Dear Mummy, I’ve just got back from the most amazing afternoon at Andark Lake in Hampshire. It’s a purpose built Inland Diving Lake, located in Lower Swanwick, near Southampton on the South Coast of England. With UK staycations on the rise this summer, we’re staying close to home and exploring fun things to do in our local area. The Lake caters not only for Paddle Boarding but also Open water swimming and Scuba-diving which makes it ideal for those looking to gain in confidence and practice before venturing into the rivers and sea nearby.
We’re big fans of water sports but never tried paddle boarding before. So we were delighted to be invited down to Andark Lake and have a go at Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP).
There’s nothing better than getting out in the fresh air, enjoying nature and learning a new sport with family and friends. I couldn’t wait to get onto my new paddle board from Andark Lake which was kindly gifted to us.
Andark Lake staff were on hand to book me into my paddle boarding session, help me with equipment and offer me advice on water safety ensuring I had a life jacket and entered the water safely. Check out my video to see me in action > https://youtu.be/1wxQZJTUpco
I love that Andark Lake has a place where you can watch the water sports, hang out, grab a bite to eat and chill out. There’s beautiful scenery around the lake and they even have free WiFi. With decent changing rooms and hot showers it’s a great introduction to wild swimming for kids.
There’s an on-site shop where you can purchase diving and swimming accessories and even buy your own paddle board! (Like the one we were on) Inflatable SUPs are super portable and easy to set-up and I loved practicing with mine in a safe environment with profession supervision before heading to the sea and rivers.
Visiting the lake makes a great day out and it’s a short walk from Lower Swanwick and the river Hamble, with pubs and nature walks nearby. It would make a great activity to do all year round and definitely for families visiting the area on staycations.
Andark Lake paddle boarding sessions are £15 per hour and includes the hire of your board and buoyancy aids. Make sure you check out their website where they also host a range of other activities like Open Water swimming sessions, diving sessions and courses and even hospitality events!
I had a great time and can’t wait to be back! Remember, if you are heading out on a SUP make sure you are water safe and have fun!
Love Bella x
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Oh wow. Sure sounds like a lot of fun. I have not tried paddle boarding yet. Is it difficult to balance? I would love to try it sometime.
I know a couple of people who have started paddle boarding and love it, I have never tried it before maybe time to learn something new
Woah, Bella! This looks like so much fun & you look like you had the most fun! I was waiting for you to tip mummy in haha! x
Oh such fun! Looks like you both had a great time at Andark Lake paddle boarding. I can’t wait to try this myself
I tried paddleboard yoga before where I didn’t have to move much and that was tough. Admittedly I did do the whole thing on my knees to avoid falling in the sea. Looks like you guys had loads of fun x
I would love to try SUP, I need to find something like this where we live.
This sounds like really good fun. £15 an hour is reasonable too. I’m sure my kids would love to try this.