By Cotswold Outdoor
Cotswold Outdoor’s latest research uncovers the top hotspots in England for water sports
- With a 386% increase in demand (Summer 2019 vs Summer 2021), paddleboarding has become the UK’s most popular water sport
- Devon is England’s best county overall for water sports. Dorset and Cornwall follow in second and third place respectively.
- The county with the least prospects overall is landlocked county of West Midlands
- Cornwall ranks top for best choice of beaches and water sport activities, Yorkshire boastsbest of choice bodies of freshwater and Herefordshire is home to the most water sport rentals/shops.
The start of the summer season means longer days, warmer weather and signifies the kick-o to peak bathing and water sport season and if the last two years have taught us anything, it is that the UK has miles and miles of beautiful and fun-packed shoreline.
Looking to identify England’s best locations for an active, fun, and adrenaline-filled Summer, outdoor gear specialists Cotswold Outdoor disclose the nation’s favourite water sports and the prime locations for these, from surfing and paddleboarding to wild swimming and kayaking.
Firstly, sharing which water sport is currently the most popular in the UK, the study reveals that Paddle boarding is the UK’s most popular water sport, with searches increasing by 386% (Summer 2019 vs Summer 2021). Joining Paddle boarding in the list of the nation’s top three are Bodyboarding (+145%) and Wild Swimming (+119%), respectively.
Factoring in rental shops, water sport activities (June-Sept), number of beaches and/or bodies of freshwater (i.e.Rivers, Lakes etc.), the research goes on to reveal that the overall top county of all to head to for an action-packed Summer is Devon. Neighbouring counties Dorset and Cornwall follow in second and third places respectively.
Home to popular locations Woolacombe Beach and Burrator Reservoir, Devon ranks highest of all largely because of its wealth in highly rated beaches, boasting 68 in total, with an average rating of 4.35. The county also oers residents and visitors alike 28 bodies of freshwater (average rating 4.48), 106 water sport rental shops (9 per capita) and 173 water sports activities (14 per capita).
Dorset which claims Bournemouth beach and lesser known but idyllic Mudeford Sandback beach as its own, is the UK’s second-best county for water sports. Although it counts on a smaller number of beaches (25) and bodies of water (6), both lists of locations have an average rating of above 4.5. However, where Dorset seems to shine most is for its number of rental and equipment shops (16 per capita) and activities (15 per capita) on oer.
Ranking third best overall, Cornwall secures top spot for ‘best choice of beaches’, being home to 101 in total, including top rated Porthminster and Crantock beaches which both boast a 5-star rating. Overall Cornwall’s beaches have an average rating of 4.46, whilst its 22 bodies of water have a rating of 4.35. Cornwall also ranks first for the amount of water sport activities it hosts over the Summer, tallying over 250 (44 per capita). It looks like Cornwall is held back from top spot by its lack of rental/equipment to go around, oering only 7.5 per capita.
Completing the list of top five best England counties for water sports are Cumbria and Northumberland. Ranking with the least prospects of all is the landlocked county of the West Midlands. Registering only 8 bodies of waters (average rating 4.0) and with no beaches available, the West Midlands suer by comparison.
We know Cornwall wins top bragging rights when it comes to best choices of beaches and best choice of water sport activities specifically, whilst Devon follows in second for number of beaches and Cumbria ranks similarly but for number of water sport activities.
If the priority is finding good quality and choice of rentals and equipment, then Herefordshire is the best bet, followed by the Isle of Wight. Conditions are a big part of your experience when taking part in water sports and for this reason novices may prefer freshwater fun to potentially harsher and unpredictable sea conditions, in which case you should hear to Yorkshire or Cumbria for the best choice and best rated lakes, rivers and reservoirs.
The outlook for a Summer abroad this year involves flight cancellations, long airport queues and astronomical car rental prices, but Cotswold Outdoor’s guide to England’s watersports hotspots oers Brits an alternative Summer experience, without having to compromise on all the fun. Who knows, maybe it’ll even see us picking up an extra skill or two.
Methodology
Cotswold Outdoor’s study is based on a combination of factors including the number of water sport rental and equipment shops, number of water sport activities on during the Summer months (June-Sept) and the number of beaches and bodies of freshwater alongside their respective average ratings.
Sources include Google API, TripAdvisor and Gov.co.uk. Data normalised to account for population dierences (per capita).
About Cotswold Outdoor
Adventure begins at Cotswold Outdoor, an outdoor specialist in the UK stocking a range of outdoor clothing, footwear and equipment. With four decades of experience in outdoor retail, Cotswold Outdoor oers one of the most extensive and comprehensive ranges of outdoor clothing, products and equipment.
This piece was prepared online by Panuruji Kenta, Publisher, SEVENSEAS Media