Paddleboarding-Swanwick to Botley

Paddleboarding-Swanwick to Botley

photo credit-Botley Tap

Bustling marinas, tranquil country parks and a paddle boarders hidden gem, The Hidden Tap, where you can enjoy your refreshments whilst staying afloat. This journey explores the tidal Upper River Hamble with plenty of great pitstops on the way.

A full route description can be found in our book Paddleboarding South East

Paddling environment: Estuary/tidal river

Parking Swanwick Shore Car Park (charges), Swanwick, Southampton, SO31 7EF. Grid ref. SU 495 092; What3Words twigs.fakes.result

Launching Lower Swanwick slipway

Pitstops goodies served from hatch of a boat to river-users, Floaters Café, www.floaterscafe.co.uk (check hours); great beers and vibe, The Hidden Tap, Botley, https://botleybreweryltd.com/hidden-tap ; Horse and Jockey, Curbridge www.mynewlocal.co.uk ; The Jolly Sailor, Burlesdon, www.jollysailoroldbursledon.co.uk

Lessons and hire The Paddle Centre, Lower Swanwick, www.thepaddlecentre.co.uk ; self-launch and hire, YMCA Fairthorne Manor https://ymca-fg.org/fairthorne-manor/river-access/ (short paddle to Botley).   

Getting there Car Leave A27 onto Lower Shore Road, adjacent to Premier Marina and Boatyard Train London (Waterloo) to Burlesdon Station, change Southampton (2 hour journey), and launch from Lands End Slipway near Jolly Sailor www.southwesternrailway.com 

Camping large camping area, self-launch (charges) at YMCA Fairthorne Manor https://ymca-fg.org/fairthorne-manor/campsite/

Special points

Start 2hrs before HW or as soon as the water covers the hard of the slipway. If visiting the pubs and café’s check opening times align with your HW windows. Watch out for other water users as the water around Bursledon can be extremely busy. Once passed all the moorings, keep to the right of the main channel upriver.

Swanwick to Botley Paddleboard route map

Distance 16km (return)

Difficulty 2 (4 if entering Bay)

Starting point Downstream of Whitford weir. Grid ref. SY 2619 9529 (50.7525, -3.0476) 

Launching 30m walk from car park to bankside launch

Parking Adjacent to weir, Whitford Road, EX13 7AN

Pitstops Unpretentious harbourside snacks while watching fishermen weighing their catch, Chris’s Café, Seaton, tel. 01297 625511

Lessons, hire, tours SB Watersports, Seaton Beach, tel. 07850 69520

Getting there A358 S of Axminster to Musbury, then turn R (signed) to Whitford and find car park on L just before Whitford bridge

Special points 

It takes about 1-2hrs from Whitford to Seaton.  If planning just one way from Whitford, time your route to arrive just after HW Seaton to benefit from the beginning of the ebb tide at Colyford (this is the NTL point).  If planning a return trip, leave 2hrs after HW to benefit from the ebb tide from Colyford to Seaton and then return on the flooding tide up to Colyford before you continue on the river section.

When starting at Whitford in low water conditions there may be shallow shingle banks evidenced by faster moving surface water. Look out for the deep channels around these or walk/wade across these shallow areas. Short fins are recommended in low water levels.

Beware of fast flows under bridge at Seaton; very shallow water at Seaton at low tide; only enter Seaton Bay in low swell, and be aware harbour entrance can get very busy.

This is just one of our routes in this area, for more details and other routes in the area see our latest book-Paddle boarding South West