Paddleboarding locations
Where to Paddle — Surrey & Beyond
A short, honest list of paddleboarding locations Skip actually knows and paddles — what each one asks of you, and where coaching or hire genuinely make sense.
Three rivers, described by someone who has paddled them
This is not a scraped route listing. There are three locations here because these are the three I can write about from experience — the River Wey, which I have paddled from Godalming all the way to the Thames; the River Arun, where I trained alongside the Wey for the Yukon; and the River Mole, which I have paddled a fair amount close to home.
Each page covers who the water suits, why it is worth paddling, and what you need to sort out before you go. More locations will be added as there is something genuinely useful to say about them — not to fill a directory.
River Wey
Surrey — Godalming, Guildford, Weybridge
The best of the three for beginners and improving paddlers. Sheltered navigation water through Surrey, from Godalming to the Thames.
Best for: First proper paddles, Building confidence, Technique work, Longer day journeys
Read the guide →
River Arun
West Sussex — Pulborough to Arundel
Tidal water that rewards planning and punishes assumption. Progression and adventure-training paddling, not a casual beginner day out.
Best for: Progression paddlers, Tide and planning skills, Distance training, Expedition preparation
Read the guide →
River Mole
Surrey — Surrey Hills and the Mole valley
The most technical of the three. Narrow, level-dependent water that asks for real paddle skills and local knowledge.
Best for: Confident paddlers, Board-control skills, River reading, Short technical days
Read the guide →Three ways to use these locations
Paddle independently
Use the practical information, sort your own licence, access and conditions, and go. Where our hire boards genuinely suit the water, we say so — and where suitability depends on you, the conditions and the route, we say that instead.
Paddleboard hire in Surrey →Learn there with SHACADEMY
Private 1:1 SUP coaching with Skip — focused, individual instruction for nervous beginners, people wanting to learn quickly, technique improvement, journey skills and confidence. Coaching can be arranged at these locations where access and conditions allow.
Coaching here is person-centred: a few clear technical changes, better decisions, and preparation for the objective you actually have.
Private SUP coaching in Surrey →Train for something bigger
Race, adventure, journey and expedition preparation with Skip, built around your objective rather than a syllabus. Two of these rivers were part of his own Yukon training.
SUP races & challenges →Coaching & pricing →This page is planning guidance written from experience — it is not a live conditions assessment. Water levels, flow, tides, weather, access points and permissions all change, and published distances, durations and rules can be revised at any time. Check current official guidance and the state of the water on the day, and make your own decision about whether to go.