This week’s discussion point from me relates to the ‘Go Paddling’ website. The website, from British Canoeing, is a great online resource to tap into whether you consider yourself a newbie or an experienced paddler, whether you know your local area, paddle spots and ‘your stuff’ – and especially if you don’t! There’s something for everyone including blogs, paddling trails, challenges, a clubs and centres finder tool, equipment hire locations, information and signposting for paddlers with disabilities, and information and local contact details for the British Canoeing Personal Performance & Paddle Awards. A key part of the website and the focus of this week’s discussion point is on ‘PADDLEPOINTS’. Paddlepoints is an invaluable tool where you can find new places to paddle whether local or afar, create and plot paddle routes or plan sessions, add notable details to existing routes and entries to assist other paddlers, and discover any hazards or need-to-know essential information that may impact you such as river levels, weir and rapids information and fallen trees or debris. It will also tell you if you need to carry (or be prepared to show evidence of) your Waterways Licence or buy a permit or pay a launch fee for a particular body of water. Ben Seal, British Canoeing Places to Paddle Manager says ‘One of the biggest challenges people face in paddling is simply knowing where they can put their boat on the water. PaddlePoints is game-changing, and opens the waterways up for new and varied paddles. We are proud that PaddlePoints has genuinely been created by paddlers for paddlers’

So, did you know about Paddlepoints? Have you used it?If so, what’s your experience with it? Is there anything more you would like to see included and why? Have you ever added any information to it and, if not, what would encourage you to do so? What else do you use alongside it for your paddle planning? Share with us your Paddlepoints inspired paddle tales!If you didn’t know about Paddlepoints – How do you think that this will change your paddle knowledge, opportunities and goals? At first glance, do you find it easy to use? If you’re new to paddling – what else together with Paddlepoints would assist you for your route planning? Using Paddlepoints – Tell us about where you’d like to paddle next and why!

For further information, contacts, places to paddle and paddle support:

Paddlepoints – https://gopaddling.info/paddlepoints/

Go Paddling – www.gopaddling.info

British Canoeing – https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/…/british-canoeing…

Canoe Wales – https://www.canoewales.com/go-paddling

Scottish Canoe Association – https://www.canoescotland.org

Canoeing Ireland – https://www.canoe.ie/