Looking for the best paddleboarding books to inspire your next UK adventure? Whether you’re a beginner learning SUP basics, a coastal kayaker chasing the tides, or an inland explorer seeking river routes, this ultimate list has you covered. From technique guides and yoga on the water to sea kayak navigation and breathtaking British paddle routes, these 25+ titles are trusted by paddlers of all levels.
Curated from real-world recommendations and online communities, this is your go-to guide for stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, and canoeing books—tailored to UK waters and updated for 2025.
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Islandeering!
Table of Contents
Best Paddleboarding Books for Beginners
Best Paddleboarding Books for Routes: Rivers, Lakes & Estuaries
Best Books for River Paddling Routes
Best Books for Inspiring Paddling Adventures
Mindful, Wellbeing, and Eco-inspiration
FAQ: Popular Questions About Paddleboarding & Paddlesport Books
Best Paddleboarding Books For Beginners
- Paddleboarding For Dummies – Beginner basics, technique, gear advice. 👉 More book details
- Stand‑Up Paddleboarding: A Beginner’s Guide – Simon Bassett – UK-focused novice-to-confident progression. 👉 More book details
- The Paddleboard Bible: the complete guide to stand-up Paddleboarding – Dave Price – well written and easy to read, a great introduction to the sport. 👉 More book details
Best Paddleboard Books for Beginners
🌊 Best Paddleboarding Books for Routes: Rivers, Lakes & Estuaries
- Paddle Boarding South West England – Lisa Drewe – best-selling guide to over 100 routes in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Wilts and Somerset. 👉 Buy the book
- Paddle Boarding Wales – Lisa Drewe – over hundred routes through Welsh estuaries, canals and lakes. 👉 Buy the book
- Paddle Boarding London & South East England – Lisa Drewe – Hundred routes through London and 12 surrounding counties. 👉 Buy the book
- Stand‑Up Paddleboarding in Great Britain – Jo Moseley – 30+ British SUP routes and insights. 👉 More book details
- Paddling Britain – Lizzie Carr – 50 top UK routes across rivers, coasts, islands. 👉 More book details
Best paddleboarding books for coast, rivers, lakes and canals in the UK
Best Pub Paddle Guides
- Pub Paddles – Peter Knowles – a bit of a classic, 26 routes within 1-2 hours of London. 👉 More book details
- Paddle & Pub – Gemma Bowes – new in 2025, by well-respected Times writer, 50 routes across the UK ending at great pubs. 👉 More book details
Best pub paddle guides in the UK
Lake District SUP Guides
- Stand-Up Paddleboarding in the Lake District – Jo Mosely – award-winning SUP guide to The Lakes and SUP insights is a beautiful way to explore the Lakes from the water. 👉 Buy Jo’s Paddleboard the Lake District book
Best paddleboard book for the Lake District
🚣 Best Sea Kayaking Books
- Skye and North West Highlands Sea Kayaking – Doug Cooper – fantastic kayaking resource. 👉 More book details
- Sea Kayak Navigation – Franco Ferrero – Essential coastal navigation and tide planning. 👉 More books details
- Sea Kayak Handling – Doug Cooper – Practical skill development for open-water paddlers. 👉 More book details
- South East England & Channel Islands Sea Kayaking – Derek Hair – Definitive guide to paddling the SE coast and the Channel Islands. 👉 More book details
- Scottish Sea Kayaking – Doug Cooper – 50 voyages around Scotland’s coast. 👉 More book details
- Welsh Sea Kayaking: 51 great sea kayaking adventures – Jim Krawiecki 👉 More book details
- Great British Paddling Adventures: More than 50 routes for kayak, canoe and paddleboard – Richard Harpham – Classic river and coastal routes. 👉 More book details
- Northern England & IoM Fifty Great Sea Kayak Voyages – Jim Krawiecki – One of a kind book for planning kayak trips win the North. 👉 More book details
Best Sea Kayaking books
Best Books for River Paddle Routes
- Paddle Shakespeare’s Avon – Mark Rainsley – Gentle river journeys steeped in history. 👉 More book details
- Paddle The Severn – Mark Rainsley – Longest UK river with varied paddling. 👉 More book details
- Paddle The Thames – Mark Rainsley – Iconic English river through countryside, capital. 👉 More book details
- Paddle The Wye – Mark Rainsley – Scenic Welsh border paddling, nature-rich. 👉 More book details
- River Spey Canoe Guide – Nancy Chambers – everything you need to know to paddle this fabulous river alongside the Scottish whisky trail. 👉 More book details
Best river paddling books
🛶 Best Books for Inspiring Paddle Adventures
- Moderate Becoming Good – Toby Carr and Katie Carr – Seakayaking the shipping forecast. 👉 Buy the book
- Fearless: One Woman, One Kayak, One Continent – Joe Glickman – one woman’s journey around the coast of Australia. 👉 Buy the book
- All In!: The Atlantic Standup Paddle Crossing – Chris Bertish – Epic solo ocean crossing. 👉 Buy the book
- The Pull of the River: A Journey into the Wild and Watery Heart of Britain
– Matt Gaw – exploring some of Britain’s waterways for pure joy 👉 Buy the book - Ignore the Fear – Fiona Quinn – Epic paddleboard journey from Lands End to John O’ Groats. 👉 Buy the book
- Paddle: A Long Way Around Ireland – Jasper Winn – Kayak expedition and cultural reflections. 👉 Buy the book
Books for inspiring paddling adventures
🧘♀️ Books for Paddle Techniques
- The SUP Book – Matt Gamble – Covers technique, touring, fitness and SUP culture. 👉 Buy the guide
- Improving Your SUP – Andy Burrows & James van Drunen – Skill-building and performance, everything you need to know. 👉 Buy the book
🌿 Mindful, Wellbeing & Eco-Inspiration
- Blue Mind – Wallace J. Nichols – The science of water’s restorative power. 👉 More book details
- Microadventures – Alastair Humphreys – Short, local adventures including paddling escapes. 👉 More book details
Blue health and inspirational books
📖 FAQ: Popular Questions About Paddleboarding & Paddlesport Books
What are the best paddleboarding books for beginners?
Beginners should start with ‘Stand-Up Paddleboarding For Dummies‘ and Simon Bassett’s ‘Beginner’s Guide‘. They cover safety, gear, and essential techniques in a friendly, step-by-step format.
Are there any good books on UK paddleboarding routes?
Yes! Try ‘Paddleboard Britain‘ by Lizzie Carr and Jo Moseley’s ‘SUP Great Britain‘—both include detailed maps and launch points across rivers, lakes, and coasts. Lisa Drewe’s paddleboarding books cover over 300 routes in England and Wales
What paddleboarding adventure books do you recommend?
For inspiration, check out ‘All In!’ by Chris Bertish and ‘Ignore the Fear’ by Fiona Quinn—both tell real-life stories of epic paddle journeys.
Any books on paddleboarding techniques?
Yes! ‘The SUP Book’ by Matt Gamble.
Which books are great for kayakers or canoeists?
Basically, any book from Presda Press.
What books help with navigation and paddling safety?
‘Sea Kayak Navigation‘ and ‘Sea Kayak Safety and Rescue‘ are excellent for learning about tides, weather, and trip planning.


Join our Islandeering community
We continuously find new islands, rivers, lochs, canals and coast to walk, SUP and swim in and meet plenty of great folks along the way. Join our community to get new routes and adventures, latest blogs and news by using the email box below. Tune in also to our Facebook and Instagram pages to see where we are going next.