Canoeing and kayaking are great sports to try as an individual and as part of a team.
During a day out paddling you will learn the skills you need to control the speed and direction of your boat to enable you to run a rapid or complete a journey. Canoeing and kayaking can be an exhilararting wet and wild experience and a fantastic way to explore some of the beautiful waterways in the area. You may come across lots of wildlife; a flash of bright blue as a kingfisher flies past, a sudden splash of a salmon jumping upstream or perhaps a heron standing silently in the shallows waiting to catch a passing meal! Keep your eyes peeled!
Canoeing is a great way to learn to work with others as you will be sharing a boat with a team mate. You will be responsible for either the bow (front) or stern (back) of the boat and you will have to cooperate with your partner to steer and guide the boat along the river or canal.
These students are approaching the weir just before reaching the town of Hay-on-Wye after a day long paddle.
You will find your confidence grows throughout a day on the water. To begin with the boats can feel very tippy but you will soon learn how to balance the boat with your partner and if you're feeling really confident you could try and paddle standing up!
When the weather is warm enough you might get the opportunity to body surf down a rapid or take a dip in the river, its great fun and very refreshing!
As well as the physical challange paddling is a good way to learn about rivers and river environments. You can see first hand the effects of erosion and deposition, you can test where on a bend the water flows fastest and try to work out what part rivers play in the water cycle. On your way also look out for how people are using and changing the river environment and what impact this is having on the physical environment.
On the canal you could find out when and why canals were first built in South Wales. Why were they so important in helping industry develop in this area? What role do they play now and why has this changed? Spend a day discovering the past whilst enjoying paddling with your team.
There are many opportunities to improve your skills and get into canoeing. If you really enjoy your day why not find a local canoe club close to where you live - there are many around. Have a look at the BCU website and try and find your local club.
Woodlands also offers the opportunity to return to do more canoeing; maybe you could do canoeing as part of your PE GCSE course or come back to experience a weekend of canoe camping with friends or as part of a Duke of Edinburgh expedition. Click on the links to find out more about these courses.
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