SUP route: Ebchester

Paddleboard Route Review: Ebchester, County Durham

📍 Location Overview

Name: Ebchester Paddle Route

River: River Derwent

County: County Durham, UK

What to Expect: A gentle, scenic paddle ideal for beginners and families. Calm, shallow stretches with minimal current. A perfect playground to get used to a new board.

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✅ Quick Summary

Skill Level: Beginner-friendly

Distance: less than a mile. Only a short stretch is paddle able in low water conditions but get for playing.

Duration: flexible, usually less than an hour

Launch Spot: launch from the wooden deck next to Ebchester rowing club or just of the grassy beach area next to it.

Parking is only available next to the green whilst the main parking area is being used by construction workers (July 2025)

Parking: There is a small parking area on the left as you go down the bank for 5-6 cars (unusable summer 2025 currently due to construction works) otherwise you can park 3-4 cars between the yellow lines next to the green slightly further down the bank. Parking is FREE.

Toilets/Cafes: The only nearby toilets (for now) are wild wees' in the woods otherwise it's a 2 min drive/10 min walk uphill and left to the village store for food and toilets. Check opening times before setting off! They are currently installing new toilets at the boathouse itself but I'm unsure if these will be open to the public or what times etc... I'll update this post once they're open!

Ideal Conditions: Low wind, steady flow, spring to early autumn. Check sewage map before leaving. There is an overflow pipe upstream.

Mobile Signal: Strong throughout.

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🧭 Route Breakdown

Full route GPX files and Youtube 3D flyover available here or can be viewed on our youtube channel.

1.Launch Point:

Easily accessed next to the boathouse a short 2 min walk from the car parking areas.

2. On the Water:

Flow rate and depth:- calm, knee-to waist deep on normal conditions

Any hazards? In flood water levels avoid the weir downstream next to the boathouse that drops down in to a private fishing area.

In normal conditions the water throughout the route is mostly knee to waist deep but lots of rocks underneath. Check sewage map before planning a trip (any rivers)

Wildlife spotted:- Deers and ducks are common next to the river.. but we usually paddle with children so our wildlife spotting is very limited!

Scenic highlights:- the stillness of the water provides a nice glassy effect for photos and the woods and on/off points accessible from the water are great for creating mini adventures... We hop on and off the boards and wander through the woods up and down searching for bigfoot.

3. Route Options:

This is a best used as a short out and back route to get used to Paddleboarding or creating mini adventures for kids. Family members can walk along the forest path alongside the rivers edge for photos and meet up at snack points! There's footbridges but I'd avoid using prams due to the up and down steepness and large tree roots.

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👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Suitability

Kid Friendly? Yes— all ages

Shoreline access for breaks or picnics? Yes, several. We prefer it over Chester-le-Street and Durham for beginners.

Shallow enough for confidence-building? Absolutely!

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📝 Final Thoughts

Best part of the route: SUP practice and play next to the boathouse

Who should try it: beginners getting used to new boards and young families getting seeking a mini adventure

What to avoid: small weir to the right of the boathouse. Rocks a mile upstream. heavy rainfalls periods - keep an eye on sewage maps for possible releases.

Would I paddle it again? Yes, we use it regularly to introduce new people to Paddleboarding!

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⭐ Overall Rating (3 out of 5)

Criteria Rating

Beginner Friendly ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Scenery ⭐⭐ ☆ ☆ ☆

Parking & Access ⭐⭐⭐☆ ☆

Family Friendly ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Facilities Nearby ⭐⭐☆ ☆ ☆