Kayaks were developed thousands of years ago by indigenous peoples of the cold northern regions of the subarctic. They were designed and crafted to be perfect for navigating the lakes, rivers and coastal waters of this inhospitable part of the world, with features to protect the users from the icy waters. Nowadays, you can experience the speed and manoeuvrability of these boats, with none of the risks of hypothermia, all over the world. A particularly good location is Dorset in southwest England, with its fascinating and varied coastline, marine wildlife and more sunshine and higher temperatures than almost anywhere else in the country.

Even if you don’t know much about Dorset, you’ve probably at least heard of the Jurassic Coast. This is a rugged coastline where cliffs alternate with beaches and the ancient rocks hold secrets of long extinct life forms. The largest natural harbour in the UK, Poole Harbour, is also found here, and most of the coastline isn’t spoiled by seaside resorts. If all that’s not enough to convince you to come for a kayaking adventure here, perhaps the great deals that you can find on the experiences will change your mind.

Where are the best places to go kayaking in Dorset?

• Christchurch: In the east, the River Stour separates the town of Christchurch from Bournemouth and Poole, the biggest settlement in the county. You can take a kayak down the river and into the English Channel, where you’ll see Bournemouth’s expanse of sandy beaches to one side, and the Isle of Wight to the other.

• Poole Harbour: Sheltered from the wind by the Purbeck Hills and the ocean, the waters of this harbour calm and tranquil. It’s easy to get the hang of kayaking here, and in no time you’ll be exploring the harbour’s numerous islands and channels and catching a glimpse of sea birds, including reintroduced ospreys if you’re lucky. You can find kayaks at Hamworthy, on Sandbanks near the harbour mouth, or even start your journey inland in Wareham and paddle down the River Frome to the harbour.

• Studland: The beautiful sandy beaches sit just beyond the eastern limit of the Jurassic Coast but you don’t have to paddle far to see the dramatic starting point. Old Harry Rocks are a series of white rocks that jut out of the ocean, separated from the cliffs by narrow channels of water. You can’t explore these stacks, which hide secret coves and caves, in a better way than by kayak.

• Swanage: Old Harry is also within easy reach of Swanage Bay, or you can go in the opposite direction from the seafront to Peveril and Durlston Points, where lighthouses and coastguard stations keep an eye on the rocky coastline.

• Lulworth Cove: On the south coast of the Isle of Purbeck, Lulworth Cove is a perfect circular scoop out of the cliffs. Paddling in the protected waters of the cove is fun in itself, but venturing out to sea will reward you with some of the Jurassic Coast’s treasure. The spectacular natural arch of Durdle Door is just along the coast, and is one of the few rock arches in the country that you can paddle right through.

• Weymouth: Another fantastic natural harbour is formed at Weymouth, where Chesil Beach connects the Isle of Portland to the coast. The harbour was used as the venue for the sailing events of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, so you can expect to share the water with graceful yachts and sailing boats.

• Bridport: This town is a short distance from the sea, and it’s the River Brit that offers the best kayaking experience. The river flows through charming countryside and its wild banks are a habitat for wildlife including otters and kingfishers. A journey up the Brit in a kayak is sure to take your mind off the stresses of day to day life.

• Lyme regis: Famous among palaeontologists, Lyme Regis has a rocky seafront where erosion of the cliffs exposes ancient fossils. Taking a paddle around the bay is also a journey back in time here, but you better hope you don’t bump into any of the long extinct sea monsters that have left their remains in the rocks!

What are the options for organising a trip?

- There are businesses all along the Dorset coast which offer kayaks for hire, so you can simply climb aboard and start enjoying yourself from as little time as 1 hour, up to a full day. But if you’re not very experienced on the water, you might not get very far from the shore. To really enjoy this sport we suggest taking a class, which typically lasts around 2 hours and will help you get the most out of this activity. Once you’ve built up some confidence, you can start to enjoy tours, where expert guides will take you to the most spectacular, but sometimes hard to reach parts of the coast. Highlights include circumnavigating Brownsea Island, in Poole Harbour, visiting Old Harry Rocks, paddling under the arch of Durdle Door or reaching the most southerly point, Portland Bill.

- There are some innovative ways to enhance your paddling experience in Dorset. One of the most interesting is fishing directly from the kayak, and searching for edible seaweed along the coast which you later use to prepare a 100% natural meal.

Requirements to do this activity

Experienced kayakers can pull off some pretty cool tricks, like rolling their kayak and coming back out on top, but you don’t have to have that kind of confidence and know-how to enjoy this sport. In fact, the design of a kayak makes it quite difficult to turn over or sink, so this is a low risk activity that all the family can enjoy. It’s the equipment that each provider has that determines the age limits for children, but usually everyone over 8 can have a go. Some tours, especially those on the open sea, aren’t suitable for young children as they might involve paddling further, and taking on waves.

You can organise a kayaking trip as an individual, but it’s also a lot of fun to take part as a group. In a group session, your instructor can organise games and challenges to get everyone working together or competing against each other, and with the beautiful backdrop of the Dorset coast, it’s guaranteed to be a highlight of any trip to this unique part of the world.

Are you ready to go? We’re waiting for your word to start planning the adventure.