In the early heat wave of July 2022, Rachel interviewed Jen of Wild Times next door to the New Forest Escapes office in Lymington’s St Barbe museum cafe.
Jen runs Wild Times, a yoga, wellness and paddle boarding retreat business. Whilst she’s usually based in Lymington, retreats are held in the New Forest, Cornwall and the Lake District and, when the planets align, Morocco.
She offers paddle boarding sessions, SUP yoga (that’s yoga on a paddle board whilst you’re anchored up somewhere beautiful), from Keyhaven, Beaulieu and Mudeford areas. We highly recommend your joining in and trying a session. Read more for prices below and visit her website here. The Wild Times
One of life’s shiny people, Jen is vibrant, smiley, and giving off rays of sunshine and health in all directions. She runs her brand and business as a force for good. We discussed her favourite book, Stolen Focus by Johan Harry. An investigative journalist, he writes about how, as a society we are losing our skills to pay attention and we can’t make collective good decisions.
We discuss, the value of play for children, how we learn to concentrate and the value of simple focus and nature – which she brings together with her paddle boarding and yoga. The simple things, lived slowly, beautifully done, and restoring to the soul. We are lucky to have her in the area.
She explained how she got to her current life.
“Mum and Dad ran a outdoor activity centre in Northumberland, I grew up there until aged 5. My early memories are canoeing on the west coast of Scotland. Everyone canoed every weekend. We always had cheese and pickle sandwiches and pork pies! When we moved south, I was a Sea Scout at Keyhaven. The sea and water is part of our families lives. My brother saves rivers! I’ve been teaching yoga for 5 years and started Wild Times during lockdown from Morocco. The idea was to go for 6 weeks, but I ended up staying for several months.”
My favourite paddleboard in the New Forest is from the slipway at Keyhaven, and up the lagoon past the moored boats to Hurst Castle. The beach up there is sandy, rarely has many people on it, and is perfect for a picnic and swim. After that I love to have an explore in the castle. They do great ice cream there, plus there’s a loo. Don’t paddle around the Castle and on the Isle of Wight and Needles side, the water is very very fast and dangerous. Stick to the lagoon for safe fun. You’ll need to book in for parking and slipway access – it’s £10 or £30 for the year.
For bespoke paddle boarding trips, read more here on Jen’s website.
Families are welcome if they have children over 12 , or she’ll take young people of 16 and up if not accompanied by an adult.
Jenny supplies – Paddle boards, buoyancy aids and anchors. She is a fully qualified paddle board instructor and SUP yoga teacher.
Locally in the Hampshire area, Jen can offer:
1. SUP yoga – Jen take’s up to 8 people. You’l paddle somewhere beautiful, use anchors to keep still, then get your yoga on.
Jen says, “people always think they are going to be rubbish but they usually surprise themselves”.
3-4hrs for a half day.
4 people £62.50pp. £250 total. Tea and coffee included.
2. Paddle and Float Downstream. For some lazy river fun. This trip is for the less active because you can time your trip with the tides. The River Avon near Mudeford and Christchurch is perfect for this.
3-4hrs for a half day.
4 people £62.50pp. £250 total. Tea and coffee included.
3. Keyhaven – Castle by the Sea Explorer Trip. Head up from Keyhaven to Hurst Castle, wild beaches, wild swimming, smooth paddleboarding on the lagoon that protects you from the Solent wind and waves.
3-4 hrs half day. 4 people £62.50pp. £250 total
Tea and coffee included.
4. Romantic trip for couples. To include a brunch on dry land. Jen will take you out, set up your picnic with blanket, hamper, food and drinks. She’ll then leave you to it and come back to help you back home at the end of the session.
3-4 hrs half day. 2 people. £250 total
Tea and coffee included.
5. ‘Intro to Paddle boarding’ course.
Bring your own, or use her kit.
The course will help you be safe to ride. You’ll cover; how it works, how to use your board, getting back on when you fall off, top tips, safe paddling, the dangers you need to be aware of with winds and tides, diff paddle strokes and techniques, what to do if you get in trouble, coastguard processes and location reporting, wind issues, the best kit; dry bags etc.
3 hours. £100pp
Whatever you do with Jen, we know you’ll have fun. Enjoy!
