Some sports get our hearts racing, others give us the chance to be part of a team, while others take us to explore beautiful places. But there’s an activity which combines all of these attractions, and some more to boot, and that’s scuba diving. The experience of descending below the waves with some fellow adventurers and discovering a whole new world of water, rock formations and fascinating creatures is one of the most rewarding that we can have as land animals. Scuba diving is practised around the world, but we’re recommending the only county in the UK to have 2 separate coastlines as the perfect place to take an aquatic adventure: Devon.

With the Bristol Channel to the North and the English Channel to South, a huge range of reefs, islands and animal habitats are within easy reach of the Devonshire coast. Most towns in the county have dive clubs, many of which welcome beginners to take their first underwater breaths in the safety of a pool and offer courses to divers of all abilities. And if you’re a veteran diver, you’re in for a treat. Wildlife is abundant below the water’s surface, and so are shipwrecks: the legacy of hundreds of years of trade, travel and war in these waters. Whoever you are, whatever you’re looking for, we know that you’ll find it here.

Where are the best places to go scuba diving in Devon?

• Exeter: at the head of the Ex Estuary, Devon’s capital is a great place for a scuba baptism. The British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) facility offers Try Dives to newcomers in the controlled waters of an indoor pool, where you can also take lessons. Divers with experience in Exeter can travel to the nearby coast for some interesting dives, including at Budleigh Beach, or to the wreck of the HMS Empress of India which was deliberately sunk for training purposes.

• Teignmouth: popular among beginners and advanced divers alike, Teignmouth boats diving tuition in an indoor pool and excursions. There are lively reefs nearby, and you can also try drift diving, where you let underwater currents transport you through the water seeing different habitats and formations.

• Torquay: if you want to see some wildlife, Torquay is a great place to come. From inquisitive seals, to crabs and crustaceans, to bizarre cuttlefish, the waters of Torbay and Babbacombe Bay are like a submarine zoo. In the Brixham area you’ll find shipwrecks lurking below the water’s surface. If you’re not ready to take to open water, you can have a full 2 hour trial dive in a swimming pool to find out if this is the sport for you, and then try easy dives around Paignton, where dolphins are occasional summer visitors.

• Dartmouth: a fantastic starting point for experienced divers to see some subaquatic treasure, Dartmouth is on the estuary of the River Dart. From here, you can explore an ancient underwater volcano in Start Bay or a 28m rockwall covered in sea life. Further out in the English channel there are numerous shipwrecks, each with a fascinating story behind them (usually involving hurricanes or torpedoes). Some of these wrecks are located 70 metres below the waves, so are reserved for seasoned technical divers!

• Plymouth: the long maritime history of Plymouth continues to this day, as this city has an important commercial port as well as some of the best services in the Southwest. Alongside standard diving instruction, you can take courses in freediving (which doesn’t use scuba equipment) and spearfishing. From the port, there are a wealth of great spots to be explored. Drakes Island and Hilsea Point are great places for wildlife watching, while the Eddystone Lighthouse stands in romantic isolation 9 miles off the coast.

• Ilfracombe: the only diving location on the North coast, Ilfracombe has BSAC and PADI courses on offer. While the tuition is top tier, and can take place in indoor or outdoor pools, the real attraction of Ilfracombe is Lundy Island. Located 10 miles off the coast of Devon, Lundy is surrounded by a Marine Nature Reserve with over 40 dive sites. Around 200 Atlantic grey seals make their home here, as well as fish and coral species and the island is even visited by ocean going giants such as leatherback turtles and sunfish.

What kind of scuba lessons and courses are available?

Two organisations oversee scuba diving instruction in the UK and both, PADI and BSAC, are represented in Devon. This means that the guidance you receive and the equipment you use are guaranteed to be high quality, reliable and effective. Try Dives are the point of entry to the world of scuba, they take place in indoor or outdoor pools, and include a briefing at the pool’s edge before submersion in the water. You can choose the length of the session, between 30 minutes and 2 hours is the norm, and by the time you come up for air you’ll know enough about the sport to decide if it’s something you want to continue with.

What do you do once you’ve taken a Try Dive and got hooked? Your goal is to become a certified diver who can complete scuba divers in Devon and around the world without the constant supervision of an instructor and to achieve this you need to take an Open Water Diver Course. This involves completing multiple dives at depths of up to 18 metres and studying the principles of this activity while on dry land (and nowadays, online). It takes between 4 and 7 days to gain your certificate, by which time you’ll have the skills and knowledge necessary to call yourself a diver.

The Open Water Diving Course is the most popular course on offer here but there are plenty of others. From shorter courses that allow you to gain certification in stages, to more specialised instruction for experienced divers to develop and expand their skills.

Requirements to do this activity

You’re never too young to escape from your life on land - children as young as 8 can get involved in scuba diving here in Devon. The Bubblemakers club is especially designed for these youngsters, and they can progress to the Seal Team when they’re 10 years old. Both are based on activity sessions, so that the kids have fun in the water whilst becoming familiar with the equipment and procedures of this sport. The youth programmes are organised by PADI. Scuba courses run by PADI and BSAC are open to everyone over the age of 14.

Training aside, if you’re a seasoned diver we can’t recommend this region enough for the variety and beauty of dive spots that it boasts. From Lundy Island in the North to the Eddystone Lighthouse in the English channel, and from seals playing in the waves to wrecks of First World War ships in the inky depths there’s so much to experience that you’ll want to keep coming back for more.

Make a splash! The waters of this county are waiting for you to visit so reserve your experience today.