On the Water
Active or restful… here are some ways you can enjoy the water while you’re here at Kernock.
Boat Trips
Save your legs and view the coast from a boat. Plymouth Boat Trips does pleasure boat trips from Plymouth to Calstock, regular tours of the Naval dockyards and a ferry to Cawsand.
Tel: 01752 253153 SN: PL1 2NX Web: www.plymouthboattrips.co.uk
For Accessible boat trips, there are various locations in Cornwall and Devon where you can hire wheelchair accessible wheelyboats. For sites, see Web: www.wheelyboats.org/locations.html
Watersports
If you’re looking for surfing action, please see our Beaches page, which gives notes on suitability of different beaches for varying levels of experience (see below for surf school in South East Cornwall). For a freshwater experience, Siblyback, on the edge of Bodmin Moor, is one of the premier watersports centres in the area, with a 140 acre lake. As well as fly fishing, it also offers tuition and hire in windsurfing, sailing and canoeing as well as rowing boats. They have installed a fantastic new wakeboarding cable and a highropes course (swing like a monkey 40ft up in the air!). There is a lovely three and a half mile circular walk around the lake, and a café and children’s playground. They have Segways for hire. Booking ahead is recommended for equipment hire.
• Access – Trampers (cross country mobility buggy) and wheelyboats (wheelchair accessible boats) available for hire at very low cost (trampers are £4 for 2 hours). The path around the lake is now accessible for wheelchairs. Disabled toilets on site.
T 01579 346522 SN PL14 6ER W www.swlakestrust.org.uk
Surfing lessons in South East Cornwall
Whitsand Bay, just 10 miles from Kernock, is the home of Adventure Bay Surf School and coasteering venue. The staff are all qualified lifeguards and surf instructors, and the feedback is excellent. http://www.adventurebay.co.uk/
Dive South East Cornwall
South East Cornwall offers a wide range of diving opportunities, from easy first dives to deepwater dives for the most experienced. From Europe’s first artificial diving reef, Scylla, to other wrecks and dive sites, South East Cornwall has some top quality sites. HMS Scylla – a Leander class frigate – was scuttled as Europe’s first artificial reef in Whitsand Bay in 2004. Scylla has been decommissioned and deliberately sunk by the National Marine Aquarium to create a new underwater attraction for divers with funding from the South West Rural Development Agency.
Dive Scylla – W www.divescylla.com/diving-scylla.html
Discovery Divers – T 01752 492722 SN PL9 0AB W www.discoverydivers.org
Plymouth Divers – SN PL9 9SJ W www.plymouthdivers.org.uk
Fishing
– Fly Fishing
Siblyback (140 acres), some 11 miles away, on the edge of Bodmin Moor, has an excellent reputation. Rainbow Trout averaging 2lb are stocked at regular intervals. Boats are bookable with the ranger. Best flies Viva, Black & Peacock, Montana and Hoppers.
T 01579 342366 SN PL14 6ER W www.swlakestrust.org.uk
Colliford Lake – At 900 acres, the lake (26 miles away) offers traditional fly fishing for natural brown trout and is regarded as Cornwall’s premier brown trout fishery. Open 15 March – 12 October.
T 01579 346522 SN PL14 6PZ W www.swlakestrust.org.uk/colliford
Still Water and Coarse Fishing
Bush Farm, just 1 mile down the road toward Hatt, has 3 lakes totalling 3 acres stocked mainly with carp (up to 32lb) but also tench, rudd, roach and bream. Day permits cost £9.00 dawn to dusk. Anglers are asked to use barbless hooks and keep nets are not permitted.
T 01579 351102. Call Mrs Irene Renfree to book.
Bake Fishing Lakes
Contact: Tony Lister, Broadmoor Farm, Saltash. Just off the Trerulefoot roundabout on the A38.
Still water trout and coarse fishing with nine lakes totalling more than 14 acres stocked with rainbow and brown trout. Also good range of coarse fish. Fishing all year. Phone for prices and fishing methods.
T 01752 849027 SN PL12 5BW W www.bakelakes.co.uk
Shillamill Lakes – Lanreath, Looe. Location: Signposted off B3359 between Taphouse and Lanreath.
Still water coarse fishing with three lakes totalling 5 acres stocked with a variety of coarse fish. Fishing all year. Phone for prices and fishing methods.
T 01503 220886 SN PL13 2PE
Tregonhawke Farmhouse – Millbrook, Torpoint
Still water coarse fishing with 1 acre water in sheltered, wooded valley. Stocked with a variety of fish. Fishing all year. Phone for prices and fishing methods.
T 01752 823210
Deep Sea Fishing is available at Looe, which happens to be the shark fishing capital of the UK, and also holds the UK record for shark fishing! For boat charters try www.looedirectory or UK charterboats
Canoeing
Experience a canoe trip down the Tamar between Morwellham and Cotehele with a short break at the village of Calstock. These trips are in large, stable Canadian canoes and are suitable for all ages and fitness levels. You do not need to be able to swim.
T 01822 833409 SN PL19 8JE W www.tamartrails.co.uk/canoeing
Siblyback Lake Country Park (South West Lakes Trust)
Only 14 miles from Kernock, Siblyback provides loads of opportunities for watersports, including the only clockwise wakeboarding cable in the UK, rowing, sailing, kayaking, windsurfing fishing and a wheelyboat. For equipment hire, opening hours and rates see their website. There is also a fabulous walk around the lake (graded track, dog-friendly, and trampers are available to hire). Segway also operates on site.
T 01579 346522 SN PL14 6ER W http://www.swlakestrust.org.uk/lakes-and-facilities/the-lakes/siblyback-lake