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The BEST campsites for paddle boarding UK

The BEST campsites for paddle boarding UK

Looking for a campsite that you can easily launch your Stand up paddleboard or kayak? If you are looking for campsites that allow camping and paddle boarding or even wild swimming – then look no further. Here are our pick of some of the BEST campsites for paddle boarding in the UK

It is safe to say that stand up paddleboards have become increasingly popular since lockdown, along with inflatable kayaks. They are easy to transport, easy to store and quick to inflate. We first tried our hand at paddleboarding a couple of years ago, and I can honestly say that we are hooked.

The kids love our Portofino Stand up paddleboard (you can read our full SUP review here) and inflatable kayak. As a family we have always grabbed any opportunity to try our hand at water sports and therefore often look for a campsite near water so that we can effortlessly launch our SUP or kayak (and outdoor swimming) without having to pack up our T5 campervan every day in search of water.

So without further ado – Here are a few awesome waterfront campsites for paddle boarding, kayaking or wild swimming that allow SUP camping.

The majority of these waterside campsites we have tried and tested ourselves and we will continue to add the paddleboarding campsites to our list as we find them!

Best campsites to launch SUP

Paddleboarding Campsites: At a glance

  • Tresseck Campsite, Hereforshire
  • Riverside campsite, Stratford upon Avon
  • Byecross Farm campsite, Hereford
  • Coniston Park Coppice Club Campsite, Lake District
  • Llyn Gwynant, Snowdonia
  • Pant Yr Onnen (Bala camping), North Wales
  • Park Foot, Ullswater
  • Cashel Campsite, Loch Lomond
  • Pillaton Farm, Staffordshire
  • Croft Farm Water Park, Tewkesbury
  • Tyddyn Isaf, Anglesey
  • Trevellas Manor Farm Campsite, Cornwall
  • Sunnyside Croft Touring & Camping Site, Arisaig
  • Camusdarach Campsite, Scotland
  • Croft No 2 Campsite Barra, Outer Hebrides
  • Crugan Farm, Llanbedrog, North Wales
  • Love 2 Stay Shrewsbury

Best campsites for paddle boarding (SUP)

Over the last few years we have found some wonderful campsites to launch a paddleboard. These are all campsites with water access and this includes camping near lakes, camping by a river and camping and caravan sites with sea views.

All water access campsites that are listed here we have tried and tested with our camper van and launched our stand up paddleboards (or even tried our hand at cold water swimming). So without further ado here is a list of our favourite UK campsites for paddle boarding that we have tried and tested.

This post will be regularly updated with our FAVOURITE paddleboarding campsites in the UK with direct access to water – as we discover them.

Camping by a river – campsites with paddleboarding

Tresseck Campsite, Hereforshire

Click here to read our Tresseck Campsite review

If you are looking for the perfect place to land & launch your canoe or SUP then Tresseck is for you. This is a back to basics campsite with direct access to the River Wye. This campsite has recently installed a new eco-toilet and washing-up block. Campervan’s are allowed and tents (sorry no caravans) and you can access the beach for kayaking, or stand up paddleabording or wild swimming.

To book head over to the website

BEST campsites for paddle boarding

Riverside campsite, Stratford upon Avon

Riverside Park is positioned on the River Avon in the beautiful Warwickshire countryside, around 1 mile from Stratford-upon- Avon. You can also get a water taxi in to the town.

Head over to Riverside campsite for more information and to book

Byecross Farm campsite, Hereford

Byecross Farm campsite is situated alongside the River Wye, between Hereford and Hay-On-Wye. The campsite has both an Old Apple Orchard and the Camping Field, providing a relaxing and spacious camping experience. Onsite facilities include a toilet and shower block, with a small shop on site.

You can hire a SUP or paddleboard during your stay. For more information and to book.

Lakeside campsites for paddleboarding (SUP) and swimming

Coniston Park Coppice Club Campsite, Lake District

A family friendly campsite with access to Coniston Lake. The campsite is a short walk to Coniston Lake and therefore perfect for SUP camping. The campsite has an adventure playground and is set in woodland with great facilities – and is dog friendly too.

Head over to Coniston Park Coppice Club Campsite / The Caravan and Motorhome Club to book

Llyn Gwynant, Snowdonia

Click here to read our full review of Llyn Gwynant Campsite

Looking for lakeside camping in Snowdonia? Llyn Gwynant is a campsite in the heart of Snowdonia National Park.  Campers are welcome to launch boats, a stand up paddleboard, kayak or canoe in the Llyn Gwynant lake. You can also swim in the lake and river. This campsite is also listed in our favourite campsites in North Wales for families.

Llyn Gwynant bookings

Pant Yr Onnen (Bala camping), North Wales

Pant-Yr-Onnen is a family friendly lakeside campsite on the Southern shores of Bala Lake (Llyn Tegid) and offers camping near to Bala. The campsite has direct access to the lake to launch SUP, inflatable kayak, canoe, or try out wild swimming or sailing.

Head over to Pant-Yr-Onnen to book

camping near lake best campsites for paddleboard

Park Foot, Ullswater

Camping near Lake Ullswater? Park Foot Camping and Touring Park is set on the banks of Ullswater, and offers electric hook up points. The campsite is suitable for tents, caravans, campervans and motor homes and has a toilet and shower block. Park Foot is popular as it has its own beach and launching facilities that is free for those staying at the campsite.

Visit website for more information

Cashel Campsite, Loch Lomond

If you are looking for a campsite on the shores of Loch Lomond, then this campsite is for you. This campsite has direct access to Loch Lomond, Scotland and additionally campers can launch boats or rent a boat nearby.

Pillaton Farm, Staffordshire

Pillaton Farm is a lovely family friendly campsite in Staffordshire and welcomes touring caravans, motorhomes, campervans and tents onto their 10-acre site. There are plenty of family friendly days out locally in Staffordshire too. There is an open water activity pool for open water swimming, water activities and is one of our top locations to launch a paddleboard in Staffordshire.

I have also listed this campsite in our campsites in Staffordshire post too.

For more information and to book

Croft Farm Water Park, Tewkesbury

Croft Farm Water Park is situated close to Tewkesbury and is an ideal base for exploring the Cotswolds. It offers lakeside camping and caravanning facilities and awesome lakeside pitches (hard standing and grass pitches). There are also glamping options available with chalets, pods and cabins making it a perfect family friendly stay.

For more information and to book

Best campsites for paddleboarding UK - Croft Farm Water Park

UK coastal campsites with direct access to water

Tyddyn Isaf, Anglesey

Tyddyn Isaf is a favourite campsite of ours and we have been back over the last two years. The campsite is family friendly and dog friendly and offers direct beach access to Lligwy Beach. The beach is dog friendly and perfect for water sports. The campsite has great facilities including a shop, gym, takeaway and modern toilet and wash facilities.

For more information and to book

UK coastal campsites with direct access to beach

Trevellas Manor Farm Campsite, Cornwall

Trevellas Manor Farm campsite in St Agnes is a lovely coastal campsite in Cornwall with a short walk to the beach. You can walk along the coastal path to St Agnes and Perranporth or it is a couple of miles by road. Trevellas Manor is family friendly and dog friendly and offers spacious pitches and gorgeous sea views.

For more information and to book

Sunnyside Croft Touring & Camping Site, Arisaig

Sunnyside Croft campsite is a family friendly campsite on the West Highland with direct access to the beach. Bunacaimb beach is just a short stroll from your pitch so perfect for a swim, paddle board, or kayak.  Dog friendly too!! We stayed here during our Scotland road trip in the campervan and absolutely loved the location.

Visit Sunnyside Croft website to book

Camusdarach Campsite, Scotland

Read here for our full Camusdarach Campsite Review

Camusdarach campsite is a family friendly campsite and is located between Arisaig and Mallaig. The campsite has easy access via a footpath through the sand-dunes to 3 beautiful white sandy beaches making it a great campsite for paddleboarding. We stayed here at the end of our Outer Hebrides road trip in May half term and quickly added it to our list of BEST campsites in Scotland. The sunsets are pretty incredible too!!

 Head over to Camusdarach campsite to book directly

North Ledaig Caravan Park, Oban, Scotland

Read our full North Ledaig Caravan Park review here

North Ledaig is a perfect campsite close to Oban ferry port making it ideal if you are taking a connecting ferry to the Outer Hebrides. It has a spectacular seashore location with views towards Ardmucknish Bay and Isle of Mull. The majority of pitches are gravel hardstanding with electric although there is a few grass pitches. The campsite has direct access to the beach and therefore a perfect paddleboarding campsites with direct access to water. There are a limited number of front row, sea edge pitches but be quick as these are first booked first reserved!

To book and for prices

UK campsites for wild swimming and paddleboarding

Croft No 2 Campsite Barra, Outer Hebrides

Click here for our Croft No 2 Campsite review

If you are looking for a family friendly campsite on the Isle of Barra, Outer Hebrides then Croft No 2 campsite is one for you, just 100 m from a beautiful, white sandy beach and perfectly placed for camping with a paddleboard.

This campsite has grass pitches with EHU, and it is a small secluded campsite on the Isle of Barra, we stayed here for three nights for our stay on Barra and absolutely loved everything about this campsite.

To book this campsite with beach access

Credit No 2 campsite Barra

Crugan Farm, Llanbedrog, North Wales

Crugan Farm is in Llanbedrog in North Wales, positioned between Abersoch and Pwllheli. The campsite is a short stroll to Llanbedrog beach, perfect for taking the paddleboards. The campsite and beach are dog friendly too.

Head over to Crugan Farm to book

Camping near Water

camping near the beach our best campsites for paddleboarding (SUP)

Love 2 Stay Shrewsbury

Read our full Love2Stay review here

A UK camping resort, set in around 22 acres of rural Shropshire, with views of the Shropshire hills and within easy reach of the beautiful medieval market town of Shrewsbury. Love2stay resort has been developed with luxury in mind, to offer a really special caravan and glamping experience. You will find a BioTop natural swimming pool and a small lake perfect for paddle boarding!

Campsites with direct access to water further afield;

Camping La Paz, Spain

Camping Ile de Re, France

Camping Le Clarys Plage, Vendèe France

So there you have a few of our BEST campsites for wild swimming and paddle boarding. Most of these are tried and tested campsites with access to water from the campsite. This post will be updated regularly as we continue to search for our favourite spots for camping near water to share with you.

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