Paddle boarding near Southampton

[RBDIVE]

Anyone here that knows the Southampton area?
Taking the family down that area next week.
.
the OH bought a paddle board a few weeks ago. So now looking for places near by that are relatively easy to drive up to park and spend a few minutes watching her fall in. Dont want to go to one of the places that give lessons but won't rule it out
Ideally sheltered water and shallow. Any suggestions are appreciated

 

[cheb]

Which side of Southampton? On the New Forest side there's Calshot and Lepe beaches*. There used to be a big activity centre at Calshot on the old flying boat base, possibly there still is, it's a loooong time since I was there as a youth.

*That's a mid south coast beach, dirty grey uninviting water and stones. Probably drizzling and nowhere open.

 

[RBDIVE]

We will mainly based at paultons Park. So looking for some escape....
I'll look up calshot

 

[cheb]

Lymington might be worth a look, and Christchurch/Bournemouth isn't that far away.

 

[GrahamGKD]

There is a reasonable sheltered bit of (tidal) water at Ealing Tide Mill - I launched there a lot when I was into sea kayaking. Last time I was there you could park there. That might be the nearest for you? You can probably look at the mill (not sure of opening times) and there is a small museum and coffee shop while you are there.

If you want somewhere 'nicer' maybe the River Hamble, Christchurch Harbour or the River Stour at Christchurch. Calshot is a option, as suggested, but watch out for the strong tidal flow if launching into the Solent or near the lifeboat station. There is a sheltered lagoon at Calshot but I think it may dry at low water.

The Beaulieu river is nice but not sure where you would launch - maybe that end of Lepe Beach?

 

[FoxZulu]

I'll second the Hamble River. You can launch from the Foreshaw in Hamble Village or further up the river at Swanwick. There are usually quite a few SUPs in the upper reaches and it's very sheltered. Also very beautiful surroundings.

 

[RBDIVE]

Thanks guys really helpful info. im sure some of thise will get visited

 

[Bullet2012]

Also this advice is worth following

Stand-up Paddleboarding Safety Tips And Advice From The RNLI

We’re here to help you get the most out of stand-up paddleboarding, also known as SUP. Get advice on types of paddleboard, lifejackets, best conditions and more.

rnli.org

 

[Martin-Sy]

We've kayaked from Lepe up the Beaulieu river but check tides and wind. Definitely better starting on still water if she's new to it.

This is a useful website for planning. It covers access points, parking, hazards etc. We often use it for checking our paddles.

PaddlePoints | Routes | Launches | Create your own paddling trails online

Find kayaking near you with PaddlePoints. 1,000s of canoe, kayaking, and SUP routes and launches. Create your own public or private paddling.

gopaddling.info