One of the most common features on British canals rivers is the Kayak. A canoe-like vehicle, a kayak is a one person paddle boat with an enclosed seating area. They are ideal for water sports, such as extreme water rapid journeys, and are commonly used in water races.
In most water sporting centres throughout the UK, there will be a kayaking club that you can sign up to. In these clubs, you will be able to get a range of accreditation that indicate your level of expertise, called the BCU scheme. It awards you either 1 to 5 stars based upon your level of expertise, with a 4 star kayaker being eligible to qualify as an instructor for calm waters.
The 5 star award is discipline specific; it can cover skills in either water rapids, calm waters, the ocean, the surf and others.