Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight boasts plenty of stunning paddle board locations, but we think Freshwater Bay is the best.

Paddle along the cliffs at Freshwater Bay and explore the caves, like the caves below Tennyson Monument, on flat and crystal clear waters. It was these caves that smugglers used the caves to conceal the goods they stole.

If you’re an experienced paddle boarder and come prepared, you could paddle past the chalk cliffs to The Needles rocks. Tourists often take their boats and yachts out around here, so keep your wits about you.

When you’re not on your board, you could even take the iconic chairlift to the sand cliffs. Here, you can play the 9-hole adventure Jurassic Golf, purchase souvenirs or go to the café.

iSurf, a 4-minute drive from Freshwater Bay, offers stand up paddle boarding sessions. A group lesson is £30 for 1.5hrs, whereas a 1 on 1 lesson is £60 and a SUP yoga session is £30 for 1.5hrs. Plus, it’s run by Surfing GB qualified surf coach Chris Mannion, so you’re in good hands if you want to surf the ‘gnarly’ waves. Tackt Isle offers various SUP sessions, such as the 2hr SUP Safari where you can explore. Or, you can hire a board from Two Elements (they can even deliver to you) or book a guided SUP tour of the island from £35.