Looking to get outdoors and try something different? Waterford offers a wide range of adventure sports and outdoor activity providers across the county.
With the Comeragh Mountains on our doorstep and a spectacular coastline stretching from Dunmore East to Ardmore, there’s no shortage of opportunities to get active outdoors. Whether you’re interested in trail running, mountain activities, paddlesports, surfing or horse riding, there’s something for everyone.
• Locations
• Angling
• Diving
• Dragon Boating
• Kayaking & Paddlesports
• Rowing
• Sailing
• Surfing
• Outdoor Education & Training
Locations
Discover some locations for adventure sports in Waterford. From the coast to the mountains, explore where your next adventure could begin.
Angling
Waterford’s coastline, rivers and lakes provide excellent opportunities for sea, game and coarse angling, with locations across the county suitable for anglers of all experience levels.
Local clubs include:
Bell Lake Pike Angling Club
Rinnashark Sea Angling Club
Waterford City & County Trout Anglers Association
Waterford & District Angling Club
For information on angling regulations, permits, fisheries and where to fish, visit:
• Inland Fisheries Ireland
• Fishing in Ireland (Inland Fisheries Ireland’s angling guide)
Diving
Waterford’s coastline, particularly around the Copper Coast and Dunmore East, offers excellent opportunities for recreational diving, with rocky reefs, rich marine life and a number of historic shipwrecks to explore.
Waterford Harbour Sub Aqua Club welcomes new members and provides opportunities for recreational diving, training and organised dive trips. To find out more about the club or locate other affiliated clubs across Ireland, visit the Diving Ireland Club Finder
Dragon Boating
Dragon boating is a fun, inclusive and team-based paddlesport that combines fitness, teamwork and time on the water. Suitable for people of all ages and abilities, it is a great way to enjoy Waterford’s waterways while making new friends and being part of a welcoming club community.
Waterford is home to two dragon boat clubs, both of which welcome new members and provide opportunities for recreational and competitive paddling. The clubs offer regular training sessions throughout the year and participate in local and national events and competitions.
For more information:
Blackwater Dragons (currently being established – details to follow)
Waterford Dragon Boat Club
Kayaking & Paddlesports
Waterford is home to Metalman Paddlesports Club, a Canoeing Ireland affiliated club based in Tramore. The club welcomes new members and offers coaching and training across a range of paddlesports disciplines, including sea kayaking, surfski, sprint kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), helping paddlers of all abilities develop their skills and enjoy the water safely.
If you’re looking to try kayaking or paddlesports, Waterford also has a number of experienced activity providers offering guided trips, coaching and equipment hire:
Blackwater Eco Tours – Providing kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and self-drive boating experiences on the River Blackwater, alongside guided river adventures.
David Walsh Sea Kayaking – Offering guided sea kayaking trips, coaching and training along the spectacular Copper Coast for paddlers of all abilities.
Surf SUP Tramore – Offering stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) lessons and guided coastal tours, as well as surf lessons, along the Waterford coastline.
Rowing
Recreational rowing is a great way to enjoy Waterford’s rivers while improving fitness, teamwork and technique.
Waterford has a strong rowing tradition, with a number of clubs across the county welcoming new members and providing opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to get involved.
Some of the rowing clubs in Waterford include:
Cappoquin Rowing Club
Red Iron Rowing Club
Waterford Boat Club
You can also find details of local clubs by visiting Rowing Ireland
Sailing
With its spectacular coastline, sheltered bays and estuaries, Waterford offers excellent opportunities for sailing. Whether you’re interested in learning to sail, racing or simply enjoying time on the water, there are clubs and training opportunities to suit all ages and abilities.
Waterford is home to a number of sailing clubs that welcome new members and provide training, coaching and opportunities to participate in recreational and competitive sailing.
Some of the sailing clubs in Waterford include:
Waterford Harbour Sailing Club
Dungarvan Harbour Sailing Club
For those interested in learning to sail or finding a local club, visit Irish Sailing to explore clubs, courses and training opportunities
Surfing
Waterford is home to T-Bay Surf Club, the county’s only surf club and the oldest surf club in Ireland. Based in Tramore, the club welcomes surfers of all abilities and plays a key role in promoting and developing surfing in Waterford.
Whether you’re catching your first wave or looking to improve your skills, Waterford also has a number of surf schools offering lessons and coaching along the county’s coastline.
Bunmahon Surf School
Freedom Surf School
Oceanics Surf School
Surf SUP Tramore
Tramore Surf School
Outdoor Education & Training
Waterford is served by Shielbaggan Outdoor Education Centre, part of the Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board (WWETB). The centre provides a wide range of outdoor education, adventure activities and skills training on both land and water, helping people of all ages and abilities build confidence, develop new skills and enjoy the outdoors.
Alongside activity programmes, WWETB delivers a variety of nationally recognised outdoor training courses across the region, including courses in Waterford such as the Lowland Leader qualification, giving participants the opportunity to develop leadership skills and gain practical outdoor experience.
For more information on outdoor education and training opportunities, visit:
WWETB Outdoor Education & Training
Shielbaggan Outdoor Education Centre
Article Modified: July 14, 2026 8:50 am
