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The Independent
3 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- The Independent
Where can I swim in London? The best pools, from lidos to hotel rooftops
Summer in the capital is all fun and games until the shiny skyscrapers reflect the sun and sizzle the streets below and the piles of concrete become giant ovens, leaving little respite from the searing temperatures in the built-up spaces. Luckily for Londoners, however, there are ways to stay cool amid the sweltering temperatures, and one of the most popular ways is heading to the nearest water source for a swim. London has a surprising number of places to swim, from lidos and lakes to sports centres and private pools, many of which become easier to enjoy in the summer with longer opening times and more activities for kids on school holidays. Many are also adapted to be accessible, with ramps, poolside hoists, poolpods and changing rooms accommodating for all, while those who don't have a big budget to spend on club and hotel pools can find places to swim for free or at a lower cost. With the forecasters predicting a hotter-than-normal summer and more heatwaves on the way, here is a guide on where to find the best pools in London. Lidos London's lidos offer a much sought-after opportunity to cool off amid the harsh summer heat exacerbated in sweaty, busy, built-up areas. London Fields Lido in Hackney has a 50m Olympic-size outdoor swimming pool that is also heated, which ideal if it gets a little windy or chilly in the summer months. The large sundeck and sunbathing area are popular hangout spots when the temperature climbs to the high 20s, and the Hoxton Beach Cafe kiosk offers swimmers falafel salads and cakes. Herne Hill's Brockwell Park has a much-loved lido too, also home to a 50m outdoor swimming pool next to an Art Deco listed building with health and fitness facilities inside. South London chain Four Hundred Rabbits has also snagged a place poolside, serving sourdough pizza and craft beers. Those who want a bit of cold water therapy should head to Parliament Hill's open-air unheated lido to jump into the cooler water after a session in its sauna, while Tooting Bec's lido, which prides itself on being the UK's largest freshwater outdoor pool, is ideal for active swimmers. Charlton's heated outdoor lido in Greenwich has a summer sun terrace for relaxing in the heat, while its indoor pool offers activities and lessons tailored to kids of all ages. If heading to an inner-city lido doesn't quite quench your thirst to escape the concrete jungle, why not try swimming a little closer to nature? The ever-popular Hampstead Heath Swimming Ponds in north London include three natural bathing ponds, one exclusively for women's use, another just for men and a third for all genders. Bathers can also head to London's largest lake every day in the summer months at the Serpentine Lido, found in one of London's royal green spaces, Hyde Park. One of the rarer places to swim, only open between 25 July and 17 August, is Summer Splash, which transforms the Royal Victoria Dock every year into one of London's most unique lidos. The free, family-friendly lido is overseen by lifeguards and is complete with a faux sandy beach and deckchairs. Leisure and sports centres Pools found in leisure or sports centres are suited to those who don't fancy swimming outdoors or are not used to cold water plunging, as well as usually offering a wider range of activities. At Finchley Lido Leisure Centre in Barnet, kids will enjoy hours playing in the leisure pool, which includes wave machines, jets and water cannons. For a state-of-the-art experience designed by award-winning architect Zaha Hadid, head to the London Aquatics Centre in Stratford to swim where athletes won their medals during the 2012 Olympics. Lane swimmers will love the 50m competition pool, while kids can spend time learning to swim with their families in the equally large training pool. Or head to the diving pool and release your inner Tom Daley with platforms ranging from one to 10m high. For those who want to pair escaping the summer heat with a swimming lesson or a pool fitness session, Crystal Place National Sports Centre is an ideal spot, providing a 25m training pool and a smaller teaching pool. While some fitness centres can be a touch outdated, the modern and sleek Britannia Leisure Centre in Hackney adds some luxury to its indoor pool sessions. Meanwhile, the leisure centre in Leyton is undoubtedly one of the best pools for kids to visit, with its fast water flume and aqua play area complete with waterslides and tipping buckets. Hotel pools While lidos are ideal for a bit of socialising in the summer sun and leisure centres offer a place to keep fit and for kids to burn off some steam, there are also pools for people seeking a session of pure relaxation away from the blazing heat. London's hotels are proud owners of some of the best spas in the country, and with that comes reposeful pools with a view over the city or sparkling rooftop splashabouts. Pools are not always reserved for guests; many offer day passes for entry to their spas. The Corinthia's sultry pool is found in its ESPA spa, and is lined with stainless steel, Italian marble and a mirrored ceiling to reflect the water ripples that set a relaxed mood. For a sky-high experience, head to the Sky Pool at Shangri-La The Shard, an outstanding facility 182m high, making it the highest swimming pool in Western Europe and providing some of the best cityscape views you can get while going for a paddle. A bit closer to the ground, you will find a 25m swimming pool in Mayfair's luxury Mandarin Oriental spa. The pool area is scattered with lights that are reflected on the ceiling and water to invoke a sense of submerging yourself in a starry sky. If you find yourself staying at The Dorchester in Mayfair, head to the hotel's heated pool complete with a sauna and steam room, or spend a bit of time in the hydrotherapy pool for ultimate relaxation. Spas Not all the best spas are found in hotels; there are some institutions dedicated solely to bathing and rejuvenating. They're also often more affordable than pricy hotel day passes. Seek out one of London's oldest spa facilities, the Art Deco Porchester Spa near Paddington Station, which has a whole range of facilities from saunas to Turkish hot rooms. Those who want to take a dip can do so at the small, large and cold plunge pools. If a whole range of pools is what you are looking for, head over to Aire Ancient Baths London near Embankment to tour the thermal baths set at differing temperatures, from warm tepidarium to cold frigiarum and the saltwater pool. Private clubs One of the main selling points of a private club membership during the summer months is the exclusive access to pools to take refuge from the sticky warmth in the city. Soho House's array of rooftop pools is popular among those who have their hands on a membership (or know someone who does). In Temple, 180 House's rooftop pool is accompanied by an outdoor terrace and views across the city, while the outdoor pool on White City House's rooftop is lined with Malibu beach-style loungers and draped in fairy lights. Shoreditch House is also home to a rooftop pool with skyline views. Ten Trinity Square at the Four Seasons is also a popular haunt for those who can splash on private members' access, home to a glass mosaic-tiled pool that leads to a smaller heated vitality pool. Found on top of the Virgin-Shoreditch hotel, the Blue Marlin Ibiza London private members' club also has an intimate rooftop pool situated next to its Mediterranean restaurant. If you are a member of Ned's Club at the five-star hotel The Ned, sweltering summer temperatures will pass you by while relaxing in the rooftop pool or the indoor 20m pool.
Vogue Arabia
11-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Vogue Arabia
Modest Swimwear Brands to Shop This Summer
Skip to main content We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site. Let's face it, it's difficult to find swimwear that isn't a bikini or a cheeky one-piece. What's a girl to do when she wants to be active in the water but doesn't want to be so revealing? We've selected the best swimwear brands for the modest girlies that want to have fun in the sun. Whether it's swim joggers or a bodysuit with a maxi dress cover-up, summer doesn't have to dictate the swimwear you wear, because these brands are changing that narrative. Amaq Deriving from the Arabic word for deep, Amaq began when sisters Zainab and Zahra Behbehani were planning a vacation to a waterpark in Dubai. Struggling to find modest swimwear that matched their style, they ended up settling for swimwear they were hesitant about. Once on the trip and in the water, they quickly realised the swimwear they had purchased was trapping air inside and creating an unattractive bubble effect. Post-vacation, the sisters began brainstorming a solution to making swimwear that is modest, functional, and stylish. 'The idea was inspired by fish gills, where the fabric opens when there is water flow and closes when there isn't, eliminating the bubble effect and enhancing the movement,' says Zainab, an architect that focuses on design and function in her day-to-day life. The sisters created over 50 prototypes to test the gills concept until they landed on what is now Amaq. Shop now. Lanuuk This London-based brand was created by two women, Ayesha Mahomed and Katleya Nielsen, who came from different lifestyles but had the same passion – designing swimwear that is feminine, stylish, comfortable, good quality, and offers full coverage. 'Lanuuk sets itself apart with design-led swimwear that's as much about how it feels as how it looks—versatile, stylish, and made to empower women of all ages, shapes, and backgrounds. Our modest designs are timeless and refined, crafted with premium materials to offer confidence, coverage, and comfort without compromise,' says Ayesha Mahomed. Lanuuk also believes in creating swimwear built to last, steering clear of fast fashion's reckless use of resources. Shop now. LYRA Like many of the modest swimwear brands, LYRA was birthed due to one woman's struggles finding a fashionable and practical modest swimsuit. After years of throwing together pieces just to be able to get in the water and not be overly exposed, Ikram Zein decided to design her own line. After spending a year gaining insight from women of all faiths about the challenges they faced when swimming, Zein launched her swim line in 2016. The creative process for the brand begins in London, the fabrics are sourced from Italy, and the pieces are produced in Istanbul. Zein believes the brand is a mixture of minimalist, Moroccan boho, and classic Hollywood. Shop now. Coolibar Coolibar is on a mission to protect the world from sun damage and protect those with sun-related medical conditions, which works in favour for women in search of modest swimwear. Coolibar promises to never bargain on protection and never cut corners on quality. In fact, they've received The Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recommendation. All of their fabrics are tested for UPF 50+ protection. Their swimwear comes in fun styles and unique colours such as magnolia pink and lavender. Shop now.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Golden Retriever Lands Job As 'Fishing Guide' and Totally Nails the Role
Is there anything that Golden Retrievers can't do? These gorgeous, remarkably intelligent dogs almost never fail to impress. And the Golden Retriever in this video, who shows that he is a grade A "fishing guide," is no exception. From catching fish, to steering the boat, jumping off a cliff, and even taking on a scorpion - there's nothing this "fishing guide" can't do. Not to mention that when this good boy's cheeks flap in the wind as the boat cruises along, it's pretty much as adorable as can be!Obviously, this particular Golden Retriever is an exceptionally talented dog. He can drive and park a boat for crying out loud. Is there anything this guy can't do? As this other video shows, not only is this amazing golden retriever highly competent out on the water, but he is also easily the "coolest guy out in the parking lot." Before they even hit the water, it's obvious that this canine is the real deal. Just look at the way he comes face-to-face with that duck or how he catches so many fish with ease. And once the ride gets rough and bumpy out on the water, this handsome dog is not fazed at all, taking each and every bump in stride as he lays back and relaxes on the backseat, just chilling and enjoying the boat ride. There are good boys, good dogs, and then there are dogs that are professional good boys, just like this guy. He should really be the star of his own commercial or movie. He doesn't always catch fish, but when he does, he prefers to catch them in the open water, because he's the most interesting dog in the world! Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. Golden Retriever Lands Job As 'Fishing Guide' and Totally Nails the Role first appeared on PetHelpful on May 21, 2025
Times
23-05-2025
- Times
20 top pubs in the UK to visit by paddleboard, kayak or canoe
The sun sparkling on the water, the gentle splosh of your paddle, the occasional bright flash of a kingfisher … there's nothing like setting out for a few hours to explore the country's great waterways by paddleboard, kayak or as a pair in a Canadian canoe. A day's gentle foray along a river or creek, or a sea-kayaking adventure along the coast, is all the better if you can paddle your way to a wonderful waterside pub at the end for a good lunch, a pot of tea or a local ale. A pub paddle — much like a pub walk — is an easygoing way to get into nature, and to see the nooks and crannies others might miss. I've spent a year or so researching dozens of these excursions around the country for my new book, Paddle and Pub — from sea kayaking into Cornish caves or along Loch Sween to paddleboarding through secret creeks and quiet canals in Hampshire — some of which are detailed here. You'll need to do some extra route planning and research, especially where tides are involved, and be sure to gen up on safety precautions — always wear a buoyancy aid, take a phone and wear the correct leash (a safety tether to prevent your paddleboard or kayak from drifting away if you fall in), and definitely don't paddle when pissed. Do the drinking afterwards or only have as much as you would when driving. Water is dangerous, but most of these routes are easy, taking just a few hours, and many involve going with a tour or hire company to make things even simpler. Those who go independently may need a British Waterways Licence (£60 per year) for some routes, and where these are one-way it can be handy to arrange a lift at the end, or do a two-car shuffle, leaving a car at the finish point. The websites and are a great source of further information. If you've got a paddleboard or inflatable kayak festering in the garage, take this as your excuse to get it out and have some fun. This paddle is dazzlingly fresh and joyful on a good-weather day, with sunshine glinting on the gentle wash of the tidal channel that is Chichester Harbour. About halfway up from the sea is Itchenor, the start point for an uplifting hour's paddle to the smart Crown & Anchorat Dell Quay. Guided small group trips in sleek sea kayaks that cut through the waves are run by Fluid out for cormorants, terns and little egrets as you head upriver with the incoming tide, working up an appetite as you paddle towards your seafood lunch and returning after it with the turning tide. The 16th-century inn with busy terraces is a bit boaty, quite lively. Go for the hot mackerel salad (£16.50) or a crab burger with seaweed salt chips (£21), and something from the spritz menu (from £7.75). Details £70pp ( Make a weekend of it In a red brick townhouse in the centre of nearby Chichester, the Harbour Hotel Chichester has a small spa, a dramatically dark dining room and pretty rooms in sandy, mossy colours (B&B doubles from £115; North Cornwall's St Agnes Heritage Coast offers one of the most visually striking sea kayak routes in the country, taking in cliffs streaked with copper, oxidised into vivid shades of turquoise and blue, as if someone tipped barrels of bright paint down the rocks. The cave system and rock formations are comparable to those you might find in Thailand. Koru Kayaking runs superb two-hour guided trips here (as well as on Cornwall's Helford River) from St Agnes's beach, Trevaunance Cove. You'll encounter seals, great big bruisers that float upright like bristle-whiskered buoys or whose silver forms flash by beneath your paddle. Along the cliffs are the remnants of mine workings — you paddle through gullies and archways that are partly natural, partly blasted out by miners' dynamite, and explore a huge roofless cathedral of a fallen cave. Back on the beach, walk up to locals' favourite the Driftwood Spars, where plumbers, millionaires, fishermen and celebs chew the fat over local Sea Shanty ales. Details £65pp ( a weekend of it The Driftwood Spars has seaview rooms, B&B doubles from £121 ( There can't be many British sailors unfamiliar with the Pandora Inn, a renowned spot among yachties and motorboaters who tie up at its long pontoon for a glass of wine over the shimmering water of Restronguet Creek, one of the tributaries of Carrick Roads, the River Fal's estuary. More fun is to arrive by sit-on-top kayak or paddleboard, starting out from Mylor Yacht Harbour near Falmouth, where you can hire SUPs or kayaks and a guide from Falmouth River Watersports for the 40-minute paddle. Pull in on the tiny crescent of sand for a swift St Austell ale, or a long lazy lunch of whitebait and Pandora fish pie (mains from £18). Details Two-hour tour £50pp ( three hours' hire from £35Make a weekend of it In Falmouth, the Star & Garter is a hip Georgian townhouse pub with harbour view apartments (a night's self-catering for two from £130; A fish's plop, waving reeds, bird calls, mature trees and empty golden fields … the sights and sounds around the upper part of the Thames, near Faringdon and Lechlade on Thames, couldn't be more different from the busy thoroughfare of the capital. Here the river is a quiet winding narrow ribbon, beside which the hugely characterful Trout Inn ( has sat for 800 years. It's a traditional Cotswold pub — one without a celebrity chef at the helm or a greige Scandi-rustic makeover; a grandfather clock and a 7kg taxidermy pike, caught here in 1902, are what stand for interior design. Paddlers with their own gear can follow a leafy 30-minute route starting a kilometre downriver in the pretty village of Buscot, or hire kayaks, canoes and SUPs around 1.5km upriver at Lechlade from Cotswold Canoe Hire, next to the Riverside, a modern pub with a beer garden (mains from £14.95, Details An hour's hire from £35( a weekend of it Near Buscot, the National Trust's Lock Cottage has a night's self-catering from£454 ( The Cuckmere Meanders are shiny looping ribbons at the tail end of the River Cuckmere, curling through the grassy landscape of the Seven Sisters country park in the South Downs. They make a gentle, easy, beginner-friendly paddle through a nature reserve to Cuckmere Haven beach, with views of the sheer white cliffs of the Seven Sisters. Buzz Active, a not-for-profit watersports organisation run by East Sussex county council, has a base here, just inside the South Downs National Park, offering SUP and kayak hire and guided tours of this three-hour, there-and-back route, while independent paddlers can launch from the wharf in the South Car Park. Back at base, walk a few minutes to the smartened-up Cuckmere Inn by Exceat Bridge, with local Harvey's Sussex Best on tap and an expansive beer garden looking down on the river and up to the Downs. Prawn, halloumi or meat skewers (from £18.75), burgers (from £15.95), and pubby mains (from £16.75) are on the menu. Details One hour's kayak hire from £17.50pp, three-hour tour £45 ( Make a weekend of it In Alfriston, the Star boutique hotel inhabits a revamped 15th-century inn with a beamed frontage, owned by the interiors maestros Olga and Alex Polizzi (B&B doubles from £260; Devon's cathedral city is home to a popular, easy dash of a pub paddle that's great for beginners. From Exeter's Historic Quayside — which has undergone a slick revival in recent years, with waterside warehouses transformed into breweries, bars and cafés — you follow the Exeter Ship Canal east out of the city. It soon falls in parallel with the River Exe, and after 40 minutes, between the two is the Double Locks, a corker of a waterside pub. A long wooden deck of beer tables stretches beside the water and inside wonky walls are hung with natty art. Go for a local cider or something off the spritz list (from £6.75) and Fowey mussels (£16) or day boat fish (£24). AS Watersports hires kayaks and SUPs on Exeter quayside, and runs summer evening paddles to the pub anyone can join. Details Two hours' hire from £27.50 ( a weekend of it In Exeter, the Turk's Head micropub and hotel is a dark green drinking den once frequented by Charles Dickens, now glammed up with chandeliers and stylish bedrooms feature raw wood headboards (room-only doubles from £60; • My 55 best places to eat, by the Devonshire's Oisin Rogers Beside the sandy sweep of Porthdinllaen beach, which curls around a protected bay backed by steep hills on the unspoilt north coast of the Llŷn peninsula, is the Tŷ Coch Inn — one of the most beautifully positioned pubs in Wales. There's no public access by road so most walk, or paddle the 1.5km across from Morfa Nefyn. Inside the old-timey, Aladdin's cave of a pub, musical instruments hang on walls and lanterns dangle from the ceiling. Wild Horse pale ale can be soaked up with simple open prawn sandwiches. Rent paddleboards, including delivery anywhere on the Llŷn peninsula, through the tourist board. Details A day's hire from £40 ( a weekend of it Rent a holiday cottage such as Boom Cottage, a former boathouse near Morfa Nefyn that has been smartly converted, now with a barrel sauna and outdoor hot tub. Seven nights self-catering for seven from £724 'It should really be called Ye Very Old Ferrie Inn,' the landlord Jamie Hicks said, joking, when we met at his fine waterside hostelry in Symonds Yat. 'After all, it was established in 1473.' There are dozens of pubs on the Wye, which keen paddlers might link together as one mighty multi-day pub crawl, but this one is perfect for dipping your toe in as it has its own rental outlet, YOFI Paddlesports, hiring Canadian-style canoes or SUPs by the hour from beneath a weeping willow. Good slow-cooked Herefordshire lamb shoulder (£21.50) and pigeon (£17) are on the menu, the Wye Valley Brewery's Butty Bach is on tap, while upstairs, cosy bedrooms are supplied with binoculars for tracking the peregrine falcons that zip from the cliffs across the water. (B&B doubles from £130; Details An hour's hire is £25 ( Mighty and muddy, the Severn is, at 220 miles, the UK's longest river, charging through the Midlands after bubbling up in the Cambrian Mountains in Wales. An attractive 12 mile route to Shrewsbury is a straightforward section through green countryside, ending at a wonderful pub. Starting northwest of the Shropshire town, an easy paddle of about four to five hours follows the river's looping mad doodle as it ribbons back on itself through dramatically tall woodland where buzzards soar overhead. Hire a Canoe takes paddlers by minibus to the start point, Montford Bridge, to go it alone in Canadian canoes downstream back to Shrewsbury and the Boathouse Inn, with its pontoon and a terrace by the water. Mushroom strudel (£19.50) and game pie (£19) are options. Come in August to catch the pub's Gin Fest. Details 12-mile trip,£75pp; an hour's hire in Shrewsbury from £25 ( Make a weekend of it Stay at Shrewsbury's chic Lion + Pheasant, a smart, contemporary but characterful inn near the Thomas Telford-designed English Bridge. Light grey wooden-beamed rooms accompany a fine-dining restaurant doing artful plates. (B&B doubles from £165; In Co Antrim, the northeast's Causeway Coast is a spectacular landscape, where Ballycastle lies near a flat sweep of sand and cliffs so high and sheer that Red Bull has hosted cliff diving events there. Causeway Coast Kayaking Tours depart from Ballycastle harbour, passing interesting rock formations along the shore, some running by the Giant's Causeway. Afterwards head to the seafront Harbour Bar or O'Connors Bar, up the road on Ann Street, with proper Irish music played live and artfully presented plates of food (hot seafood platters, £24.50). Game of Thrones actors and Jamie Dornan have been spotted there. Details An hour's guided tour from £42pp ( Make a weekend of it Stay in Ballycastle at the smart eco hotel the Salthouse, which has outdoor hot tubs and a panoramic sauna. B&B doubles from £156 ( The Lake District's second biggest lake, Ullswater, has a bounty of curves and corners to explore, though it's busy, with dinghies, wakeboarders and paddlesteamers criss-crossing between several stops (handy for paddlers who prefer one-way routes). On the northwest shore, the lux-but-outdoorsy hotel Another Place has a watersports centre renting SUPs and kayaks to all. An enjoyable 1.5-mile paddle heads north to Pooley Bridge, a touristy enclave that is home to theCrown Inn,a jazzed-up number with a waterside beer garden. Return for fizz at Another Place's Glasshouse bar, in a Victorian-style greenhouse in the gardens, serving wood-fired pizza (from £13) — a pontoon bears a sign welcoming boaters. A second, smaller sister pub on the lake, Brackenrigg Inn, is just as cool, with a microbrewery. Details An hour's rental from £30pp ( Download a detailed map of the Ullswater Canoe Trail, which shows places to stop, at Make a weekend of it Another Place is a smashing hotel with stylish rooms and smart shepherd's huts (these shepherds would have designer sandals and silver crooks). B&B doubles from £230 ( • The UK's 10 best proper pubs — chosen by our new beer expert Could there be a more beautiful city to paddle through than Cambridge, with its spires and riverside college grounds, historic buildings and bridges? Being punted along the Cam by a superiorly educated student is the usual way to see it all, but while no commercial kayak or SUP tours are currently allowed to go through the centre, those with their own SUP or kayak can paddle themselves (you just need a British waterways licence). For a full wonderful day trip of five miles one way, start near Cambridge North station, heading south, and stop at any of the numerous lovely pubs that take your fancy, passing through the historic centre and then green swathes and wild swimming spots all the way to the gorgeous village of Grantchester, where Lord Byron famously dipped. Top spots include the 16th-century Green Dragon, where JRR Tolkien found inspiration for The Hobbit, and whose willow-draped beer garden runs down to the water. The Fort Saint George, by Midsummer Common, has riverside tables, and near Jesus Green, where you'll jostle along with the well-spoken punt tour guides who fill the air with snippets of 'Henry VIII this' and 'King John that', look out for the Pimm's Punt, a floating bar dispensing the classic English summer drink. Pass the showstoppers — the intricate Bridge of Sighs at St John's College, the Backs university fields, the Mathematical Bridge — to the Mill Pond, lined with student-swarmed pubs, including the Anchor and the Granta. Here, one of the city's punt companies, Scudamores, hires kayaks to go south to Grantchester, home to the Blue Ball Inn. Details 90 minutes' hire from £16 ( Make a weekend of it In the city, the Varsity boutique hotel has a rooftop terrace for cocktails, cool, colourful rooms and a small spa with an indoor hot tub looking out to the river (B&B doubles from £140; In Grantchester, the Blue Ball Inn has a holiday apartment (two nights' self-catering for four is from £400; B&B doubles at the Lord Byron Inn from £95 ( Loch Sween is a staggering west coast sea loch near Lochgilphead, where otters and seals play and where once the rulers of the Gaelic kingdom sailed their ships. On its shores is the vibrant community village of Tayvallich, home to the Tayvallich Inn, a perfect post-paddle pub for sea-kayakers. A guided adventure with Wild Argyll departs from the seaweedy shore right outside, crossing the sheltered Tayvallich Bay into Loch Sween, looking out for curlews and shags, with a break for a hot drink on the mussel-clung rocks of the Fairy Isles. Back at the pub, gorge on a bowl of steamed ones (£11) and a crisp pint of local brewer Fyne Ale's Avalanche beer. Details Half-day tour from £85pp ( Make a weekend of it For a special treat, hire Kilmartin Castle, arguably Scotland's coolest, a 16th-century holiday rental of spiral staircases and turrets, sleeping ten in rooms with thick stone walls and edgy, humorous artwork. A night's self-catering for ten from £1,000 ( South of the magnificent city of York, down the River Ouse, lies the aspirational and villagey suburb of Bishopthorpe. Here the Riverfront is a private marina with boat and kayak hire, accommodation, a beer garden and a snazzy place to eat and drink, Bosun's Restaurant, in a modern octagonal building on stilts — try dishes such as crab crumpet (£14) and oven-baked hake with leeks and red pepper arancini (£23). Hire a kayak and head two miles downriver to the Ship Inn in the leafy village of Acaster Malbis, a wood-beamed beauty dating to the 17th century, with a grassy low-walled beer garden by the water. Details An hour's hire £15, available from June 1 ( Make a weekend of it The Ship Inn has B&B doubles from £120. To the southeast of the city, Pool Bridge Farm offers wild swimming, outdoor barrel saunas and glamping (pitches from £20pp per night; City-centre hotels include Number 1 By GuestHouse, which has B&B doubles from £138 ( Fringed with gorgeous demerara sands that form a wide sheltered sweep, Beadnell Bay is a glorious place to practise your sea paddling. Thanks to its perfect half-moon form, backed by tufty dunes, it feels protected even on a windy day. Behind the beach car park is the Landing, a surfy café and bar with an Ibiza/Mexican/hippy vibe — rough plaster walls and oversized raffia lampshades — serving local kippers for breakfast (£14). Next door, KA Adventure Sports offers watersports including kitesurfing, SUP rental and guided tours for competent paddleboarders. Choose the Farne Islands to snorkel with seals or paddle down the coast — with a support rigid inflatable boat for safety — to Low Newton, a hamlet that's home to the Ship Inn. In a pretty whitewashed cottage on the green, it has its own microbrewery, making the lip-smacking golden Sandcastles at Dawn beer and Sea Dog stout. Details Tours from £50pp ( Make a weekend of it Above Low Newton, a former lookout has been transformed into a holiday home by the National Trust; two nights' self-catering for four from £454 ( Or try Crabtree and Crabtree for gorgeous cottages in the area ( • Coastal strolls and woodland walks that end at a great pub In the northwest Highlands in Wester Ross, the gobsmacking Applecross peninsula juts into the Inner Sound. Here, the Applecross Inn is so renowned, I've seen diners drop in by helicopter for a slap-up seafood lunch — the local oysters are as succulent as a mermaid's snog (half-dozen £19); the Applecross Bay prawns in hot garlic butter is a sticky messy feast (£16). From April until October, there's outdoor dining in the garden opposite the simple white inn, where you can let your gaze fall across the sun-sparkled water to the islands of Raasay and Skye. To really embed the soul into the landscape, book a sea-kayaking expedition with Mountain and Sea Guides, based near the pub, to explore steely seas under huge empty skies. Details Two days' kayaking tour and tuition from £290pp ( Make a weekend of it The inn has seven simple rooms for B&B, and that second 'B' will be poached smoked haddock or local smoked salmon, black pudding sausages or the full Scottish works (from £180). More basic are the Applecross Campsite's camping huts (£55 a night, This quirky beer pilgrimage ends in a hidden creek, only accessible at high tide, at Botley Brewery's Hidden Tap bar, where sitting below its high wall on your SUP or kayak, you can ring a bell dangling on a string for service, shout up your order and have a fresh pint lowered down to you as you float in a narrow gulley. If you have your own SUP or kayak, start from Burridge, or hire them further down at the Paddle Centre in Swanwick, then head upstream on the tidal River Hamble. Set off at least two hours before high tide, and be aware that the last section is very tight — through a tunnel. The Horse and Jockey is easier to reach, with a waterside beer garden on a side channel, Curbridge Creek. Details An hour's hire from £18 ( Make a weekend of it Moored at Cabin Boatyard on the river, Hamble River Beds is a smart houseboat, where a night's self-catering for four is from £198 ( • 19 of the best UK pubs with rooms Devon's estuaries are among its defining features and make it one of the best counties for paddling — captivating narrow tributaries crack the landscape then tumble into wide rivers with harbours, pretty coves and long sandy beaches, and many a glorious pub by the waterside. From Kingsbridge, explore the edges of the Kingsbridge-Salcombe estuary as you head downriver to the tiny village of South Pool, hidden at the end of a creek accessible at high tide. A few steps from where it peters out is the Millbrook Inn, with rustic-cool interiors (firelit flagstone rooms with racing green panelling) and local fare from the owner family's nearby Fowlescombe Farm. Try porchetta with creamy mash (£26) and market fish from day boats. The estuary is strongly tidal, so time things carefully. Details Three hours' SUP and kayak hire from £40, 2.5 hour tours from £60pp ( a weekend of it The Millbrook Inn has two elegantly minimalist cottages, two nights' self-catering for four is from £600 ( The Norfolk Broads are blessed with endless kayaking and paddleboarding opportunities across a network of 30 shallow lakes, interlinked by 200 miles of waterways and wetlands. A less obvious but no less spectacular route runs southeast from the centre of Norwich along the River Wensum, with a couple of mini-Broads encircled by high rushes at the end. A kayak rental company, Pub and Paddle, offers several trips, self-guided, at various lengths, from two to seven hours, stopping at pubs. They start from a jetty beside the Ribs of Beef, a lively real ale pub with tables nudging on to Fye bridge. You'll see the city from the water then roll out to the bucolic village of Thorpe St Andrew, where the five-hour trip turns back, after lunch at the 16th-century Rushcutters Arms — pork and cider terrine (£7.75), or mushroom and ale pie (£16). Details Two hours' hire £14, five hours from £22( Make a weekend of it Norwich's Assembly House has 15 bedrooms with four-poster beds (B&B doubles from £215, including afternoon tea ( The colourful coastal fishing village of Amble — with its great seafood restaurants — and the pub-filled inland medieval town of Warkworth are linked by the tidal tail end of the River Coquet, a few miles apart. It's a fun, easy paddle to go between them, portaging around a weir, as the river loops right around Warkworth, with its imposing hilltop castle at the centre. In Amble, which resembles an Icelandic fishing harbour with its muted-colour metal buildings and fishmarket, the Fish Shack is a slick harbourside spot for the freshest Lindisfarne oysters (six £23) and North Shields dressed crab (£27).There's river access at Amble Braid Car Park, then exit in Warkworth at Stanners car park and head for the sheltered yard of the cosy Masons Arms. Northside Surf School has paddleboard hire for the route. Details Three hours' hire from £30 ( Make a weekend of it Near the castle in Warkworth, the Sun Hotel is an elegant bolthole with chandeliers, suits of armour and a traditional pub attached, the Castle Brew House (B&B doubles from £109pp; Paddle and Pub: The best British pubs to get to by kayak, canoe or paddleboard by Gemma Bowes(Bloomsbury £19.99 pp240). To order a copy go to Free UK standard P&P on online orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members
