Beginners Taster Sessions

Thank you for expressing an interest in our club! We have answered the most common questions below, but please don’t hesitate to ask if we’ve missed any.

New members are always welcome to join us but unfortunately, sessions need to be pre-booked. You do not need anything but a set of old clothes, the ability to swim and a keen sense of fun.

Our regular meetings are on our lake at Stoney Stanton, find out more about these on our events page

What you will learn?

We have a team of Coaches who will begin with basic safety and confidence in the water. They will then guide you through the necessary progression of strokes to progress within the sport. We teach through structured sessions and games, using British Canoeing guidelines. Members are grouped each week according to their needs and a Coach is assigned to each group. The Club has both Male and Female Coaches.

What do you need to wear?

It’s not essential to have all of the gear to begin with but if you have a wetsuit, wear it! You are going to get wet, right through to your underwear, lots of layers will be best – fleeces, tracksuit bottoms, old trainers and an old waterproof coat. They won’t keep you dry but they will help to keep you warm. We will provide you with a buoyancy aid, just remember FOOTWEAR IS ESSENTIAL for all activities! Don’t forget a spare set of dry clothes for when you finish.

How much does it cost?

• Trial membership is free, so you only pay for the taster sessions, which cost £8 with a maximum of 1 session in each craft, Kayak, Canoe or SUP,  before you must join.

If you want to join the club, see our ‘Membership‘ page for an up to date list of Membership fees.

Are there changing facilities?

Currently, we don’t have changing facilities, however, most people change using Dry Robes. We are hoping to provide a changing room soon so watch this space, but in this sport, you have to get used to getting changed in all sorts of strange places!

Can children come?

Yes, a parent/guardian of children under 16 must accompany them. They don’t have to be on the water but they do need to be present throughout the entire session. However, if the child is under 8 years old then their responsible adult must be on the water with them.

What do I do next?

We operate a pre-booking system and taster sessions can be booked by registering with a trial membership and then booking onto the taster session. Please note that as a trial member you will only be able to book taster sessions. We also ask that trial members-only book a maximum of 3 taster sessions. If you would like to paddle more please join the club as a full member.

If you join the club we recommend that you join our HCC Members Area Facebook page which will give you updates on events and all of our club trips.

You can contact the Membership Secretary for more information using our ‘Contact Us‘ page.