Discover the hidden gems of the North East coast.
Have you ever imagined paddle boarding alongside scenic coastlines and tranquil rivers?
The best places to paddle board in the North East are waiting for you.
Embark on a journey through this beautiful region and experience its charming waters. Are you ready for the adventure?
Map
Planning Your Paddle in North East
Season figures are averages of the daily maximum temperature in the ERA5 climate archive for 2019 to 2024. Every spot below can carry its own rules on top of these.
- Season: average daily highs clear 15 °C from June through September. July is the warmest month, averaging 19 °C, and outside that window a wetsuit is what separates a short session from a comfortable one.
- Rules and licences: Access in England and Wales depends on who controls the water. The Canal & River Trust requires a valid waterways licence for a paddleboard on its canals and rivers, either short term or through Paddle UK membership, and that licence expressly does not cover the Trust’s reservoirs. Lakes and reservoirs in other hands set their own conditions, so check the individual spot before you load the car. There is no statutory kit list, but official guidance after a fatal accident is blunt: wear a buoyancy aid, and a quick release waist leash in moving water.
Where to Paddle Board in North East
Please note: While we strive for accuracy, always verify details before paddling. If you spot an error or if you're a local official wanting to make a correction, please comment below. Thanks!
#1 River Tyne, Newcastle
- 🏖️ Location Type: River
- 📍 Access Point: Newcastle Quayside (Google Maps)
- 🌊 Water, Currents & Wind: Moderate Currents, Can Be Windy
- ☀️ Popular Seasons: Spring to Fall
- 🐟 Wildlife Encounters: Cormorants, otters
- 🏞️️ Landmarks & Views: Tyne Bridge, Millennium Bridge, The Sage Gateshead
- ⚠️ Safety, Environment, and Rules: Wear a buoyancy aid, stay out of the shipping channel, six knot limit for all craft west of the Herd Groyne
The River Tyne in Newcastle is a vibrant urban paddleboarding spot with iconic bridges, modern architecture, and lively waterfront.
Paddling along the Tyne is an excellent way to explore the city and enjoy a unique perspective. You are allowed to be there: the Port of Tyne supports recreational use of the river and lists kayaks and canoes among the craft it expects to see. What you are not paddling is a quiet lake. This is a working commercial waterway under a statutory harbour authority, so read the Port’s guidelines for recreational river users first, keep clear of the navigable channel and of any vessel manoeuvring off the Quayside, and remember that organised groups and events need permission from the Harbour Master.
#2 Tees Barrage, Stockton-on-Tees
- 🏖️ Location Type: River
- 📍 Access Point: Tees Barrage International White Water Centre (Google Maps)
- 🌊 Water, Currents & Wind: Calm River with Potential for White Water Experiences
- ☀️ Popular Seasons: Spring to Fall
- 🐟 Wildlife Encounters: Salmon, seals, birds
- 🏞️️ Landmarks & Views: Tees Barrage, Infinity Bridge
- ⚠️ Safety, Environment and Rules: Check conditions and water flow before paddling
Tees Barrage in Stockton-on-Tees offers a paddling experience suitable for beginners and experienced SUP enthusiasts alike.
Glide along the calm River Tees, or challenge yourself at the International White Water Centre.
#3 Longsands Beach, Tynemouth
- 🏖️ Location Type: Beach
- 📍 Access Point: Longsands Beach, Tynemouth NE30 4JF, straight off the seafront onto the sand (Google Maps)
- 🌊 Water, Currents & Wind: Open North Sea water with rip currents, a fast rising tide and large breaking waves on the exposed days
- ☀️ Popular Seasons: The lifeguard service runs May to September, 10am to 6pm
- 🏞️️ Landmarks & Views: The Tynemouth seafront above the beach, with King Edward’s Bay and Cullercoats Bay along the same stretch of coast
- ⚠️ Safety, Environment and Rules: North Tyneside Council keeps a marked zone for surfboards and water craft between the black and white chequered flags, and swimmers stay between the red and yellow flags. Motorised watercraft and jet skis may not be launched here, and kite surfing is not allowed
Longsands is the long golden beach below Tynemouth, and the council gives boards their own stretch of water: the zone between the black and white chequered flags is for surfboards and water craft, away from the lifeguarded swimming area between the red and yellow flags.
This is open North Sea, so the beach signs warn about rip currents, a rising tide and big breaking waves, and the surf crowd uses the same water. Lifeguards are on from May to September between 10am and 6pm, which is the window to aim for if the forecast looks lively.
#4 Kielder Water, Northumberland
- 🏖️ Location Type: Lake
- 📍 Access Point: Tower Knowe Visitor Centre (Google Maps)
- 🌊 Water, Currents & Wind: Generally Calm, Can Be Windy
- ☀️ Popular Seasons: Spring to Fall
- 🐟 Wildlife Encounters: Ospreys, salmon, otters
- 🏞️️ Landmarks & Views: Kielder Dam, Kielder Observatory, Kielder Forest
- ⚠️ Safety, Environment and Rules: Not a turn up and launch lake, registration through Kielder Waterside required, book ahead
Kielder Water is the largest man-made lake in the UK, set within Kielder Forest Park. Offering a vast expanse of tranquil and picturesque waters, it is the one spot on this list that rewards planning ahead more than an early alarm. You cannot arrive with your own board and set off. Access to the water is controlled from Kielder Waterside, and day visitors have to register, show a recognised qualification such as Paddle Discover or 2 Star, go out in pairs, wear a registration arm band and a buoyancy aid, stay within 50 metres of the shore and paddle only in winds up to Force 2. The park’s current visitor information goes further and lists independent paddleboarding as not available at all, so the dependable route is a booked, instructor led session.
#5 Sandsend Beach, Whitby
- 🏖️ Location Type: Oceanfront
- 📍 Access Point: Sandsend Beach Access (Google Maps)
- 🌊 Water, Currents & Wind: Moderate Waves, Ocean Currents
- ☀️ Popular Seasons: Spring to Fall
- 🐟 Wildlife Encounters: Seabirds, occasional seals
- 🏞️️ Landmarks & Views: Whitby Abbey, picturesque cliffs
- ⚠️ Safety, Environment and Rules: Watch tide times, stay safe amongst waves
Sandsend Beach in Whitby offers a scenic coastal paddleboarding experience. Glide along the water with beautiful sea cliffs as your backdrop and be captivated by the charm of the North East coastline.
#6 River Wear, Durham
- 🏖️ Location Type: River
- 📍 Access Point: Durham Boathouse (Google Maps)
- 🌊 Water, Currents & Wind: Gentle currents, protected from strong winds
- ☀️ Popular Seasons: Spring to Fall
- 🐟 Wildlife Encounters: Waterfowl, otters
- 🏞️️ Landmarks & Views: Durham Cathedral, Castle, surrounding countryside
- ⚠️ Safety, Environment and Rules: Watch for other rivercraft, follow local rules
The River Wear meanders through the historic city of Durham, offering an urban-meets-nature paddleboarding experience.
Paddling beneath the iconic UNESCO World Heritage sites of Durham Cathedral and Castle is a unique and memorable experience for SUP fans.
The north east has more coast than most people expect and rivers that empty quickly after rain. Northumberland covers the best of that coast, and south the Peak District and Sheffield are the nearest inland alternatives.
What to Take With You
Whatever the water here looks like, the same short list comes along. Each box below shows the model that currently sits at number one in our own test of that category.
- Typemanual inflatable belt pack
- ApprovalUSCG Type V with Type III performance
Every model we tested: 10 Best Life Vests for Paddle Boarding
- Cordcoiled, stretches to 9 ft
- Swivelstwo in-line
- RatingIP68 certified, 1 m for 30 minutes
- Floatsyes
- Capacity20, 30 or 45 L
- Materialdual layer PVC over polyester mesh
Every model we tested: The 9 Best Dry Bags for Paddle Boarding
- Typetall neoprene boot
- Thickness3 mm
FAQ
Where can you paddle board in the North East?
Key paddle boarding locations in the North East include Lake Erie, the Hudson River, and Lake Ontario.
Do paddle boards need to be registered in the North East?
No, paddle boards do not require registration in the North East region.
When is the best time to paddle board in the North East?
Optimal conditions for paddle boarding in the North East occur from late spring to early fall.
Paddle Boarding Near North East
Looking for another spot on the same trip? These guides cover the closest paddling waters we have mapped around North East.
- Newcastle, UK (15 miles northeast)
- Northumberland (39 miles north)
- River Esk (44 miles southeast)
- Windermere (62 miles southwest)
