Vicky
We had a great time kayaking. The maps you’re given for the different routes to follow are easy to read and the kayaks are easy to get the hang of.
Single and double sit-on kayaks leave from the quay in St Mawes for the Percuil River and its creeks. You get a safety briefing and a short paddling demo before you set off, then you choose your own pace along sheltered water. Children from 7 can come, and anyone under 16 paddles with an adult.
After the briefing on the quay you step into the water and settle onto a stable sit-on kayak. Jay's team talk you through the paddle stroke and the chart, then you head onto the Percuil at your own pace. The river and creeks stay sheltered, so you can potter, stop for a picnic, or stretch the outing if you have taken a longer hire.
Clear water often shows fish and weed under the hull, and seals sometimes show themselves along the banks. You can follow a suggested route on the chart toward St Just in Roseland, or, when the sea state allows, look toward St Anthony's Head. Come back to the quay when you are ready, and keep the dry bag for anything you want to keep off the water.
The quay sits in the middle of St Mawes, so you launch straight onto the Percuil rather than carrying boats down a long path. Sheltered water leads into the creeks of the Roseland, with quiet banks and sandy pockets where you can land for a break. The village harbour is close enough that you can see the boats and houses as you paddle out.
If you want a longer look, the chart marks a paddle north toward St Just in Roseland, or a run toward St Anthony's Head when the sea is settled. Both give you a change of view from the inner creeks without needing a guided trip. The Falmouth ferry is a useful way in if you would rather not drive the narrow Roseland roads in summer.
You do not need any kayaking experience. We show you how to paddle and how to sit on the boat before you leave the quay, and the sit-on kayaks are stable enough for a first outing. A basic swimming ability helps, because you will get a wet seat and you step into the water to get on.
Children aged 7 and over are welcome, and anyone under 16 paddles with an adult. The two-person Ocean Duo can also take a small child or a dog on the same boat. Wear clothes you do not mind getting wet, and leave wellington boots at home because you walk into the water to launch.
Jay has spent years on these waters, first as a Falmouth skipper and later running canoe and kayak days from St Mawes. That local knowledge sits in the briefing and the chart, so you leave with a route that fits the tide and the weather rather than a generic loop.
You get a proper kit-out, not just a boat on the slip. Backrests, buoyancy aids, dry bags and a paddling demo come with the hire, and someone is there to help you choose a single or a double before you push off.
Meet at The Quay, St Mawes, TR2 5DG, so we can run the briefing and fit buoyancy aids. The main visitor car park is on the right as you drive into the village, after you turn right in front of the Rising Sun Inn.
The quay car park is smaller and only suits a short stay. In summer both fill quickly, so use the overflow at the top of the village and allow extra time for the walk down, or come across on the Falmouth ferry if that is easier than driving the Roseland roads.
We hire sit-on kayaks from the quay: the Pioneer XL for one person, and the Ocean Duo for two people plus a small child or a dog. Both are stable boats with backrests, so you sit on top rather than inside a closed cockpit.
You pick the boat that matches your group, then we fit buoyancy aids and talk you through the paddle before you leave. Doubles work well for an adult with a younger paddler, and singles suit anyone who wants their own boat on the Percuil.
You can take a kayak for two hours, four hours, six hours or a full day, and longer overnight hires are available when you need more than one day on the water. Start times run through the day from the quay, so you can pick a slot that fits the tide and your travel.
On some July and August evenings we stay open after 18:00 when there is demand, which gives you a later launch in settled weather. If you want a longer run or an overnight hire, say so when you book so we can set aside the right boat.
Overnight and multi-day hires are possible when you need more than a day on the Percuil and the creeks. Ask when you book so we can check the boat, the weather window and when you plan to bring it back.
We ask for ID and a deposit on overnight hires. Keep the chart and the buoyancy aids with you, and treat the boat as you would on a day hire, coming back to the agreed point when you finish.
Safety comes first. We watch the forecast a few days ahead and will be in touch if rain, wind or sea state on the Carrick Roads means the hire should not go ahead. Light rain is usually fine, but we will not send you out in heavy weather or when visibility is poor.
If we cancel, you get a full refund, and we will offer another date when we can. If you arrive and the water is not safe, we would rather wait or rearrange than push you onto a rough creek.
On some summer evenings in July and August we stay open after 18:00 when there is demand. That gives you a later start from the quay once the village has quietened and the light is softer on the Percuil.
Evening slots still use the same sit-on kayaks, briefing and kit. Ask when you book if you want a later launch, because those hours depend on demand and on the weather holding.
You should expect a damp seat even on a calm day, and more spray if you paddle hard or the breeze is up. Wear clothes you do not mind getting wet. Swimming shorts work well, with a warmer layer on top if you feel the cold.
Leave jeans, cotton trousers and wellington boots at home. You walk into the water to get on the kayak, so sandals or bare feet are better. In the early season a wetsuit is a good idea, and you should bring that yourself.
St Mawes has two visitor car parks. The main one is on the right as you drive into the village, after you turn right in front of the Rising Sun Inn. The quay car park is much smaller and only suits a short stay.
In summer both fill quickly, so allow plenty of time and use the overflow at the top of the village if you need to. The road onto the Roseland is narrow in places. If you are staying around Falmouth, the ferry across is often simpler than driving.
Most hires stay on the Percuil River and its creeks, which sit in sheltered water just off St Mawes. The chart we give you marks suggested routes, including quieter banks and places you can land for a picnic.
When the sea state allows, you can look toward St Anthony's Head, or paddle north toward St Just in Roseland. We will tell you on the day if those stretches are sensible, because the Carrick Roads can change with wind and tide.
Children aged 7 and over are welcome, and anyone under 16 paddles with an adult. The two-person Ocean Duo can also take a small child or a dog on the same boat, which keeps a family on one craft.
Everyone on the water wears a buoyancy aid, and we run the briefing before you leave so younger paddlers know how to sit and what to do if they get a splash. Tell us about the group when you book so we can put you on the right boat.
No prior kayaking experience is needed. The sit-on kayaks are stable, and we give you a paddling demonstration and a safety briefing on the quay before you set off. A basic swimming ability is recommended because you step into the water to launch.
If you have paddled before, you can still use the chart and pick a longer hire so you have time for St Just or, when the sea allows, a look toward St Anthony's Head. Either way, we help you choose a single or a double that fits the group.
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We had a great time kayaking. The maps you’re given for the different routes to follow are easy to read and the kayaks are easy to get the hang of.
Operated by Canoe Cornwall, a partner of adventuro.
Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire, United Kingdom
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