My SUP Stories

“Once you’ve ticked off the basics, don’t be afraid to go solo. Be adventurous, safely””

Great things happen when you step outside your comfort zone, especially in good company. Daisy first tried SUP six years ago, treating a friend to a birthday lesson close to home in North Yorkshire. They both loved it, but life and the pandemic put things on pause. It wasn’t until September 2020, after a refresher lesson, that Daisy really caught the bug. She joined a SUP group at Scaling Dam Sailing Club and bought her own board in 2021.

Since then, she hasn’t looked back. Daisy loves the freedom that comes with an inflatable board, just roll up and go. With so many rivers, canals, lakes and the sea nearby, new routes to adventure keep coming easy.

Miles and Milestones

Does Daisy like a challenge? Absolutely.

In 2023, she completed the Liverpool to Goole coast-to-coast challenge: 162 miles, 91 locks and multiple tunnels in two weeks. Now she’s aiming even bigger: to paddle every canal in the UK. So far, she’s clocked 550 unique canal miles and counting. This May, she’s taking on the full length of the Grand Union mainline to raise money for Mind.

Fit for Adventure

SUP has been the perfect match for Daisy as a form of exercise, a way to build on her natural balance and strong legs. It supports both her physical and mental wellbeing. Planning, training and tackling long-distance adventures have given her a sense of independence and confidence in her own abilities. And it’s a bonus that SUP travels well, too.

Then there’s the feeling she gets on the water. Whether you call it ‘Blue Mind’ or something else, SUP has a way of pulling you into the moment. For Daisy, it is the sound of water lapping at the board, the shapes of the land around her, the shift of the seasons. The elements make every paddle different, even on familiar routes. There are times when she has to dig deep, other times the water is flat as a pancake. Peace, movement and discovery all at once.

Underrated Waterways

Daisy loves canal paddling. Often underestimated as dirty ditches, to her, canals are a secret world full of variety. One day, she’s paddling through rolling hills and moorland in the Pennines, the next, she’s gliding through Manchester, passing fishermen, bridges and city life, with the smell of weed in the air. Yes, there’s grit and litter, but also beauty, history and a fresh perspective to see life from the water.

A Local Route

As for Daisy’s favourite route? The local River Esk is close to her heart. Rising in the North York Moors and flowing 28 miles to the North Sea at Whitby, it’s a gem. She especially loves the non-tidal, mile-long stretch from Ruswarp to Sleights. A £5 launch fee is payable at Ruswarp Pleasure Boats. Early mornings are bliss before the rental craft, rowing boats, kayaks and canoes, take over on sunny days.

Daisy also used this stretch as a time trial for her coast-to-coast challenge. The Foulridge Tunnel on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, known as the Mile Tunnel, is the longest canal tunnel you can paddle through. It operates on a timed traffic light system, so she needed to work on her mile speed and this Esk section was perfect preparation.

Passing the Paddle

Daisy invites two more paddlers to join her, Moz and Jo. I hope to catch up with them soon. Hit subscribe to get new stories in your Inbox!