Kayaking holidays in Wales UK

For more information on kayaking holidays in Wales call activity Wales on 01437 766888 or email fran@activitywales.com

If you are looking for all the trappings of a celebrity island retreat with pampering beauty treatments, organic food and empty secluded beaches, maybe you don't have to go quite as far as you think. On the North Wales island of Anglesey, Emmerdale Farm actress, Abigail Fisher discovers the perfect girls weekend, only 2 hours from home.

When you hear of celebrities heading off to a luxurious hideaway island it always seems to involve a long haul flight and palm trees. Just before you start rushing off to buy your bikini and check out the latest availability on turquoise blue oceans, we may just have found an island retreat a little closer to home. There may not be palm trees, but there is pampering and there's also some paddling.

By paddling we don't mean the dabbling of toes into sun kissed sea. That too is possible, but this is something else. By paddling we mean kayaking and by kayaking we are really talking about sea kayaking, a version of the sport, which allows you to head out from the beach to explore those hidden coves, caves and beaches that normally just seem inaccessible. For Emmerdale Farm actress, Abigail Fisher, and formally only ever a paddler of the toe dabbling kind, this was to be an altogether new experience.

Abigail, 29, who you may recognise from programmes like Hollyoaks and Heartbeat as well as Emmerdale where she played feisty district nurse, Siobhan Marsden, in the hit ITV soap, was certainly due a break following her dramatic storyline exit from the show. Her on screen life as the young nurse has been traumatic, having just experienced the death of her husband and a mystery pregnancy. With filming for Emmerdale being based close to Leeds a weekend away in North Wales on the island of Anglesey was the kind of island retreat she could fit in to her hectic schedule. No long haul planes required.

Easily accessible via the A55 expressway and with excellent rail connections from all major UK cities, Anglesey is an island of surprises. Demi Moore is currently discovering some of them, filming at the beautiful Llanddwyn Island for her latest film. Situated on the southern side of Anglesey, close to the village of Newborough, this picture postcard spot not only provides magical views across to the towering mountains of Snowdonia, but also down towards the majestic Lleyn peninsula. Whilst it is described as an island it is only at high tide that this really magical place actually gets cut off making it a perfect place for a romantic picnic at low tide. Not least because it is here that the Welsh version of St. Valentine, St Dwynwen, lived as a hermit.

But there's more than just romance to be found on this island. Beautiful white sand beaches and discrete coves like those at Treaddur Bay in the south west, or the pretty harbour towns of Cemaes or Amlwch on the north coast are back dropped by lush green rolling fields and pretty whitewashed houses. With over 75 miles of coastline there can perhaps be no better way to explore its tucked away charms then by getting into a sea kayak.

If Abigail was going to try her hand at exploring this coastline it became quickly apparent that sea kayak specialists Surf-Lines, her hosts for the trip, believe in thorough preparation. The first skill to learn on the evening of her arrival was the art of carbo-loading. It could however have also just been an excuse for a very nice meal at Bangor's Fat Cat restaurant and a chance for the Surf-Lines team to get to know their wanna be paddlers.

When the following day came Abigail, joined by best friend, 29 year old Lindsey McNally, a solicitor, were feeling all too much like fat cats¹ themselves and arrived at Surf-Lines Llanberis base, giggling and joking that they wouldn¹t be able to fit into the kayaks after everything they had eaten the previous evening. Their instructor for the day, Kelly Green, a highly qualified and experienced sea kayaker, was quick to step in and convince them they had not morphed into quite such huge hulks overnight and would still float.

With a flashing smile and a calm welcoming voice she was quick to put the girls at ease and reassure them that in fact many things would be possible in the sea kayaks. All too quickly it felt as if Kelly was an old friend as she helped them fasten buckles and tighten their buoyancy aid straps as they wriggled into their new kayaking kit. Sporting red and yellow waterproofs and with paddles in hand it was time to head to the water¹s edge.

Based close to the shores of the four kilometre long Llyn Padarn, Surf-Lines are ideally located for beginners wanting to simply have a go. For the girls it meant they could enjoy an initial session on the lake, learning some basics under Kelly's watchful eye and patient instruction, before heading off to explore the island waters of Anglesey.

Llyn Padarn is perhaps the most beautiful lake in the area. Overlooked by the keep of the 13th century Dolbadarn Castle, built by Llewelyn the Great and the dense wooded slopes of Padarn Country Park, it is all back dropped by Snowdonia's dramatic mountains. A journey along it can range from the idyllic to quite intimidating depending on how much or how little wind is blowing down the valley.

For their morning session, Abigail and Lindsey faced a bit of both, calm and storm, just like sea conditions can be. At the edge of the lake a series of interconnecting lagoons provide shelter from any wind and make ideal teaching areas where you can get to grips with getting your boat to stop behaving like a bucking bronco. Kelly explained the rules for turning and steering allowing the girls to practice reigning in their new water bound steeds. "I was really surprised by how quickly we actually seemed to get the kayaks under control," explained Abigail who had only actually been in a kayak once on a school trip with Lindsey, quite a few years ago. The atmosphere was as buoyant as the boats themselves and the girls seemed to do just about as much laughing as paddling, encouraged all the way by an equally smiling Kelly.

With confidence gained they decided to move out from the protected waters and into the main lake, which now looked more like the sea. Whitecap waves were scuttling its length and the wind, which had picked up, flew into their faces. "This will feel more like being at sea, but just lean into the wind and keep paddling forwards. You will be fine, you are doing brilliantly," shouted Kelly, encouraging the team to edge out into the waves. As the team rounded a jutting promontory and started to paddle into the next bay the wind was now behind them, picking up their boats on small waves which they could surf in on. Hollers and whoops and a Whooaa! That was close could be heard as the girls avoided going over. From the broad grins and excited chatter it was clear they were having a blast. Even the resident ducks looked impressed.

Kelly decided they were ready for some further exploring and it was time to head for the proper sea, but not before another eating pit stop. The morning's activities had certainly worked up an appetite for everyone so the prospect of lunch was warmly received. The Caban Caffi, at the northern end of Llyn Padarn at Brynrefail was an ideal spot. Offering a wonderful menu of organic treats, like local welsh cheeses, a fantastic penne pasta as well as delicious rocket salads, it was every bit in keeping with the celebrity retreat where well being is prime. No palm trees, but who cares when you can have organic waffles.

Fuelled, but developing that post-Christmas dinner feeling the girls managed to pull themselves from the comfortable Caffi couches to head for the sea. Separating Anglesey from the mainland are the Menai Straits, a perfect place to smell the sea air and feel the push and pull of the tides. Timing it perfectly so as to be there for slack, the calmest point in the tide sequence, Kelly took the girls to the northern part of the Straits above the famous Britannia Bridge. This now transports both the rail line and A55 across the swirling waters below. Stephenson's original bridge, known locally as the Tubular Bridge' was destroyed by fire in 1970, replaced by the present day version in 1974. With this and the mountains for a backdrop it was a stunning place to start.

With a salty breeze wrapping around them, slithering seaweed underfoot and the clink and chime of a couple of yachts moored further out in the straits bringing that familiar seaside sound, it felt like a totally different environment from the morning. Kelly shouted excitedly: "This is what sea kayaking is all about," as she ushered the girls onto a beach overlooking their new watery classroom. Launching the boats from a secluded shingle beach they had the place to themselves. Blue skies hung over the bridge and the water idly moved with tiny waves sploshing onto the side.

Edging into their first real sea water Abigail and Lindsey were momentarily quiet, concentrating on everything Kelly had taught them in the morning. Luckily the silence did not last for too long as they quickly got to grips with their new location and started to enjoy the extra space and freedom. Nosing round the corner into the next bay they explored the neighbouring nooks and crannies like seasoned explorers. With a final ³See you later² they were off, three specks on the water heading down towards the bridge.

Whilst you don't need to have any skills or previous experience to enjoy a day out on the water you may just find that it will use parts of your body that may not normally have to do much work. Once the girls pulled themselves out of their kayaking clothes, joking that taking them off made them feel they had lost half a stone, they began to get the tingling tug of a few tired muscles. The prospect of some serious pampering with hot stone massage treatments and facials were right then the magic words any woman in her right mind wanted to hear.

If they had wanted to they could have almost paddled door to door to be pampered. Situated in the pretty town of Menai Bridge, Utopia, is only one street away from the water¹s edge. Dripping waterproofs and wetsuits however would probably not have been the look for this stylish salon, a finalist in the British Beauty Awards. Spread over two floors providing massage, facials, nail treatment as well as non-surgical face lifts and all over body boosts, Utopia specialise in just what the girls needed; revival. Flagging limbs were not going to be a problem for co-founder, Debbie Ellis.

In the relaxation room, Debs introduced herself to the girls who had happily flopped into the two very comfortable couches, offering them coffees and advice on the treatments. The girls later confided that they think she is wonderful and want to take her with them on their next girls night out. Debs very quickly set an upbeat and fun tone asking them about their earlier paddling exertions. She manages to enthuse and empathise explaining that she too has been getting into sea kayaking with lessons from the Surf-Lines team, so knows exactly how they are feeling. With over sixteen years experience in her own specialist area, including working on the QE2 where her celebrity client list included Rod Stewart and Rachel Hunter, she thinks this kind of combination pampering could be a real hit. She explained: "Moreand more girls do things and are active. It's the perfect combination for a hen weekend or a birthday and it means you also get to do something exciting and adventurous as well as luxurious!" This is pampering at its best and with a genuinely lovely staff everyone is made to feel at home and the giggling very much continues.

For Abigail the hot stones massage is the perfect answer for the aches and pains. Placing hot stones, which she has pre- warmed in a special oven, onto Abi¹s back and arms Debs is able to loosen the muscles and help her body unwind. After her hour long session Debs leaves Abi to relax in peace and there is not a peep from her. In a separate room Lindsey has been treated to a facial and a hand massage. When I go in to say hello she has a creamed face full of wheatgerm and natural extracts and eye patches on. It's a look for the treatment room only but she does smell wonderful. Five minutes later and the final deep cleansing and massaging over she is almost asleep. It is the first time they have both been quiet all day. That has got to be the sign of a perfect girls island break away.

Words and photographs by Clare Jones