Sea Kayaking Weekends and Holidays in Wales

From secret smugglers coves to mystical sea caves, amongst playfully inquisitive grey seals and diving peregrines, sea kayaking on the Pembrokeshire Coast makes memories that last.

Sea Kayaking under immense sea cliffs and gazing into the aquatic world beneath you, crystal clear aqua-marine waters and clean Atlantic sea air are the backdrop to your coastal explorations. Enjoy the peace and tranquillity of paddling through remote rock gardens and let your imagination drift seamlessly into the rich and palpable history and mythology of this magical seascape, punctuated by cascading waterfalls and sculptural rock formations. Delve into the the astounding variety of coastal scenery in North Pembrokeshire, with fascinating features to be found around every craggy outcrop; from magnificent rock arches to booming blow holes! Carve out precious time to reconnect with nature, watching a huge variety of sea birds from diving gannets to nesting razorbills, bobbing guillemots to fishing cormorants – the abundance of wildlife is incredible! You may be visited by curious seals or even spot pods of breaching dolphins and porpoise. Rushing through gurgling gullies and bobbing between sea stacks, surfing onto the soft golden sand of secluded beaches and venturing out to untouched offshore islands, it isn’t difficult to see why this breathtaking wilderness location is a world renowned sea-kayaker’s paradise.

Adventurers return to our beautiful marsh-mallow pink eco lodge, a welcoming sanctuary tucked into the folds of the Abermawr Valley, where freshly home-cooked meals await. Gather around a bonfire under the stars or curl up in front of the flickering wood-burner; you’ll have lots to talk about after a day out on the water sea kayaking with Preseli Venture.

“Had an amazing two days, we saw two seals and kayaked the Ramsay sound. Jon and Miles were knowledgeable, excellent instructors. The centre is beautiful, the food delicious and the facilities are clean and well organised“

Sea Kayaking Weekends

Starts Friday evening with 2 full days of sea kayaking, finishing 5.30pm on Sunday.

Beginner Weekend: At Sea with the Seals (2 days), Improvers Weekend: Explorer (2 days), Intermediate Weekend: Rock & Roll (2 days).

Sea Kayaking Odysseys

Starts Sunday evening with 3 or 4 full days of sea kayaking, finishing 5.30pm on Wednesday or Thursday.

Beginner Odyssey: (choice of 3 or 4 days), Improver Odyssey: (choice of 3 or 4 days), Intermediate Odyssey (choice of 3 or 4 days).

What happens on a Sea Kayaking Weekend or Odyssey?

From the moment you arrive, you’ll be in the safe hands of our dedicated and friendly hospitality and adventure team who have lovingly curated every element of your sea kayaking course so that you can relax and immerse yourself in your incredible surroundings. Your first morning will begin with a group meeting, where you’ll be able to discuss with your instructors what you hope to achieve over the course, whether it’s feeling confident about manoeuvring your kayak and acheiving journeys along the coast for the first time, or improving your skills to learn trip planning and the basics of navigation and tacking tidal currents. Everyone will have different goals and our friendly and encouraging guides are there to make sure everyone develops their skills and confidence at sea.

Visit us over the weekend for our 2 day courses or midweek for our 3-day or 4-day courses with 3 ability levels to choose from. Each day out on the water takes you to a new stretch of coastline and is thoughtfully planned to make the very best of the conditions on the day. Preseli Venture has over 30 years experience exploring this breathtakingly beautiful coastline and with Pembrokeshire’s most passionate adventure aficionados at the helm, we pride ourselves on delivering awe-inspiring and unforgettable sea kayaking experiences in the Welsh wilderness. With sustainability and respect for the ocean always in mind, our engaging guides are thrilled to pass on their local knowledge of flora, fauna and geology along the way.

You are welcome to take the relevant British Canoeing personal performance awards during the longer Odyssey courses with our experienced and professional guides, please see more info below.

At the end of the weekend or mid-week course, if you don’t wish to depart the eco lodge at 5.30pm for a long drive home, then please do stay over an extra night and this can be booked on our eco lodge page. Please do check with us first that we have availability for the extra night.

Where will I stay?

You’ll stay in our unique 5 star graded eco lodge accommodation with single, double, twin and larger shared rooms.

From Friday evening to Sunday lunch over the weekend or Sunday evening to Wednesday or Thursday lunch for the mid-week courses, all your meals are provided in our restaurant by our in-house chef, using fresh ingredients, locally sourced or home-grown where possible. A full cooked Welsh breakfast will fuel you up for your morning of paddling and we’ll send you off with a packed picnic lunch and a hot flask to be enjoyed on a beautiful remote beach along the coastline, inaccessable by foot! In the evening, relax and unwind after a day at sea with a two-course evening meal and order a local brew or a “Merlyn’s Magic” hot chocolate at our reclaimed-timber bar. Our menu is deliciously varied and upbeat, with healthy, hearty meals catering for all special dietary requirements.

The beautifully furnished and spacious restaurant and lounge offers views down to the ancient woodland and across a rolling pastoral landscape. Our sheltered courtyard provides outdoor seating with spectacular views down to the ocean and the Penbwchdy headland. Dine al-fresco with Nature’s soundtrack of ravens, choughs and woodpeckers echoing through the valley. There’s plenty of green space outdoors and a relaxed social atmosphere in the lounge where you can play a game of pool or chill out on the sofa with a good book.

Which sea kayaking level should I choose?

Whichever sounds most appealing to you and best fits your ability and experience and what you want to get out of your holiday. You may have 20 years of paddling experience but you just want to spend relaxed days out with a knowledgeable local guide at a slower pace, taking time to look at the wildlife and scenery – if this is the case, there’s no harm in joining a beginners group. Or perhaps you’ve only been in a sea kayak once before but you’ve got a lot of experience in river kayaking, you’re a quick learner and you really want to challenge yourself – if this is the case, skip the beginner course and dive right into the improver course. You know your limits better than we do, so just make a sensible assessment of your ability and goals, then book on and enjoy! It’s likely that there will be a mix of abilities, ages and levels of experience in every group, which just makes the dynamic more fun and interesting. The professional guides are skilled at challenging individuals in the group at just the right amount!

Sea Kayaking Awards

You may be interested in taking the British Canoeing personal performance awards, which we’re happy to help you complete on our Odyssey 4 day courses. The British Canoeing personal performance awards, relaunched in January 2019 as the new ‘Paddle Start, Paddle Discover and Paddle Explore’ awards, as well as the more advanced ‘sea kayak award’ can be taken, or worked towards, as part of this personal ability progression. For those wanting to progress to a leadership award on the sea, your next step will be to attend the BC Sea kayak Leader award training and assessment courses. Please see details on the British Canoeing website.

Beginner

At Sea with the Seals 2-day weekend or Beginner’s Odyssey 3 or 4 day midweek holiday

For beginner paddlers, or for those with a little experience of kayaking on rivers, lakes and flat water. The main aim for this level is to enjoy easy day trips along the most spectacular sections of the Pembrokeshire coast, taking in sheltered bays, beautiful rock gardens and booming sea caves, with plenty of time to enjoy the abundance of sea birds, seals and rocky shore life. Your guides will help you develop efficient basic paddling skills, gaining the confidence to take your knowledge and experience to the next level. You’ll also cover basic understanding of weather and tides. By the end of the holiday we’re sure you’ll have been bitten by the sea kayaking bug and you’ll be raring to come back for some more watery adventures. Even if you are above beginner level, please do still join this holiday as its all about stress-free and enjoyable exploration of the coast and Pembrokeshire wildlife! The British Canoeing Paddle Start and Paddle Discover awards can be taken at the end of the 4 day Odyssey course.

Improver

Explorer 2-day Weekend or Improver’s Odyssey 3 or 4 day midweek holiday

Aimed at those with some previous experience of paddling on rivers or on the sea, who would like to progress their confidence and expertise at sea kayaking. Moving water and swells will become your friends as you encounter tidal streams, play at rock hopping and ride clean green waves on longer coastal trips. You’ll acquire support strokes, try eskimo rolling (if you choose), and learn about basic rescue techniques. You will work towards becoming a competent member of a group able to travel safely and efficiently on the sea. You’ll be introduced to trip planning with a basic understanding of tides and weather. At the end of the 4 day Odyssey course you’ll be able to take the British Canoeing Paddle Explore award if you wish.

Intermediate

Rock & Roll 2-day Weekend or Intermediate Odyssey 3 or 4 day midweek holiday

We’ll aim for longer more committed coastal trips including exploring out to the beautiful Pembrokeshire offshore islands. We’ll teach you to master more advanced techniques and give you the expertise and experience so you can reliably handle yourself and your kayak in rough water and tide races. You’ll get training in rescue techniques, and improving your eskimo roll. We’ll teach you about the weather and tides so you can gain confidence in your own trip planning. During one of the days on the Odyssey course we will be skills focused in a sheltered bay, to practice the skills you’ll need for the British Canoeing Sea Kayak award (old 3 star award) for which you can also be assessed if you wish. After this course you will be ready to continue your progression towards the British Canoeing Coastal Sea Kayak award.

2-night weekend

£310 per adult

2 nights accommodation at the eco lodge with home-cooked food from Friday evening meal to your packed lunch on Sunday.
2 full days out sea kayaking.
All specialist equipment and qualified guides.
Minibus transport to and from sea kayaking locations.

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3-night midweek holiday

£445 per adult

3 nights accommodation at the eco lodge with home-cooked food from Sunday evening meal to your packed lunch on Wednesday.
3 full days out sea kayaking.
All specialist equipment and qualified guides.
Minibus transport to and from sea kayaking locations.

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4-night midweek holiday

£585 per adult

4 nights accommodation at the eco lodge with home-cooked food from Sunday evening meal to your packed lunch on Thursday.
4 full days out sea kayaking.
All specialist equipment and qualified guides.
Minibus transport to and from sea kayaking locations.

Check Availability

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Sea Kayaking Gallery

Dates for 2021

At Sea with the Seals: Beginners Weekend (2 day)

Friday 25th June – Sunday 27th June
Friday 16th July – Sunday 18th July
Friday 3rd September – Sunday 5th September

Explorer: Improvers Weekend (2 day)

Friday 21st May – Sunday 23rd May
Friday 18th June – Sunday 20th June
Friday 20th August – Sunday 22nd August
Friday 10th September – Sunday 12th September

Rock & Roll: Intermediate Weekend (2 day)

Dates coming soon!

Beginners Sea Kayak Odyssey (3 or 4 days)

Sunday 4th July – Thursday 8th July
Sunday 5th September – Thursday 9th September
Sunday 12th September – Thursday 16th September

Improvers Sea Kayak Odyssey (3 or 4 days)

Sunday 27th June – Thursday 1st July
Monday 30th August – Friday 3rd September* (different start date)