Brilliant white, graceful and elegant, swans are a common sight around Swansea. You’ll even see one at the Liberty Stadium - Cyril the Swan - the football club’s beloved mascot. But Wales’ second city doesn’t take its name from these waterbirds, in fact, it's named after the old Viking king Svein. But swans and Vikings have something in common, and that’s a being at home on the water. Something else that’s at home on the water is a kayak - an individual, covered boat which you propel through the water with a double ended paddle. And like migrating swans and the legacy of the vikings, you can find amazing kayaking experiences here.

Kayaks were developed by indigenous seafaring communities of the arctic circle to help with hunting, fishing and foraging. In the modern world, their simple design, manoeuvrability and intuitive paddling technique have turned them into a leisure craft of choice, for messing about on the water, exploring aquatic landscapes and competing in organised events - including, since 1936, the Olympic games. Around Swansea, you’ll find numerous locations to go paddling, from still inland waterways to beautiful coastlines, on a journey that takes you away from the stresses of everyday life - without putting a hole in your wallet.

Where are the best places to go kayaking in Swansea?

• Lliw Reservoir: When it comes to trying out a new water-based activity, it can be wise to choose a sheltered place with still waters, and there aren’t many better locations than Lliw Reservoir to the North of Swansea. It’s set in a beautiful valley with wooded banks and green hilltops on both sides, which make it a fascinating place to explore. What’s more, it’s an important habitat for numerous species of birds, including kestrels, red kites and curlews, while anglers take advantage of the populations of trout, carp, perch and pike.

• Swansea Canal: This waterway was constructed to transport coal, iron and steel for the Welsh valleys around Abercrave to the port at Swansea. Although it was less than 20 miles long, it had to climb a steep gradient to reach its destination and had a total of 36 locks where barges could ascend or descend from one level to another. Nowadays, there are about 5 miles of navigable channel, and the best way to enjoy them is on a kayak. From the town of Clydach, you can paddle across the aqueduct which carries the canal over the River Tawe and out into the countryside, where the sounds of your paddle in the water mingles with birdsong to create a voyage of tranquillity.

• Gower Peninsula: If you choose to take a kayak onto the Bristol Channel around the Gower Peninsula you’ll trade calm waters stunning scenery, a deal which we think is well worth it. This was the first place in the British Isles to receive the status of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and you’ll quickly see why. Sandy bays alternate with cliffs and caves along the length of the coastline to the dramatic promontory of the Worm’s Head before the coast turns back on itself towards the town of Llanelli. You might be lucky enough to share the waters with some charismatic and curious marine mammals like seals and dolphins. In fact, seals like to spend their down time sunbathing on the rocks around the beach of Port Eynon, a good place to start your kayak expedition.

Options for organising this experience

Kayaks are pretty stable as far as small boats go, and most people find that they can get the hang of using the double-ended paddle pretty quickly. All the same, we recommend taking a 1 or 2 hour long lesson on the Lliw Reservoir or the Gower Peninsula if this is your first time kayaking. A friendly experienced instructor will take you under their wing and help you gain confidence in the craft, while teaching you how to paddle in the most effective way. But lessons aren’t just for beginners. If you’ve had a go in a kayak before on sheltered water, you might want some guidance for tackling waves on the Bristol Channel, And on top of that, your instructor can double up as a guide, taking you on a voyage of discovery around the spectacular coastline of the Gower Peninsula.

Of course, if you’re a confident kayaker, you might just want to rent the equipment and go off at your own pace. You can find kayak rental on the Swansea Canal at Clydach and Oxwich on the Gower peninsula and organise it by the hour. A good option for hiring kayaks, especially if you’re in a group of mixed ages or abilities, is to hire double kayaks, with two people per boat. One word of advice - the stronger paddler should go at the back!

Who can enjoy this activity?

We’ve already mentioned that you don’t need to be an experienced water sports enthusiast to get involved in kayaking, but it’s recommended for people who are confident in the water, especially if you’re going to hire kayaks and explore the waterways of Swansea without a guide. But under the supervision of an instructor, children as young as 5 years old can have a go at kayaking, or enjoy double kayaking with their parents’ supervision.

Taking a kayaking lesson with a group of friends can be a lot of fun. Once your instructor has got everyone onto the water and using the equipment correctly you can start to do some races, play some games and complete some challenges together. If you’re looking for a birthday party, stag or hen do, or corporate team building activity with a difference, keep this sport in mind.

What you need to bring and material provided

As one of the most accessible of all watersports, you can start enjoying kayaking with a minimum of equipment. The operator in this region will give you the essentials, a life jacket and a helmet (to protect you from other people’s paddles) alongside the kayak itself and a paddle that’s right for your arm span. You just need to be ready to get into the water, with a swimsuit and a pair of shoes that you don’t mind getting wet because you’ll have to go up to your knees when setting off. Put a towel and a change of clothes in your rucksack, and you’re ready to go!

You know you want to, book yourself a treat today!