Introduction
Since I live inland in the UK far from the coast, most of my Wing Foiling is on a couple of inland lakes. Mostly, I’m at Grafham Water, a 15 minute drive from my home.
I’m probably biased therefore, but I do think it’s a great place to Wing Foil (or windsurf). We have a pretty active group there and some people travel over an hour’s drive because the facilities are so good and the lake is large. It is actually a man-made reservoir and is the third largest in Britain by area being 1,550 acres. At the widest point the lake is close to a mile and a half across. There’s enough room even when lots of people are out.
If you do visit please come and say hello and leave a comment below let’s Go-Wingfoil.
In a nutshell
Pros:- Very large lake with plenty of room
- Fairly flat water with easy entry and no shore break
- Good wind in most directions once out on the lake (away from shore)
- Safety cover whenever lake is open
- Good rigging areas right by car parking
- Clubhouse with changing rooms and toilets (and café which is not always open)
- Close to A1 and A14 so reasonably accessible for landlocked Wingers
- You have to pay to access the lake
- Access is controlled and limited to times when there is safety cover – this rarely causes issues but occasionally an unforeseen absence of the coxswain will mean the lake remains closed
- Wind shadow close to shore makes southerly winds tricky
Where is it ?
Grafham Water is located close to Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire.
Access to the water for Wing Foiling is through Grafham Water Sailing Club, Chichester Way, Perry, Huntingdon PE28 0BU.
The water is open from 10.30 on weekdays and 9.30 at weekends. Closing varies depending on daylight hours, with the water closing at least 90 minutes before dusk.
The sailing club is on the South shore of the lake so the prevailing south westerly winds are cross-offshore. Most wind directions work well but straight southerlies are a bit tricky as the wind will be directly off-shore and you get some wind shadow from the land. These conditions are manageable for those who can foil confidently and get up wind but not really suited to beginners.
In strong southerlies when making a day of it, my personal preference is to drive up to Rutland Water North shore. This is mainly because when doing multiple sessions I don’t want to have to fight to get back to the beach more than a couple of times. Also, variety is the spice of life?
This article was updated in Spring 2026 with latest prices and more information on wind conditions including tips to help if you do go out in a Southerly.
Costs
Annual membership is available – check latest prices on the sailing club website here.
Day sailing is also available as of March 2026 it (still) costs £25 for an Adult to launch a Wing Foil for the day. Visitor information is here. Note that:
- Insurance is needed with third party liability of £2m.
- Buoyancy aids must be worn.
Parking/Rigging/Launching
There are two areas for Wing Foilers to rig and launch, which will depend to an extent on wind. There is no significant waves or shore break with either option.
1. West Car Park
In winds from South West round to North West the western car park is best. This provides the cleanest wind to launch in and should you end up losing ground downwind you still have space to come ashore in the club. After passing the entry barrier drive to the end and follow the road left at the clubhouse. Go to the end of this road, where there is a large grassy area in front of the catamaran park for rigging.
This area has wind shadow from 100 yards from shore in SW to SSW so look for a gust or favourable shift to foil all the way in.
On the left of the rigging area there is a small staircase down to the water or you can launch from the slipway to the right of the rigging area if you prefer. I usually launch/return from the left side as there are a couple of buoys there at just over foil depth which make a handy dismount spot. This assumes the lake is full, be sure to check when you launch as the level of water in the lake can vary a lot during the year. If you do get it wrong and ground the foil it is more foregiving here too with the bottom being mostly mud.
East Car Park
In Northerly winds eastward round to Southerly the eastern windsurfer area is better. The water is a bit less choppy here in Northerlies and the angles for getting off-shore are better. Also if you do lose ground downwind you still have plenty of space within the club to get ashore. The parking and rigging area is slightly smaller here, but there will usually be enough space. Entry to the water is via the slipway directly in front of the rigging area.
In a Southerly I have found that the wind is cleaner at the Eastern end. Also because of the geography of the land you will get more shifts to SSE as you return to shore. You can use these helpful lifts to gain some ground whilst staying upwind. The last 150 yards or so be prepared to bear away a bit to stay on foil if the wind gets light on you, its better to foil all the way to shore west of the clubhouse than paddle in.
On arrival it’s best to see where the locals are gathering and ask for advice. We are a friendly welcoming lot.
Facilities
The clubhouse has large changing rooms with toilets and hot showers for those that prefer not to change under a Dry Robe. There is a cafe which is open at weekends and public holidays.
The club is now offering wingfoil taster sessions and lessons if that is something that you are looking for.
On the Water
The lake is large and there is plenty of space to blast or practice those turns. The area close to the shore does have some wind shadow in any winds from the south, so you may need to flog out a little way. As you get further out onto the lake the wind becomes cleaner. The best winds are westerly and easterly as these are cross shore and have the cleanest run over the water. Like most inland water you can expect variations in wind strength across different areas of the lake. Look out for darker water or white caps to see where the stronger wind is. In the prevailing south westerly winds this will usually start a couple of hundred metres out to the west of the club – opposite the fishing lodge. In easterly winds the wind is stronger to the east of the club, in particular as you get closer to the dam at the east end of the lake. In stronger winds there is some lake chop and further out you can find big enough wavelets to get some feeling of surfing the foil. When returning to shore it is usually possible to foil all the way in, but be prepared to pump both wing and foil to get you through the lulls – look closely at the ripples on the water as there are some strange funnel effect places that can help you.
Aside from the other wingers and windsurfers there are usually some sailors from the sailing school. There are also fishermen who we need to steer clear of but generally there is plenty of room for all. At weekends there can be big fleets of racing boats. These can make life a bit trickier as they will understandably get cross if you hinder their racing. Again, best to ask a local for advice on where to head to avoid issues.
The lake is a site of significant scientific interest with a nature reserve that is home to a variety of birds. Beyond the most westerly club buoys is a no windsurfing area. If you see one of the large blue/red buoys labelled L, H or S it is time to gybe (or tack) and head the other way. They also want to keep windsurfers clear of the dam so at the eastern end of the lake buoys Q, I and D mark the limits of where you should go.
Safety
The club has different safety cover levels depending upon the day of the week and time.
- When club racing is on at weekend there will be active safety cover out on the water.
- At other times, when the lake is open, there is reactive safety cover, which means a safety boat is ready to launch and a duty coxswain is monitoring the water to keep an eye out.
Access to the water is indicated through a flag system which is explained here.
Weather
The member’s dashboard shows current conditions and provides access to web cams. Check out the web cam to the West to look at the safety flags, these often are a better indication of wind conditions than the club wind gauges.
The wind forecast by Windguru is the one I usually pay most attention to, but as we are inland, and this is the UK don’t take it as gospel
In Conclusion
If you are looking for a Wingfoil location and you are within striking distance of Grafham Water it is well worth a visit. If you decide to come please come and say hi. Let’s Go-Wingfoil.