About us

SUP Bristol is the home of paddleboarding in Bristol. Between the team we’ve paddled on four continents, from the raging whitewater of the White Nile to New Zealand’s tranquil fjords. We’re highly qualified and passionate about sharing our love for the water; both on Bristol’s historic Floating Harbour and beyond.

In 2025 we joined the Mendip Adventure family of brands – including Mendip Activity Centre, Outdoor Instructor Training, Mendip Basecamp and YHA Cheddar. This incredibly exciting partnership will help us grow the business and enable thousands more to get on the water for the first time. Find out more.

The SUP Bristol Story

Founders Tim Trew and Kate Ingham met in Bristol in 2008, fresh out of university. Like many people discovering the city, they spent their weekends exploring. They’d take friends out onto the harbour kayaking whenever they could, and the same question kept coming up: “How can we try this ourselves?”

The surprising answer was that it wasn’t that easy.

Despite Bristol having an incredible harbour right in the middle of the city, getting into paddling felt complicated. Joining a club often meant a big commitment, and there weren’t many beginner-friendly ways to try it out. Surely there had to be a simpler way for people to experience Bristol from the water.

The idea for SUP Bristol was born.

Around the same time, Tim and Kate discovered paddleboarding while cycle touring through New Zealand. They immediately loved how accessible it was. Paddleboarding offered a completely new perspective, letting you glide through the water standing up, taking in the surroundings in a way you simply can’t from land. It felt like the perfect way to explore a city like Bristol.

When they returned home, they sketched out SUP Bristol’s first business plan on a huge sheet of A1 paper using felt-tip pens.

Since launching the first paddleboarding sessions in Bristol in 2014, SUP Bristol has introduced tens of thousands of people to paddleboarding and kayaking on Bristol Harbour. What started as a simple idea has grown into one of the city’s most popular outdoor activities.

But the mission hasn’t changed.

SUP Bristol is still all about making it easy for people to experience adventure in the heart of Bristol – whether that’s your first time paddleboarding, a relaxed kayaking trip on the harbour, or simply seeing the city from a completely new perspective.