Paddleboarding on beautiful Padarn Lake in Snowden

Our very own Richard Baker, manager of the Barbour Blackbrook store in Staffordshire part of our sister company Outdoor and Country, takes us paddleboarding in beautiful Snowden.
Padarn Lake, nestled at the base of Snowden mountain adjacent to the bustling village of Lanberis , famous for “Pete’s Eats”, the café that is seemingly never closed is my location for todays paddle .

However today is different, there is a light wind, and the sun is shining. The lake is becoming a Mecca for paddleboarding / SUPing. Every level from novice to expert, budget board to budget busting kit junkies are enjoying the lake. Lagoons on both sides of the lake make the perfect training zones, and a pontoon donated from the London Olympics is a great base for school/stag/hen groups to safely enter the water. The addition of wild swimmers and kayakers help create a great community on the water. Information, knowledge, kit, tools, and burgers are happily shared and free tuition given to willing day visitors.

Today I am taking out my new Jobe Duna 11.6 inflatable paddleboard for the 2nd time, to learn some balance, turns, paddling techniques and to just look at the stunning scenery that surrounds the Padarn Lake. The board is light, easy to manoeuvre and carves a really clean line on a flat lake, significantly faster than my old board, but a bit less stable when the choppy stuff arrives.

My trusty Yeti Rambler in seafoam green is stowed in the net containing a chilled juice that I know will still be ice cold when I stop in an hour for a rest on the mouth of the river 2 km up the lake.

I’ve borrowed my son’s floating Oakley sunglasses to help reduce the glare, and because they look kinda cool. It’s guaranteed I will be taking a dunk or three today as I practice my step back turns and I don’t want him complaining I have lost another pair!

2 hours later, a little sun kissed and with aching limbs I am back to base and wrapping my Zone 3 dry robe jacket around me to quickly warm up from my numerous excursions into the lake. An easy and quick change under the dry robe into my Volcom Frickin stretch shorts, quite simply the best and most comfortable shorts I have ever owned, and a basic t-shirt and I am ready for home. A cold beer, BBQ and the start of negotiations with the family as to where we are going paddling tomorrow. I think I might be addicted.

Richard Baker