park covers some 10,000 acres, and stretches 26 miles (42 kilometres) on both
sides of the River Lea, from the more rural areas of Hertfordshire and Essex, down
into the heart of London's East End. Broxbourne will provide the home of the new
White Water Canoe Centre (Canoe/Kayak Slalom) for the London 2012 Games.
The Fairlands Valley Park (Stevenage), Hertfordshire Young Mariners' Base
(Cheshunt) and Stanborough Park (Welwyn Garden City) in Hertfordshire have
courses in sailing, wind surfing and powerboating.
---------------------------------------------------
Inland Waters - Norfolk and Suffolk
The Broads are Britain's largest nationally protected
wetland. There are 43 broads, connected by the
area's six rivers - making up to 125 miles
(200 kilometres) of lock-free navigable waterways.
Boating is at the heart of the history and culture of
The Broads. The rivers and broads are excellent for
sailing, and there are many yacht clubs in the area.
There is also a large hire boat industry which caters
for the many thousands of holidaymakers.
Look out for the historic wherries - specially built craft
able to navigate the shallow waters. They were
originally used for trading (carrying cargo) - and then
later became the first pleasure craft for boating
holidays. Canadian-style canoes can be hired from
several centres in The Broads. Route maps are
provided showing places of interest. Visit
www.broads-authority.gov.uk for comprehensive
listings of boat hire operators, canoe hire and
learning to sail courses. Whitlingham Country Park
(nr. Norwich) has a large lake with a full range of
water-based activities.
Oulton Broad forms the southern gateway to The Broads, and is one of the finest
stretches of inland water in England. There are regular powerboat events, with
fixtures mainly on Thursday evenings from the middle of April to September.
Have-a-go yourself - with training boats available. You can also learn to sail or try
some canoeing at Oulton Broad with the Suffolk Water Sports Association They
also operate another centre at Alton Water (nr. Ipswich), set in 400 acres of
countryside - a great place to learn how to wind surf.
Discover the landscapes that inspired Britain's greatest landscape artist John
Constable - head to Flatford Mill (East Bergholt, nr. Ipswich) or Dedham to hire a
rowing boat on the idyllic River Stour for an hour or two. Canadian canoe trips
can be organised by the River Stour Boating Community Interest Group
The Lee Valley Park is a mosaic of
landscapes and habitats, with lakes and
watercourses, nature reserves,
meadows, open spaces, farm
and woodland
Coastal Waters - Norfolk and Suffolk
Seaside Hunstanton is noted for its range of
activities, including kite surfing, sailing and wind
surfing - the town offers some of the best conditions
in the country for this latter activity. Look out for the
Lifestyles Festival in July. The unspoilt North Norfolk
Coast with its creeks, natural harbours and maze of
saltmarshes is a paradise for sailing. Pretty villages
such as Brancaster (nr. Hunstanton) and Blakeney
are very popular in the summer for pleasurecraft.
There are a number of clubs and schools, where you
can enjoy sailing and powerboat courses: Sailcraft
Sea School and Norfolk etc They are geared up to
cater for all levels, from novices through to the
experienced sailor. Deep swells, good waves and
ice-cold seas are also fast making Norfolk a mecca
for the surfer. Good spots to take your board include
East Runton (nr. Cromer), Mundesley and Cromer.
The Suffolk ‘Sunrise Coast', features the seaside
resort of Lowestoft - set at Britain's most easterly
point. Try your hand at the exciting sport of
kiteboarding at nearby Kessingland - with
KiteboardingUK, who run lessons for all levels.
Kitesurf East Anglia also hold courses in Suffolk, including a taster day. Or jump
into the depths of the sea, with some safe and enjoyable diving courses - courtesy
of Learn Scuba (Lowestoft). At Southwold, take ‘The Drive of your Life' as you join
the skipper behind the wheel of the Coastal Voyager for an exhilarating experience.
The Rivers Deben, Orwell and Stour are renowned for some of the best leisure
sailing on the east coast - home to waterside hamlets, boat-building yards,
marinas and schools. Enjoy sailing and powerboat courses with Anglia Sea
Ventures, Britannia Sailing East Coast, East Anglian Sea School and the
Suffolk Water Sports Association
---------------------------------------------------
Coastal Waters - Essex
Essex is home to three major sailing centres.
Brightlingsea is the only Cinque Port outside Kent
and Sussex. West Mersea is set on Britain's most
easterly inhabited island, and has a popular wind
surfing club. Burnham-on-Crouch, known as the
'Cowes of the east coast', is home of the longest
running annual yacht regatta on the UK mainland.
Bradwell Outdoor Centre (nr. Maldon), Crouch
Sailing School (Burnham-on-Crouch), North Sea
Yachting (Walton-on-the-Naze) and the Southend
Marine Activities Centre all offer a range of exciting
ways to get on the water - including sailing, jet ski
and wind surfing. Or why not learn to surf the
waves - with the Essex Kitesurf School (Southend).
The estuaries, backwaters and creeks of the Rivers Blackwater, Crouch
and Roach are dotted with little sailing hamlets, clubs and marinas. The ancient
hilltop town and sailing centre of Maldon is home port to the largest fleet of fully
rigged Thames Sailing Barges. With their rust brown sails and broad, flat-bottomed
hulls, they were once the principal way of transporting goods and cargo between
London and the east coast ports in the 19th C. Today you can enjoy day trips,
weekends or holidays: Thames Sailing Barge Trust, Topsail Charters Limited
and Traditional Charter Annual barge races are held at Pin Mill (nr. Ipswich),
Brightlingsea, Maldon and Southend-on-Sea.
