#ShePaddles Whitewater Kayak Skills & Confidence Week

TNR’s Adam Robson and #shepaddles ambassador Lisa Dickinson have joined forces to run a five day course based in the North of England utilising the best rivers the area has to offer.

Some things can’t be rushed and over this five day course we’ll take our time, exploring new rivers and building our skills & confidence through practice and play. The aim will be to paddle a new section of river everyday to really broaden our horizons and allow us to develop existing skills in a variety of venues.

This is aimed at paddlers who are looking to develop existing whitewater skills, improve confidence and experience new rivers with other women.

There is no set itinerary and no syllabus.

The venues will be chosen day by day according to the wants and needs of the group.

£399 per person
Monday – Friday 2nd – 6th October 2023
Email hello@tnroutdoors.co.uk to book your place

During the week we are likely to paddle the following rivers:

Lune – Eden – Leven – Kent – Tees – Swale – Esk – Ribble – Greta

Exactly what we’ll work on will depend on the group and your personal goals for the week and longer term. Here’s a few things we’ve found helpful for other similar groups:

Building greater independence on the water by understanding how to read the river better and make or own decisions on the water.
Feeling a useful part of the team when help is needed through our safety and rescue skills
Discussing tools and methods that might help build confidence or overcome anxiety
Feeling in control of the water rather than the water in control of us
Polishing our core whitewater paddling skills

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is there a male coach?

There’s a few reasons for this; we know some women and girls would prefer a female coach and that’s absolutely fine which is why we’re letting you know in advance. We at TNR believe that the #ShePaddles initiative is something we can support, we love to help grow the representation of women and girls in paddlesport as well as help them grow their skills once their hooked. We have lots of experience working with female only groups, most recently working alongside Lisa on another #ShePaddles weekend as part her #ShePaddles ambassador work.

What will be covered in the cost?

The course will cover five days of high quality coaching & guiding tailored to the river conditions and requirements of the group.

Where will I stay?

This course is not inclusive of accommodation. Normally with a course of this type we will put all participants into a group chat beforehand and arrangements can be made to suit. We of course do have some suggestions and Penrith is a good central location if you wanted to do some research.

What equipment do I need to bring?

You’ll need to bring your full whitewater paddling kit including suitable clothing, buoyancy aid, spraydeck, helmet, boat and paddles. If you’re struggling with anything though please do get in touch and we can try to help out.

Do I need to be able to roll?

No! Rolling is not a requirement for this course. We may even be able to find some suitable spots to do some rolling practice if that’s what you would benefit from.

What if I'm not sure if I'm right for this?

This course is suitable for those who have grade 2 paddling experience and are looking to build their confidence in the upper grade 2 and 3 environment. We’ll only paddle rivers that are suitable for you! If you’re not sure, feel free to drop us a note and we can help you out.

I'm nervous, help!

It’s totally natural and normal to be a little nervous or anxious about a trip like this. We all feel it. Our advice is feel free to reach out to us in advance and we can help. But please do book on and come. Everyone will be likely feeling the same and you won’t feel like that for long!

Will I need to be able to transport myself and my boat to and from the rivers?

Yes – we will obviously work together to organise shuttles and logistics, car sharing may also be an option to keep costs down.

How will the week work?

We’ll start with a good chat over a brew to get to know each other and understand what you’d like to get from the week. When we’re ready we’ll head off to a river and likely start off with an easy section to warm up and see how we’re feeling about our paddling that week.

Then as the week progresses we’ll look at rivers and sections that are at the right water level and work for the group that we have. You will also have input to that and we’ll only ever paddle things that are right for the group.

What others are saying

<img decoding="async" src="https://tnroutdoors.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/wp-tripadvisor-review-slider/public/partials/imgs/tripadvisor_stars_5.png" alt="star rating" class="wptripadvisor_t1_star_img_file">  Birthday adventure at TNR. - We had the 90 minute experience of rifle  shooting , archery and axe throwing. Amazing experience and so much fun. Jess our instructor was brilliant so engaging and made... read more the whole experience really enjoyable.
<img decoding="async" src="https://tnroutdoors.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/wp-tripadvisor-review-slider/public/partials/imgs/tripadvisor_outline.png" alt="tripadvisor logo" class="wptripadvisor_t1_tripadvisor_logo">
<img decoding="async" src="https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-l/1a/f6/ef/73/default-avatar-2020-13.jpg" alt="avatar thumb" class="wptripadvisor_t1_IMG_4" loading="lazy"/>sue W
11/08/2024 

<img decoding="async" src="https://tnroutdoors.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/wp-tripadvisor-review-slider/public/partials/imgs/tripadvisor_stars_5.png" alt="star rating" class="wptripadvisor_t1_star_img_file">  Great afternoon out!  - Jess was so brilliant at leading the group - we had a 90 minute experience of archery, axe throwing and rifle shooting. I got it as a gift for my... read more mum as she mentioned she’d love to do something like this, and it definitely surpassed expectations! 



Thanks for a great day, Jess! 🫶
<img decoding="async" src="https://tnroutdoors.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/wp-tripadvisor-review-slider/public/partials/imgs/tripadvisor_outline.png" alt="tripadvisor logo" class="wptripadvisor_t1_tripadvisor_logo">
<img decoding="async" src="https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-l/1a/f6/e2/4a/default-avatar-2020-42.jpg" alt="avatar thumb" class="wptripadvisor_t1_IMG_4" loading="lazy"/>Rachel A
11/08/2024 

<img decoding="async" src="https://tnroutdoors.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/wp-tripadvisor-review-slider/public/partials/imgs/tripadvisor_stars_5.png" alt="star rating" class="wptripadvisor_t1_star_img_file">  Best place in Llangollen  - Jess and Leah looked after us so well. The way the targets are set up and the best iv ever seen. They have an amazing site with free parking so... read more close to Llangollen. I would highly recommend
<img decoding="async" src="https://tnroutdoors.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/wp-tripadvisor-review-slider/public/partials/imgs/tripadvisor_outline.png" alt="tripadvisor logo" class="wptripadvisor_t1_tripadvisor_logo">
<img decoding="async" src="https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-l/1a/f6/f3/e4/default-avatar-2020-30.jpg" alt="avatar thumb" class="wptripadvisor_t1_IMG_4" loading="lazy"/>Z7980LWedwardc
10/08/2024 

<img decoding="async" src="https://tnroutdoors.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/wp-tripadvisor-review-slider/public/partials/imgs/tripadvisor_stars_5.png" alt="star rating" class="wptripadvisor_t1_star_img_file">  Really great place to book  - Really good and would recommend for family’s of any size as it’s a very entertaining and enjoyable place to go and a great way to spend your time. We had... read more a great instructor (Jess) who got to the point of the health and safety but also gave us lots of time to do our archery, axe throwing and rifle shooting experiences. Its definitely a place to book if your down in wales and I would go again.
<img decoding="async" src="https://tnroutdoors.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/wp-tripadvisor-review-slider/public/partials/imgs/tripadvisor_outline.png" alt="tripadvisor logo" class="wptripadvisor_t1_tripadvisor_logo">
<img decoding="async" src="https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-l/2d/19/50/74/aw3122010.jpg" alt="avatar thumb" class="wptripadvisor_t1_IMG_4" loading="lazy"/>Aw3122010
09/08/2024 

<img decoding="async" src="https://tnroutdoors.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/wp-tripadvisor-review-slider/public/partials/imgs/tripadvisor_stars_5.png" alt="star rating" class="wptripadvisor_t1_star_img_file">  Fantastic Canoeing  - We hired 3 canoes for 3 hours and did  a self guided canoe over the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and surrounding canals.

Everything from the booking to getting the equipment, safety... read more talk and helpful advice was excellent. TNR Outdoor staff we helpful and friendly. We had a fantastic time canoeing and all of us loved the aqueduct.

I would recommend TNR outdoors and we would definitely use them again.
<img decoding="async" src="https://tnroutdoors.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/wp-tripadvisor-review-slider/public/partials/imgs/tripadvisor_outline.png" alt="tripadvisor logo" class="wptripadvisor_t1_tripadvisor_logo">
<img decoding="async" src="https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-l/1a/f6/e8/91/default-avatar-2020-62.jpg" alt="avatar thumb" class="wptripadvisor_t1_IMG_4" loading="lazy"/>auntsally19
09/08/2024 

<img decoding="async" src="https://tnroutdoors.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/wp-tripadvisor-review-slider/public/partials/imgs/tripadvisor_stars_5.png" alt="star rating" class="wptripadvisor_t1_star_img_file">  Wonderful family experience!  - Such a lovely experience for the whole family! Friendly staff and after a quick safety and instructions briefing we were off! 



Some things to consider (and what we’d... read more take account of next time we do this!). Crossing the aqueduct can take a while as you give way to any traffic coming the other way. We had a 20 minute wait or so before we could paddle across. I understand the wait can be much longer sometimes. Made no odds to me but the kids were restless so handy to forewarn any younger ones! My other tip is to put things in waterproof bags. My back pack is water resistant but it got lots of water dripped on it from the paddles and it and the contents were pretty soggy afterwards!



Lovely mornings activity nevertheless even in the short rain shower. We’d definitely do it again 👍🏻
<img decoding="async" src="https://tnroutdoors.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/wp-tripadvisor-review-slider/public/partials/imgs/tripadvisor_outline.png" alt="tripadvisor logo" class="wptripadvisor_t1_tripadvisor_logo">
<img decoding="async" src="https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-l/1a/f6/f3/7c/default-avatar-2020-29.jpg" alt="avatar thumb" class="wptripadvisor_t1_IMG_4" loading="lazy"/>Wirralgirl1980
05/08/2024 

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#ShePaddles Whitewater Kayak Skills & Confidence Week

Frequently Asked Questions

What others are saying

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