Paddlesports – Steer Your Own Course

Our Pay & Play sessions allow you to hire sit-on-top single or tandem kayaks and explore Craigavon Lakes from the water.

Tues – Fri | Sat & Sun

See session times in the link below. Online booking opens 8 days in advance.

These hire sessions are FREE to getactiveabc single, family and corporate members. Simply enter your membership number when booking online and present your membership card on arrival at the centre for your activity.

Prices for non-members for 60 min session:

Single & Double Kayak Hire: £12.75 per hour | £8.30 [conc]

Suitable for age 8+ | Children must be supervised by an adult on a 2:1 ratio

The hire price includes wetsuits and buoyancy aids but you will need towel, toiletries, swim suit, water shoes or spare pair of trainers. Extensive changing facilities are available at South Lake Leisure Centre.

Our Pay & Play Paddleboard sessions let you explore Craigavon Lakes from a new perspective — standing up and gliding across the water at your own pace.

Tues – Fri | Sat & Sun

See session times in the link below. Online booking opens 8 days in advance.

These hire sessions are FREE to getactiveabc single, family and corporate members. Simply enter your membership number when booking online and present your membership card on arrival at the centre for your activity.

Prices for non-members for 60 min session:

Paddleboard Hire: £12.75 per hour | £8.30 [conc]

Suitable for age 8+ | Children must be supervised by an adult on a 2:1 ratio

The hire price includes wetsuits and buoyancy aids but you will need towel, toiletries, swim suit, water shoes or spare pair of trainers. Extensive changing facilities are available at South Lake Leisure Centre.

Dragon paddle boards [fits 4/5 people | £35 per board & £20 concession] or Mega paddle boards for larger groups can also be hired by emailing

Don’t miss the opportunity for our individual ‘Learn to Paddle’ tasters with our  Paddle Northern Ireland instructors. Suitable for beginners or intermediate paddlers, our 2.5 hour ‘Learn to Kayak’ and ‘Learn to Paddleboard’ individual, family and junior taster sessions will take your skills to the next level on the beautiful Craigavon Lakes..

‘Learn to’ taster sessions are suitable for age 8+ | Adult £30.50 | Child £20.00 

These courses are FREE to getactiveabc single, family and corporate members. Simply enter your membership number when booking online and present your membership card on arrival at the centre for your activity.

We supply wetsuits, buoyancy aids and all equipment but you will need towel, toiletries, swim suit, water shoes or spare pair of trainers and any medication you may require. Extensive changing facilities are available at South Lake Leisure Centre. If you already have your own equipment, please bring along and suitability can be assessed.

The Paddlesport Safety and Rescue Course aims to provide paddlers with the key safety and rescue skills required to operate safely and to be able to deal with common problems in a sheltered water environment. The course is designed for all paddlers, regardless of their chosen craft, and will provide valuable experience before joining a local club such as South Lake Paddlers.

The objective is to introduce, explore and practice simple strategies and safe paddling skills that equipe paddlers with the tools to solve common problems on the water.

For more information: https://britishcanoeingawarding.org.uk/paddlesport-safety-and-rescue/

Once you have mastered the basics, why not join our club, South Lake Paddlers, meeting every Wednesday from 6.30pm-8.30pm between April and October. Indoor pool sessions are available by arrangement during winter months. The club offers a family friendly environment with opportunities to gain qualifications and paddle new locations throughout Northern Ireland.

South Lake Paddler Trips run from 10.30am to 4pm and for more information on upcoming trips exploring local lakes and rivers for club members, please contact

If you have no prior experience you must attend a ‘Learn to Kayak, Canoe or Paddleboard’ course before attending the club. Once you have completed one of these courses you will receive your Paddle Northern Ireland Start Award in either canoeing or kayaking, mastery of the beginnings of the skills for basic paddling techniques.

You are then encouraged to join South Lake Paddlers and undertake further qualifications. All canoe and kayak courses are run by Paddle UK/Paddle Northern Ireland qualified coaches. The Discover Award is an improvement award that helps develop fundamental paddlesport skills in canoe, kayak and paddleboard. The emphasis is on gaining a breadth of experience, creating the desired movement of the boat and developing an understanding of how the paddle, boat and water interact. For provision of further awards and safety and rescue training, please chat to a member of the team.

WHAT DOES THE CLUB OFFER?

The club offers members the opportunity to get out onto the water to practice their paddling skills under the supervision of one of the Centre’s qualified Paddle Northern Ireland coaches and club volunteer instructors. The club is suitable for those aged 8 and above who have completed our ‘Learn to Kayak, Canoe or Paddleboard’ adult or junior courses, or those who have completed a Paddle UK/Paddle NI award in the last 6 months.

DO I NEED MY OWN BOAT AND EQUIPMENT?

No, the club uses the Centre’s equipment i.e. boats, wet suits, cags and buoyancy aids etc. You will need to bring with you the following: swimsuit, old trainers you do not mind getting wet, towel and toiletries.

DOES THE CLUB OFFER MEMBERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN PADDLE UK/PADDLE NI QUALIFICATIONS?

The club offers members personal performance awards, safety and rescue certificates and instructor awards.

HOW DO I BECOME A MEMBER?

Having completed our ‘Learn to Kayak, Canoe or Paddleboard’ course and achieved your Start Award from Paddle UK/ Paddle NI or equivalent in the last 12 months you can fill in a membership form and join.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Daily session fee: £8.75 per adult, £6.00 per concession – Payable each week

DO I NEED TO BECOME A MEMBER TO GO PADDLING?

No, please see the Centre’s ‘Pay and Play’ activity here.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned paddler, everyone is welcome to join us for some fun and fitness on the water.

When: Tuesday evenings, 6pm – 7.30pm from 7th Apr 2026
Where: South Lake Leisure Centre

If you are interested in this club please contact for more information and suitability for your individual needs.

Come paddle with us, meet new friends, and enjoy the great outdoors in a supportive and inclusive environment. We can’t wait to see you there!

Explore Craigavon Lakes or take a journey along one of our local waterways enjoying the river and wildlife on view. Expertly guided by our Paddle Northern Ireland River Leaders and no experience is necessary.

We ask for a ratio of 1 adult to 2 children age 6+.

Each raft can hold 8 individuals or 2 families of 4, and we supply all equipment including buoyancy aids.

Please arrive at destination 20mins before start time. Once a place is secured online, book a buoyancy aid by emailing (state date location, adult or child, and estimated size.)

These trips are an opportunity to learn the basic skills of canoeing led by qualified instructors, explore local flora and fauna, and get active whilst improving motor and communication skills, and the ability to work successfully as part of a team.

For sessions not based at South Lake Watersports. Craigavon, please contact  to submit your wetsuit and buoyancy aid size once you have booked online (state time and date booked). You will be expected to come beach ready as changing facilities or showers will be not available at other venues and we ask that public decency is adhered to at all times, changing robes are recommended. For the more hardy paddler, shorts and t-shirt will be acceptable but buoyancy aid and water shoes (old trainers) are compulsory.

Embark on a breathtaking paddle sports journey from the serene waters of the River Bann to the historic lock keeper’s cottage. This unforgettable trip winds through some of Northern Ireland’s most scenic and tranquil waterways, offering an incredible way to experience nature, unwind, and connect with the outdoors.

This trip is roughly 6 miles and will require a confident sit inside Paddleboarder / Kayak ability. You will be Paddling up the Bann into Newry Canal then stopping for lunch at Lock Keepers Cottage then returning down the Cusher River to Finish at start point.

Wetsuits and buoyancy aids will be supplied and all equipment but feel free to bring your own Kayak or Paddle. If you are using any centre equipment meeting at South Lake Watersports for 9:30am is essential to help load equipment and gain correct size.

Contact to confirm if you have all your own personal equipment and will be ready to enter the water for 10.30am at destination. Refreshments recommended including light snack as we will stop mid trip to stretch the legs please store in waterproof bag.

Meeting Point | Garvaghy Rd Slip Way Beside Haldane & Fisher

Dates | Sat 13 June

£30pp

Suitable for age 16yrs +

For more information, please email

School Awards

Schools multi-activity packages are available at South Lake Watersports and schools can choose a four-hour activity package incorporating:

• Sailing
• Kayaking/canoeing
• Cycling
• Archery

Start Award: We know it can be intimidating taking your first step into a new hobby, but there’s nothing to worry about this will be fun!

Discover Award: This will help you develop a better understanding of the fundamentals of paddling.

The fun does not stop there, we also offer the Explore Award and discipline specific Personal Performance Awards in Canoe, Touring and White Water.

South Lake Watersports can offer your school the opportunity to achieve kayak and canoe qualifications, as part of their G.C.S.E PE or Duke of Edinburgh awards.

Sessions can be booked by contacting the South Lake Watersports Centre.

Private Lessons

South Lake Watersports can offer small group and one-to-one tuition in kayak, canoe and stand-up paddleboards.  All equipment is provided and the training is delivered by a qualified Paddler Northern Ireland coach. A private lesson costs £100 for a two-hour session and can be booked by contacting the Centre. Private lessons can be taken on a one to one basis or maximum of eight paddlers working on specific topics to suit individual or group needs.

Users must remain in the craft at all times

Users must not take on additional passengers

Users must not remove buoyancy aid

Users must stay within the designated areas

Users must return all equipment issued to them after your session

Users must return to the centre at the allocated time

There must be one adult per 2 children to participate

✅ Please turn up 20 minutes before session start time. We supply wetsuits, buoyancy aids and all equipment but you will need towel, toiletries, swim suit, water shoes or spare pair of trainers and any medication you may require. Extensive changing facilities are available at South Lake Leisure Centre. If you already have your own equipment, please bring along and suitability can be assessed. Families, friends or small groups, of all ages, abilities and experience, are welcome. Children under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult, with no more than two children per adult.

✅ All crafts must be launched from the designated area on the slip way. You will need to bring a towel, swimming costume or swim shorts, pair of trainers you don’t mind getting wet, waterproof sunblock and a hair band to tie back long hair. The Centre will provide wetsuits, waterproof tops, buoyancy aids and helmets.

✅ You need to be able to swim and are water confident.

✅ All hire rates are subject to availability so it’s advisable to book in advance and activities are weather permitting.

✅ Helmets are issued with the bikes and should be worn at all times.

You can choose from:

Mountain bikes | Tandems | Trikes 

✅ Cafe Incredable at South Lake Leisure Centre is open seven days a week and  has an extensive menu to keep you energised. Showering and changing facilities are available in the centre.