Glide across the calm waters of the Gannel Estuary and uncover what lies beneath with this combined stand-up paddle boarding and snorkelling experience. Guided by friendly instructors, you’ll learn the basics of SUP before exploring sheltered lagoons and seeing everything from playful fish to the remains of a shipwreck. Whether you stay on your board or slip below the surface with a mask, this adventure is designed for all levels and offers a completely fresh way to enjoy Newquay’s river.
Your session begins on the riverbank where instructors provide a full safety briefing, fit your equipment, and go through the basics of paddle boarding. You’ll practise balance, turning, and paddling on calm water before setting off as a group. The pace is relaxed and supportive, with your instructor always nearby to help if needed. As you gain confidence, you can choose whether to kneel or stand, making the experience as comfortable as you want it to be.
From there, you’ll follow a scenic route along the estuary, gliding past golden sandbanks and reed-lined shores. Wildlife is a regular highlight, with wading birds feeding in the shallows and fish darting beneath your board. The group stops at quiet lagoons where you’ll swap paddle for snorkel, leaving the board moored as you explore beneath the surface. Expect to see crabs, mullet, and even the giant gobi hiding among the reeds, with instructors pointing out species along the way.
Another highlight is reaching the site of an old river shipwreck. With clear water and your snorkel mask, you’ll be able to make out the eerie outline of the sunken boat while swimming at your own pace. The experience rounds off with a leisurely paddle back to the start point, giving you time to take in the vibrant greens of the hills and the peaceful atmosphere of the estuary. By the end, you’ll have tried two activities in one session, learned new water skills, and experienced a part of Newquay that many visitors miss.
The Gannel Estuary lies just outside Newquay, creating a peaceful waterway that contrasts with the town’s lively surf beaches. At low tide, wide sandbanks are revealed, while high tide fills the estuary with calm water perfect for paddle boarding and snorkelling. Its tidal nature makes every visit slightly different, giving you a real sense of connection to the environment.
Surrounding the river are rolling hills, reed beds, and golden sands, making it one of the most scenic spots in Cornwall for water activities. Wildlife thrives here, from crabs and fish below the surface to herons and egrets feeding along the banks. It’s a location that combines natural beauty, biodiversity, and a gentle environment ideal for beginners.
No prior experience in either paddle boarding or snorkelling is needed for this activity. Instructors guide you through every step, ensuring you feel confident and safe before heading out.
All necessary equipment, including wetsuits, buoyancy aids, snorkels, and boards, is provided. Just bring swimwear for under your wetsuit and a towel for afterwards.
The centre is committed to providing high-quality instruction in a supportive and enjoyable way, helping people of all abilities experience the water safely. Group numbers are kept small to ensure each person receives attention and guidance tailored to their needs.
Excellent facilities on site, including changing rooms, showers, and secure storage, make the whole experience easy from start to finish. The team also plans carefully for the weather, offering alternative routes or sheltered areas if needed, so you can enjoy the estuary in almost any condition.
Stand up Paddleboarding or ‘SUP’ for short is one of the fastest growing waters sports in the world. Using a very large, stable board (similar to a surfboard) and a single-blade paddle you can navigate your way along coastlines, rivers and lakes.
Rain is no problem for a water-based activity! In fact, there’s no better way to make the most of a damp day than to get wet anyway! You will get changed into your wetsuit in our warm, dry changing rooms, then when you have your wetsuit on the rain isn’t an issue.
No need to worry, it’s all part of the learning process and can actually be quite fun! You can climb back onto your board relatively easily, but if you struggle your instructor will be there to help out.
Everybody is different and the conditions on the day can greatly affect how quickly you will learn the basics. In calm conditions, most adults will learn to effectively knee paddle in the first 10 minutes and be stand-up paddling within half an hour.
You need to bring a towel and swimwear. Footwear will also be required so bring either a pair of trainers that you don’t mind getting wet or wetsuit boots. If not you can hire from us for £5.
Yes. We require that anybody taking part in any of our water sports, including SUP, is able to swim 50 metres.
Sessions last for approximately 2 hours from when you have got all your kit on. You can expect to be with us for around 2 and half hours overall.
We will explore one of two routes. ‘The Gazzle’ is our ocean-based route along Newquay’s famous Towan Head. We will launch from either Towan beach or the old Lifeboat slipway depending on tide and surf conditions. Our river-based route is on the beautiful Gannel estuary, only a 5-minute drive from the centre.
We regularly see the local seals up close; we have also seen dolphins in Newquay bay, as well as Sunfish and Lion’s mane jellyfish. Basking sharks have also been seen on rare occasions (don’t worry, they are completely harmless and have no teeth). There is also an impressive array of birdlife, especially on our Gannel estuary route.
We primarily use inflatable boards, however we do have some hard boards for more experienced paddlers to use.
Providing you meet the minimum requirement of 50 metres swimming capability and you have no current health issues or injuries preventing you from taking part in physical activity you can come. Don’t worry, it’s not a race and your instructor will make sure the group moves at the pace of the slowest paddler and will assist weak paddlers when needed.
All of our SUP Instructors are qualified British Canoeing Paddlesport leaders. They are also Beach and Surf Safety Lifeguards. They have years of personal experience in the water, and attend regular site-specific staff training. We also work in closely with the RNLI to ensure your safety in and out of the water.
We both loved it , the instructor was a gentleman . Clear , concise instructions and very helpful . Can’t remember his name sorry , very tall with long hair
Jamie was a good instructor but a bit disappointed with the time snorkeling and not seeing anything. The sighting of the seals and info about the coast was great
Everyone was so friendly. My crew leader Alex was really supportive and encouraging as I am not an avid swimmer and so easing my way into kayaking and coasteering was a breeze. The team back at their headquarters were amazing ... keeping my baggage safe as I toured and even…
We had a really good time with Heath today. He showed us all the safety information and kept checking we were all okay. Instead of just staying out snorkelling he showed us some caves and told us about the history and cool knowledge about the caves and rocks. Had a…
We had an amazing time with heath. He was so lovely and gave us a bit of history as we went along. Very caring and made sure we had a fab time
Fun and exciting. The guide Oleks made it really enjoyable for us
Olek was such a cool instructor…let you get on with enjoying the water whilst keeping you safe and giving lots of detail…dan was super helpful when we got there and having a chat afterwards 10/10 hope to be back next summer
Amazing time coasteering in Cornwall with our instructor James. Great fun and James was very knowledgeable and easy to chat to. Thanks for an amazing time
We partner with Rewilding Britain to help protect our natural spaces for future adventures.
All centres are vetted for safety and quality. Your adventure is in good hands with adventuro.
Operated by Newquay Activity Centre, a partner of adventuro.
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