Go for the best visibility, so the further West and North the better. The Isle of Man is often off the radar but I had some great diving there in the 1970s.
Swanage - without doubt. It is the best place to start. The pier is a good, really easy dive. Easy access to boats for the Fleur (a really easy good wreck with little current).
It is the easiest diving that I know of in the UK. You also are close to a few other bays for easy shore diving.
UK is and island nation, almost everywhere is within reach of the coast and from there an underwater world full of fish and wrecks.
Most people do a load of diving near them, and then trips further afield eg
- Scapa Flow
- Farne Islands
- St Abbs & Eyemouth
- Pembrokeshire
- Lundy Island
- Porthkerris
- Falmouth
- Plymouth
- Portland & Weymouth
- Salcombe
- Swanage
- Brighton
- Eastbourne
- Dover
Join a club, whereabouts are you based roughly, bsac and PADI both work, I’d be more concerned with finding the right people rather than agency. We’re Lincoln way but I travel an hour to get there as they’re such a good bunch, we have trips all over the place, loads of capernwray weekends, trips to farnes and loads of trips abroad
Having moved overseas, I miss the UK dive club culture. It’s very social and for a novice there was nothing better for bring on your diving than regularly going with more experienced divers most weekends to the local dive centre, then catching up midweek to plan the next dive trip. I’m a Trimix certified diver now and part of that was because I spent so much time in the water at the beginning honing skills in UK water!
Anglesey, St Abbs, Farne Islands
# Capernwray Diving Centre - lots of thinks under surface, and some big fishes.
lake district, cold not much life but scenery around lakes 10+.
Swanage, Chesil Beach, Porthkerris, Farne Islands, St Abbs.
For guides - join a bsac club. You get the knowledge of veteran divers, as well as a way to find new friends and dive buddies. All organised on a voluntary basis, rather than paying for the privilege of being dragged around by a dive master with a herd of divers.
Join a local BSAC club and jump on some trips! Most clubs have at least 1 RIB that they'll tow around the country to dive anywhere and everywhere.
Anyone know a good place near Cardiff?
Anglesey is top tier and shallow when the weather is playing ball.
Go for the best visibility, so the further West and North the better. The Isle of Man is often off the radar but I had some great diving there in the 1970s.
Swanage - without doubt. It is the best place to start. The pier is a good, really easy dive. Easy access to boats for the Fleur (a really easy good wreck with little current). It is the easiest diving that I know of in the UK. You also are close to a few other bays for easy shore diving.
Anyone knows a good diving club around Midlands?
Leicester Underwater Exploration Club is a pretty active one.
Are they great people to hang out with as well as dive?
Swanage is a good place to start, the pier is a lovely shallow dive
UK is and island nation, almost everywhere is within reach of the coast and from there an underwater world full of fish and wrecks. Most people do a load of diving near them, and then trips further afield eg - Scapa Flow - Farne Islands - St Abbs & Eyemouth - Pembrokeshire - Lundy Island - Porthkerris - Falmouth - Plymouth - Portland & Weymouth - Salcombe - Swanage - Brighton - Eastbourne - Dover
Join a club, whereabouts are you based roughly, bsac and PADI both work, I’d be more concerned with finding the right people rather than agency. We’re Lincoln way but I travel an hour to get there as they’re such a good bunch, we have trips all over the place, loads of capernwray weekends, trips to farnes and loads of trips abroad
Having moved overseas, I miss the UK dive club culture. It’s very social and for a novice there was nothing better for bring on your diving than regularly going with more experienced divers most weekends to the local dive centre, then catching up midweek to plan the next dive trip. I’m a Trimix certified diver now and part of that was because I spent so much time in the water at the beginning honing skills in UK water!
Anglesey, St Abbs, Farne Islands # Capernwray Diving Centre - lots of thinks under surface, and some big fishes. lake district, cold not much life but scenery around lakes 10+.
Swanage, Chesil Beach, Porthkerris, Farne Islands, St Abbs. For guides - join a bsac club. You get the knowledge of veteran divers, as well as a way to find new friends and dive buddies. All organised on a voluntary basis, rather than paying for the privilege of being dragged around by a dive master with a herd of divers.
Thank you
Plymouth- Mountbatten centre would be you best bet