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£20.00 – £40.00 (inc. VAT)
Our 2024 kayak and SUP season is now finished. Dates for 2025 will be released early next year.
Try stand up paddleboarding in the heart of Birmingham’s canals.
Join us for a beginners stand up paddleboarding experience in the city centre. You’ll be given instruction by one of our qualified paddlesport guides who will stay with you throughout the session.
This SUP experience is perfect for beginners or if you’re in Birmingham and want to see the city’s canals in a unique way.
This is an active water-based tour and as such all participants will need to complete a consent form to confirm they can participate.
Any under 18’s must be accompanied on the water by an adult.
Want to book a stag/hen party experience or make a private group booking for six or more? Visit our Group Booking page.
No experience needed!
Join us on a guided Stand Up Paddleboarding experience on Birmingham’s canals and see Birmingham from a completely new perspective.
Looking for a different kind of way to see Birmingham? Definitely not your standard canal tour in Birmingham!
To start the session our experienced leaders will introduce you to the equipment and how to safely get on your board before we paddle slightly along the canal and leave the hustle and bustle of the city to spend some time learning to stand up paddleboard. Our SUP experiences have no upper age limits, our lower age limit is 12 years old. Anyone can learn to paddleboard in Birmingham, but a basic level of fitness (walking up the stairs without being out of breath) will ensure you can enjoy our SUP experience.
We’ll give you several snapshots into Birmingham’s heritage and plenty of opportunities to see Birmingham’s landmarks from a different view. Birmingham certainly has more canals than Venice but ours are quieter!
You’ll learn:
– How to paddle – kneeling to start off with
– How to turn the board
– How to stand up – but only when you are ready
– How to balance on the board
No previous experience or specialist clothing and equipment is required – we’ll provide the boards, paddles and essential safety equipment, our guides will get you paddling in no time and cruising along the city’s blue highway. Tours are led by a professionally qualified British Canoeing Instructor. You must wear a buoyancy aid, regardless of your swimming ability, so you’ll be safe if you fall in. We can also provide a semi-drysuit that can be worn over your clothes to provide you with a degree of dryness if you fall in.
Stand up, paddle and have fun!
What’s included:
What happens on the day:
What about the weather?: Guided tours will go ahead in all but the worst of weather. If we need to cancel the tour due to high winds or thunderstorms, we will reschedule at the earliest opportunity.
What should I wear?: Gym-style clothing is best because these won’t hold any water when wet. Everyone must wear footwear; old trainers, crocs, flip flops are all great.
Great for: Adrenaline junkies, pioneers, thrill-seekers, stag & hen parties, and something memorable to do with visiting family and friends.
Fancy organising a private tour or experience just for your group? Visit our Group Booking page.
Dates: Select Sundays, April-August.
Time-slots: 10:20am-12:30pm or 1:30pm-3:30pm.
Meeting Point: Please check in at the Roundhouse Visitor Centre on arrival, 15 minutes before your tour starts.
Finishing Point: Back in the Roundhouse, lower courtyard!
Directions: View our Getting here page for detailed directions.
Duration: From meeting at the Visitor Centre to finishing with a grin, please allow 90 minutes for this experience
Suitable For: 12+, all under 18’s need to be accompanied by an adult. Requires a basic level of fitness and mobility. Maximum weight: 18 stone.
Guided tours will go ahead in all but the worst of weather. If we do need to cancel a tour due to high winds or thunderstorms we will reschedule at the earliest opportunity.
Please provide proof of your eligibility for concessions or discounts on arrival.
Spectators are welcomed but unfortunately we can’t guarantee full sighting of the participant for the whole duration of the tour.
What to wear:
It is best to wear gym-style clothing because these won’t hold any water when wet; jeans, leather and wool are not ideal for water activities.
Everyone must wear footwear; old trainers, crocs, flip flops are all great.
There's a chance you may fall in, so we recommend bringing a towel and a change of clothes. Should you fall in, we have an onsite shower.
Food/drink:
Looking for something to eat and drink after your tour? Ticket holders receive 20% off food at The Distillery pub and 10% off food and drink at Ristorante Caffe Arena. Discount is valid on the day of your tour on production of your ticket. Booking is recommended.
Alternatively, you’re welcome to bring a packed lunch to eat in our courtyard.
We are an accredited British Canoeing Delivery Partner.
You want to know that the centre you choose is high quality, and that’s what the Delivery Partner badge means. A paddling centre displaying the British Canoeing Delivery Partner badge has agreed to the Delivery Partner Charter. This means the paddling centre has agreed to high standards of safety, value for money and customer service.
The badge is an indication to schools, parents and other customers that the partner takes its responsibilities seriously. They will use highly trained, qualified and competent staff, to deliver a high quality customer focused product.
Venue: The Roundhouse
Directions: 1 Sheepcote St, Birmingham B16 8AE
There will always be the odd splash and dribble that will get you damp and, because of the nature of the kayaks that we use, you will get a wet bottom!! We can provide waterproof jackets and trousers to keep you drier though.
And, of course, we recommend bringing a change of clothes should you capsize.
Kayaking is easy to pick up, we cater for all abilities on our tours and our guides are trained in being able to assist you should you require further advice.
Yes, we always assume that no-one can swim. If someone should capsize our guides will be there to assist you; normally, because the canals are only 4-6 feet deep, you could stand up.
All participants regardless of ability will be required to wear a buoyancy aid provided by us.
Sports clothing is light, dries easily and doesn’t make you freeze, simply stay away from denim, leather and wool and you will be fine. We can provide waterproof jackets and trousers to keep you drier too!
You need to wear something on your feet during the tour; old trainers, crocs, sandals all work well.
Both of our kayaking tours involve approximately 90 minutes on the water
8 years old and upwards (because of the size of our equipment)
Many people may think that kayaks are easy to flip over but they are a lot more stable than they might look, we have chosen the kayaks specifically for their stability.
We have lockers suitable for bags and personal items available for all tour participants free of charge.
We don’t recommend taking any valuables on the water, we are not responsible for any damage and loss.
We have lockers available free of charge for tour participants.
It’s better to book all our tours in advance. You may be lucky if you show up on the day and one of our guides will be available but we recommend always pre-booking.
Please visit Visitor Reception to book in, your guide will meet you there.
A canoe is paddled with a single-bladed paddle, and you will have seen these paddled generally by two people. A kayak is paddled from a sitting position with a two-bladed paddle.
We use sit-on-top kayaks, which mean should you fall off you’ll simply slide into the water.
We paddle on the canals so if you are not participating you can walk alongside but there is a lot of places that can’t be accessed by pedestrians.
Due to equipment limitations the maximum weight we can currently cater for is 18 stones.
Our buoyancy aids have a maximum chest size of 50 inches.
Please get in touch with us to organise a group booking.
The Roundhouse, 1 Sheepcote St, Birmingham, B16 8AE
0121 716 4077
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