Discover the hidden gems of the UK’s waterways.
Leicester offers an array of stunning spots for paddleboard enthusiasts.
Explore the best places to paddle board in Leicester and uncover a whole new side of this charming city.
Dive in, and let’s embark on a paddling adventure unlike any other. Ready to make a splash?
Map
Planning Your Paddle in Leicester
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 May through September. August is the warmest month, averaging 21 °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 Leicester
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 Watermead Country Park
- 🏖️ Location Type: Lake
- 📍 Access Point: Watermead Car Park (Google Maps)
- 🌊 Water, Currents & Wind: Calm, Flat Water, Can be Windy
- ☀️ Popular Seasons: Spring to Fall
- 🐟 Wildlife Encounters: Swans, ducks, geese, herons
- 🏞️️ Landmarks & Views: Statue of King Lear, Birstall Lock, natural landscapes
- ⚠️ Safety, Environment and Rules: No motorized vessels allowed, watch for swimmers
Watermead Country Park is a picturesque spot for paddle boarding with its calm lake waters and scenic surroundings. Encompassing 340 acres of open green spaces and water bodies, the park offers an ideal setting for leisurely paddle boarding sessions.
Be sure to admire the King Lear statue reflecting on the water’s surface and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere at this beautiful Leicester destination.
#2 Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre
- 🏖️ Location Type: River
- 📍 Access Point: Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre (Google Maps)
- 🌊 Water, Currents & Wind: Still water, occasional wind
- ☀️ Popular Seasons: Year-round
- 🐟 Wildlife Encounters: Ducks, swans, fish
- 🏞️️ Landmarks & Views: Riverside scenery, woodland
- ⚠️ Safety, Environment and Rules: Follow centre’s rules and guidance
Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre offers a controlled environment for paddle boarding on the River Soar. The centre provides a range of activities, including stand-up paddleboarding, and the opportunity to learn and develop your skills within a safe environment.
Enjoy tranquil paddles along the river while taking in the picturesque views of the Leicester countryside.
#3 Foxton Locks
- 🏖️ Location Type: Canal
- 📍 Access Point: Free car park at the Foxton Locks site on the Grand Union Canal, launch from the basin rather than the lock flight (Google Maps)
- 🌊 Water, Currents & Wind: Flat canal water with no real current, though the open embankment stretches catch the wind
- ☀️ Popular Seasons: April through October
- 🐟 Wildlife Encounters: Herons, swans, swallows, kingfishers
- 🏞️️ Landmarks & Views: The longest staircase lock flight in Britain and the remains of the Foxton Inclined Plane boat lift
- ⚠️ Safety, Environment and Rules: A Canal & River Trust waterways licence is required for a paddleboard on the canal, short term or through Paddle UK membership. Boards may not go through the locks and have to be carried around the flight
Foxton Locks lies on the Grand Union Canal about 24 kilometres south east of Leicester, near Market Harborough. The Canal & River Trust runs the site and lists paddle boarding and canoeing in its summer programme, and the basin above and below the flight gives easy access to flat water.
The staircase flight itself is closed to boards, so plan the paddle as an out and back on one side and walk around if you want to see the rest. The towpath here is busy on summer weekends, which makes it an easy place to start and finish.
#4 Rutland Water
- 🏖️ Location Type: Reservoir
- 📍 Access Point: Whitwell Watersports Centre (Google Maps)
- 🌊 Water, Currents & Wind: Sheltered inside the creek, exposed on the open water
- ☀️ Popular Seasons: Spring to autumn
- 🐟 Wildlife Encounters: Ospreys in summer, swans, wintering wildfowl
- 🏞️️ Landmarks & Views: Normanton Church on the shoreline, open Rutland countryside
- ⚠️ Safety, Environment and Rules: Register at the watersports centre and pay the launch fee first, own boards are restricted to Whitwell Creek, insurance is required
Rutland Water is the nearest big water to Leicester where paddling is properly sanctioned rather than merely unpoliced. It is around forty minutes east of the city, and the drive is the price of being allowed on the water at all.
Bring your own board and you register at the watersports centre, pay a launch fee and stay inside Whitwell Creek. The main body of the reservoir is open only with a qualified guide or through the canoe club, so plan for the creek and treat anything beyond it as off limits.
#5 Ashby Canal
- 🏖️ Location Type: Canal
- 📍 Access Point: Multiple access points, such as Snarestone (Google Maps)
- 🌊 Water, Currents & Wind: Generally calm, wind, watch out for boats
- ☀️ Popular Seasons: Spring to Fall
- 🐟 Wildlife Encounters: Ducks, swans, fish
- 🏞️️ Landmarks & Views: Countryside scenery, traditional canal scenes
- ⚠️ Safety, Environment and Rules: Watch out for boats, stick to designated canal paths
Located a short drive from Leicester, the Ashby Canal provides a scenic and peaceful paddleboarding experience. Enjoy the charming countryside scenery and traditional canal scenes while gliding across the water.
Be mindful of boats and other watercraft as you enjoy a tranquil paddle along this picturesque stretch of canal.
The Soar and the Grand Union give Leicester more water than most Midlands cities manage. Nottingham and the West Midlands are the nearest cities with their own guides, and Lincoln is the flat run east.
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.
- Typefoam, paddle cut
- ApprovalUSCG and Transport Canada
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 Leicester?
You can paddle board in Leicester at locations such as the Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre, River Soar, and the Grand Union Canal.
Do paddle boards need to be registered in Leicester?
No, paddle boards do not require registration in Leicester.
When is the best time to paddle board in Leicester?
The optimal time for paddle boarding in Leicester is between late spring and early autumn, due to warmer weather conditions.
Paddle Boarding Near Leicester
Looking for another spot on the same trip? These guides cover the closest paddling waters we have mapped around Leicester.
- Nottingham (16 miles north)
- Birmingham (29 miles southwest)
- West Midlands (32 miles southwest)
- Lincoln (46 miles northeast)
When you research them, the reservoirs listed here don’t appear to allow paddle boarding.
You are right, and thank you for taking the time. Cropston is a Severn Trent reservoir and there is no public paddling on it. In that group only Ladybower and Carsington have sanctioned paddlesport. We have taken Cropston off the list and put Rutland Water in its place, where you register at the watersports centre, pay the launch fee and stay inside Whitwell Creek.