The Story Behind Dartmouth’s Local Businesses: Brya (formerly Seakayak Devon)

The owner behind this Dartmouth business is convinced the best views of the area are to be had out on the water, and so Ben Brierley is busy building a business that embraces everything our beautiful maritime town has to offer.

After working for many years in the outdoor activity sector on remote Scottish islands, the French Alps and Nepal, Ben found himself ready for the next challenge, his own activity centre. Dartmouth offered the best in terms of a perfect coastline for sea kayaking, amazing wildlife and a town with a strong sense of community and fun! So it was here, 14 years ago, he set up Sea Kayak Devon.

Starting as a kayak centre, the business then branched out into paddleboarding, running guided trips and camps for beginners right up to high-level courses for paddlers. In 2022, Ben opened his second base in Portland, Dorset, another excellent stretch of the coastline to paddle.

“Being on the water gives you a real sense of connection to nature and the importance of it for our mental and physical health.”

So in 2023 it was an obvious move to branch out into wellbeing, opening the wood fired sauna on Blackpool Sands beach, running yoga sessions and also paddleboard hire allowing visitors to the beach to get the most out of their time there connecting to nature and themselves.

It was at this point Ben felt a change from Sea Kayak Devon was needed to encompass all the activities on offer and Brya was born!

“Brya is your connection to a life outdoors. We run guided kayaking and paddle boarding trips as well as offering our paddlers the chance of detoxing from the digital on our Wild Camping experiences. All of this is set to the back drop of the stunning south west coastline.”

And if you thought Ben and his team are quiet in the winter, then you clearly haven’t tried the wood fired beach sauna – a chance to enjoy the exhilaration to be found when you combine a sauna with a chilly sprint across the beach, and a plunge in the winter sea.

“For my business, and at a personal level, there are so many things that make Dartmouth stand out! The river is the heart of what we do and a big part of what makes Dartmouth so special for me. Add to that the dining and food side of Dartmouth which is worth a visit alone, plus the maritime history. What makes Dartmouth most special for me really that this is a town that welcomes people in, whether that’s someone coming to visit Dartmouth for a day trip, a holiday or someone like me and many others who have chosen to call it home.”

As far as Ben is concerned, Dartmouth is the perfect blend of nature, history, community and one of the best sea kayaking and paddleboarding locations in the UK!