Queenford Lakes Water Sports Centre
ENTRY
from £20
WHERE
Wallingford
What it’s like
Fifteen minutes behind a boat learning to ski or wakeboard, with full instruction included in the price.
Each tow lasts fifteen minutes and comes with full instruction, so a first go at wakeboarding or skiing doesn't mean flailing about unsupervised. A single tow is £39 if you're not a member, or £31.75 if you've signed up as a Level 1 or student member. There's also the ringo, a towed ride for two, at £20 a head, which is the easier sell if someone in your group isn't keen on standing up on a board.
If you want to actually learn rather than just try it once, the course structure makes more sense: two sessions for £70 or three for £95, each still just fifteen minutes on the water but building on the last. That's the bit worth saving up for if skiing or wakeboarding is going to become a regular thing rather than a one-off.
Membership pays for itself if you're coming back often. It knocks the tow price down, lets you book further ahead, and throws in a discount on meals at The Chequers in Burcot, which is a nice touch after a cold morning on the lake. For a group booking the whole lake for an hour, that's £175 and includes a BWSW qualified instructor, wetsuits, buoyancy aids and the wakeboard or ski itself, so nobody needs to turn up with kit.
Parking's free on site, and they say it's easily reached by road, bus or train if you call ahead for directions. There's no age range given, so it reads as a place for anyone confident enough to be towed through water rather than a specific kids' activity, though kids camps do run there.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- No set age range given; suits anyone confident enough to be towed on water
- Parking
- Free parking on site
- Getting there by bus or train
- Easily accessible from main roads, bus or train (call for directions)
- Parties
- Bespoke packages available for corporate, team building, Stag/Hen do or leisure events
- Membership brings the tow price down and gets you a discount on meals at The Chequers in Burcot
- Ringo rides are the gentler option at £20 a head if standing on a board isn't for everyone
- Courses build on the same 15-minute tow format, just booked as a set of two or three
Plan your visit
How much does a tow cost?
£39 for a single tow if you're not a member, or £31.75 if you're a Level 1 or student member.
What's included in the price?
Full instruction is included with every tow, so you're not just handed a rope and pushed off.
How long does each session last?
Each tow is fifteen minutes. The courses are built from the same fifteen-minute sessions, just two or three of them booked together.
Do we need to book?
There's no online booking link listed, so it looks like you'd call ahead, especially since membership lets you book further in advance anyway.
Is there parking?
Free parking on site.
Can we hire the whole lake for a group?
Yes, lake hire is £175 an hour and includes an instructor, wetsuits, buoyancy aids and the ski or wakeboard itself.
Do they do parties or group events?
They mention bespoke packages for corporate days, team building, stag or hen dos and general leisure groups.
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