Boat hire is now closed for the winter - we are still open for pre-booked sessions so either get in touch or follow one of the links below to arrange an activity.

During the season there is no need to book for boat hire but please be aware that we may close or offer a limited service if there are strong winds/lightning.

Available to hire are rowing boats, open canoes and sit on top kayaks (£12 per half hour) Opening times vary around a core opening of 11-4pm.

Boat hire is open until the end of September 2023! 11am-4pm weekends! No need to book!

**Out of hours- if you would like to arrange hire out of season, check out this booking page!**
Out of season boat hire is subject to a minimum charge of £100, which includes 4 boats for one hour

Depending on staff availability on the day we may have capacity for archery or water sport activities with individual places. Private sessions for small groups may be booked in advance here. Please email us to arrange larger group sessions or bespoke activity days.

All under 14s must be accompanied in the boat by an adult when hiring a boat.

Also available - minigolf, orienteering, boat launch/fishing permits.

Talkin Adventures provide friendly, professional instructors to guide you and your group during an introduction to water sports, archery and team building activities. Contact us to arrange a bespoke activity package for your birthday parties, corporate events, school adventure days or hen and stag do.

Please note: We will provide buoyancy aids, which must be worn for all of our water activities including boat hire. We have a range of sizes, including XXL from Peak UK, which is suitable for up to 110kg/130cm chest.

You are welcome to bring your own boat, canoe, kayak or paddle board to Talkin Tarn. Come and see us to sign in. Launch permits for canoes/kayaks/SUPs cost £4 per craft. Please see the Carlisle City Council website here for more details of permits.

Talkin Adventures provide day permits and hire of buoyancy aids, paddles, wetsuits, if required, during normal opening times. Please see the tea rooms when we are not open (equipment hire only available when we are open) We will even inflate your craft in return for a donation to the North Cumbria Rescue and Response Team collection box on our counter!

Come and see us at our activity base at Talkin Adventures, Talkin Tarn Country Park, Brampton. Just a short drive from Carlisle and only half an hour from Hexham, we are your family adventure destination along Hadrian’s Wall and the A69, just minutes from a World Heritage Site in the North Pennines.

There is plenty of parking available on-site costing just £2.40 for a full day, giving you plenty of time to explore the woodlands, take out a boat and have a spot of lunch or cake.

Our adventure company rivals any activities in the Lake District with some superb on-site facilities such as the Talkin Tarn Cafe and Tea Rooms with their delicious handmade cakes, lunches and gift shop. There is good accessibility for people with limited mobility, with wheelchair friendly footpaths around the lake. For those who enjoy watersports there are hot showers and changing rooms… just in case. Stay for coffee and cake and take a stroll along the 1.3 mile wheelchair friendly path around the Tarn.

For outdoor activities in Cumbria, Talkin Tarn provides a one stop shop for all your needs and is situated in a stunning location beneath the northern Pennine hills. The tarn is a kettle hole lake, formed by glacial at the end of the last ice age, around 10,000 years ago and now plays host to:

Talkin Adventures
Talkin Tarn Amateur Rowing Club (TTARC)
Brampton Sailing Club
Carlisle Model Boat Club

Check out our online calendar, outlining available Talkin Tarn activities from archery to Stand Up Paddle Boarding and British Canoeing Paddlesport Courses.

Activities are available by prior booking for private family groups, school adventure courses and business team building, making for some brilliant activity days in the North West. Throughout the year, we organise lots of things to do near Carlisle. We also arrange fully supervised Adventure Day Camps during the school holidays, for 9-14 year olds, and "Talkin Tots" sessions throughout the year for pre-schoolers.

Please contact us in advance to book these activities for your event, the perfect addition to any Hen and Stag Do, Team Building event or ideal alternative to a school residential. Beneft from the outdoor experience that you would gain from staying at an activity centre without the cost, stress and commitment of an overnight stay.

Pop along when we’re open or get in touch today to arrange a tailor-made, cumbria activities package.