Best Water Sports in Sheffield

The Parson House Centre offers a very wide variety of outdoor pursuits, allowing you to try canoeing or kayaking, as well as climbing or abseiling. Other, more unusual, disciplines are also available. You can go orienteering with a team of friends or try caving. Individual activities are also offered: a climbing wall is provided, as is the chance to learn abseiling with a professional instructor. Residential courses and management training days, which are made up of a mix of activities, with prices based on chosen events, are also popular. Most activities are suitable for both adults and children.

At Rother Valley Cable Water Ski Centre, clients can be taught to water ski safely, using an overhead cable that will keep them upright nearly all the time, so if you've ever fancied learning to water ski but never quite had the courage to be dragged behind a speedboat, this is a very attractive option. The ride is based around a stretch of water on the River Rother, set in the extremely picturesque Rother Valley Country Park. All equipment and instruction are included in the price, so you can decide to do this on the spur of the moment if you like: all you need for a thoroughly exhilarating day out is yourself. Please note that the timings for kids and adults may vary. The center remains closed during off season.

Rother Valley Country Park, which offers 300 hectares (750 acres) of countryside, offers a wide range of leisure activities on both land and water. The central 18th Century mill now houses an exhibition center where information about the history of the area, and the conversational concerns of the park are on display. The water sports center at the edge of the main lake provides a range of water based activities. Bikes are also available to hire and a network of paths and bridleways is accessible to visitors. Areas of the park have also been put aside for angling, and an outdoor adventure playground, cafe and craft center are provided.

Swim outdoors throughout the summer in this popular pool in Hathersage, just a 20 minute bus or taxi ride from Sheffield city center. Local hills are visible from the pool and deckchairs and grassy areas are available for the use of sunbathers. The pool itself is large enough for serious swimming and the water is heated to a pleasant temperature. Simple but well-kept log-cabin changing rooms, showers and lavatories are available and spectators who want to avoid the sun can make use of a covered grandstand. A pool cafeteria offers a good range of snacks and drinks and although the main eating area is not accessible from the pool side, refreshments can be purchased through a small hatch. On quiet days, this is a great place to relax but at weekends and during school holidays it tends to be busy with families and is much noisier. Arrive at the beginning of a session to avoid having to queue for admission.