Our Story

SUP Bristol is the award winning home of stand up 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.

Our story dates back to 2008 when our founders, Tim Trew and Kate Ingham met in Bristol fresh from university. On the weekends they explored the city, often from the water. They’d regularly take friends out on the harbour, and people always asked how they could get on the water themselves.

It didn’t seem easy to get into paddling. Despite having an incredible waterway right in the middle of the city, it wasn’t very accessible. Joining a club would involve commitment and there didn’t seem to be many intro courses around. There must be an easier way – an idea was born.

They first discovered SUP whilst cycle touring through New Zealand. They fell in love with ease and accessibility of paddleboarding, the new perspective it gave them, and the sheer joy of paddling standing up. It felt like the perfect way to explore. They came home and excitedly wrote SUP Bristol’s first business plan on A1 paper in felt tip pen.

Since our first sessions in 2014 we’ve introduced tens of thousands of people to the water. But our mission remains the same – to make it easier for people to experience adventure in the heart of the city.