Published on 1st May 2025

Southwater Watersports is under new ownership, with experienced instructor Grahame Moss now at the helm.  

Based at Southwater Country Park on Cripplegate Lane, the business offers opportunities for people to access and enjoy the water. As well as providing kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and leisure rowing boats for hire, Southwater Watersports hosts courses in paddle sports and first aid. During the Easter holidays, children enjoyed a series of multi-activity days, learning the basics of paddle sports and enjoying games and challenges on the water. They were also able to develop vital life skills under the guidance of an experienced instructor.  

Grahame said: ‘We host multi-activity camps in the summer, with children (aged 8 - 12) able to join us for one, two or three days or even a full week, which gives flexibility to parents. They are a good introduction to paddle sports (stand-up paddleboards or SUPs, kayaks and canoes) and we provide wetsuits, life jackets and footwear too. We also offer introduction to kayaking or canoeing courses for teenagers. 

‘Being out on the water is fun and the more skilled you become, the more you enjoy it. The Country Park is a safe environment and even when it’s busy, you can always find tranquillity on the lake. As well as developing skills on the water, we teach the youngsters about the natural environment around it, particularly the nesting birds. They learn how to recognise differences between a coot, a grebe and a moorhen. Lots of people who try paddle sports lack any understanding of factors such as wind direction and tidal patterns too, which can have a major impact on their experience and their safety. Coastguards are increasingly having to rescue paddle boarders who have been drifted out to sea by tidal currents. The courses we offer not only teach people how to handle paddle equipment, but how to stay safe.’

LIFETIME PASSION

Grahame, a former Forest School pupil, had his first kayaking experience at the Country Park when he was a Scout. Since then, he has become a vastly experienced instructor and leader of outdoor activities.  A passion for adventure led him to Bicton College, a specialist centre in Devon, where he studied Outdoor Adventure Education. He has since gained more than 25 years of experience in the sector, including working for West Sussex County Council as an advisor for outdoor education. Prior to taking over Southwater Watersports, 

 Grahame ran Escape Outdoors from his home in Partridge Green. For 20 years, he has hosted leadership training courses, helping individuals working in a range of industries to gain the qualifications required to lead activities such as mountain bike riding and lowland expeditions. These courses have been especially useful for schools and colleges, allowing them to offer schemes such as the Duke of the Edinburgh Award by training teachers to lead them. He is also a national trainer for Paddle UK, training instructors who provide courses across the UK. Many of those he has taught in the past have gone on to form their own businesses, including Adrian Fall, who runs The Kayak Coach from a beautiful location on the River Adur at Ashurst. 

Grahame said: ‘My passion for paddle sports began as a scout and, since then, it has taken me to the Italian Alps and challenging rivers in Latvia and Slovenia. However, Southwater remains a great place to develop fundamental skills. As we are on the Downs Link bridleway too, we can also incorporate some of the elements offered at EscapeOutdoors, such as mountain biking, as well as orienteering and team activities like raft building. We have made chances to the storage facility to create space for a classroom too. So, we can offer everything from taster sessions for beginners through to corporate training days and group events, as well as accredited training for instructors. The Horsham District isn’t rich in terms of water sources, but we are close to the coast and have access to the Adur and Arun rivers. So, it’s nice to give people of all ages the skills they need to enjoy water safely.’ 

WILD SWIMMING

Grahame took over Southwater Watersports in January 2025, with previous directors Adrian Green and Barbra Murphy continuing their involvement in the industry at Tilgate Lake. Currently, Grahame is continuing to offer established courses, as well as hiring out SUPs, canoes and sit-on-top kayaks (for either 30 minutes or one hour) and rowing boats, which are big enough for families to explore the lake. Southwater Watersports can also issue permits for anyone wanting to launch their own craft.  

In future, Grahame would like to introduce drop-in paddle-sport coaching sessions on Saturday mornings, while the idea of wild swimming has been mooted. Abigail Moss, who helps during busy periods, said: ‘Currently, the only people allowed to swim in the lake are members of local triathlon clubs with group permits. There is a small paddling beach, but otherwise members of the public cannot swim in the Country Park. However, wild swimming’s popularity is booming, as it benefits both your physical and mental health. So, we would love to offer it in future, perhaps hosting an early morning session on weekends during summer months. 

‘We still need to assess conditions in the lake, but it would be great if wild swimmers currently having to travel to reservoirs at Weir Wood or Ardingly had somewhere more local to go. We are keen to promote the benefits of being in or on the water to everyone and it doesn’t seem right that only triathletes can enjoy such a well-loved community facility. We are in discussions with the Council and if we can meet all of the requirements, hopefully organised wild swimming sessions will soon be seen in Southwater.’  

WORDS: Ben Morris / PHOTOS: Alan Wright 

Further information:

For details about hiring equipment or courses for adults and children, visit www.southwaterwatersports.co.uk