Visually-impaired girl learning to surf at Scotland's first wave pool

A 12-year-old girl from Edinburgh has described the feeling of surfing for the first time as “like flying” despite living with a visual impairment.

Felicity Kelly is learning to ride the waves at Scotland’s first inland surf park, just outside Ratho.

She’s taking part in lessons run by Inclusive Surfing Scotland, a group working to make the sport more accessible for people with disabilities.

Despite having very limited sight, Felicity says she’s never been afraid to try something new.

And thanks to cutting-edge technology at the wave pool, which mimics the real swell of the sea, she’s now catching waves of her own.

“It feels amazing, it feels like I’m flying,” she said. “There’s no ground underneath me, nothing holding me back. I’m just whizzing along the waves.”

“I feel more comfortable now because I know what the board feels like. It’s actually really calming.”

Felicity’s lessons include time spent on land, learning the feel of the surfboard and building confidence before heading into the water.

Her instructors offer one-to-one adaptive sessions, tailored to each surfer’s needs, ensuring nobody is left out of the experience.

“Our goal is simple – to make surfing more accessible,” said one of the instructors. “We work with people who have a wide range of disabilities.

“Every session is adapted to suit the individual.”

Felicity hopes her story will encourage others to give surfing a go – no matter the barriers they face.