WE'VE already put the spotlight on nine less well-known sports – from archery to table tennis – that you may wish to try out in 2019.

And there’s plenty more where that came from, with canoeing, cycling, squash and water polo just a few of the sports on offer in this part of Somerset.

First up, canoeing, and you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to getting in the water around Taunton.

Taunton Adventure Sports & Canoe Club meet at COACH, French Weir Park, between April and October (Wednesdays for juniors, Fridays for adults), and at King’s College Pool between November and March (Mondays).

They offer ‘learn to paddle’ for both juniors and adults, plus club sessions on the River Tone and trips.

New recruits should bring clothes they don’t mind getting wet and muddy (lightweight, not jeans) and wetsuit boots; all buoyancy aids, helmets and cagoules are provided.

To get in touch with the club, contact teamtascc@gmail.com, visit TASCC Taunton Adventurous Sports Canoe Club on Facebook or @tauntonascc on Instagram.

Chairman and instructor John Young adds: “Canoeing is a great way to get out and about and experience the river from a different perspective.

“You can meet new friends, get fit while paddling at your own pace, learn new skills and conquer fears.”

There is also Taunton Canoe Club, which has a clubhouse near the bridge on Priory Bridge Road and members meeting on Tuesday and Thursday evenings throughout the year, as well as some weekends.

Sessions include general river paddling, canoe polo, and coaching and rolling, and there’s also a strong youth section which meets on Wednesdays.

The club caters for ages 8+ and (if safety allows) all needs and abilities, though newcomers need to be aware of and accept the risks which come with water contact sports.

Beginners sessions for adults and juniors are organised in the summer, with details about these posted on tauntoncanoeclub.org.uk, or courtesy of the club secretary (clubsecretaryTCC@outlook.com).

Canoeing’s double-bladed paddle cousin, kayaking, is also represented, by Wellington Kayak Club.

Club member Georgia Channon says: “Not only can kayaking improve your aerobic fitness, strength and flexibility, we find it’s a great fun and sociable hobby that can have a competitive side if you chose to play polo.

“You can even progress to white water or surfing!”

The club meets for pool sessions at Wellington Sports Centre every Friday (8.15pm), and in river season trips are on Sundays, with a full river trip list on wellingtonkayakclub.com.

These are open to all ages and abilities, and for more details, go to the website or facebook.com/wellingtonkayakclub.

There’s also an abundance of choice when it comes to cycling.

Cycle Somerset are, in the words of chairman Graham Farrington, “a group of everyday cyclists based in Taunton who enjoy exploring the countryside, passing the miles with banter and laughs, and supporting local coffee shops and pubs on the way!”

The club has around 100 members, about half of which are women, with some ladies-only rides during the summer.

There is also a ‘Returners’ group, which caters for those who have not ridden for a while nor participated as a group, and it has brought on a number of relative novices through to the main group rides.

For details, get in touch via cyclesomerset.tidyhq.com.

Minehead Cycling Club, meanwhile, meet at West Somerset School on Sunday mornings, with groups doing varying distances and speeds, and a ladies group which meets on Wednesdays.

The club can accommodate riders aged 13-80+, providing they have their own bike and safety helmet, and also runs events including the Minehead Grand Prix and Porlock Hill Climb.

To join the club, contact Andy King (andyking201@gmail.com) or membership secretary Janet Hewlett (allercott@gmail.com).

Then there’s Wellington Wheelers, which meets every Sunday morning in the Longforth Road Coach Park – details of the groups can be found at wellingtonwheelers.co.uk/who-can-ride.

The club hopes to cater for juniors in the future, but for now it is an adult-only club – albeit one which is friendly and welcomes new members of all abilities, both on rides and for regular social events, as this is a major part of the club.

Contact the Wheelers via the website or wellywheelers@gmail.com.

Finally, back into the pool, as we turn to water polo.

The sport is one of the fastest growing in the UK, and Taunton Deane Water Polo Club is the fastest growing team in the South West.

Bryan White explains: “If you combine the physicality of football, the grappling in wrestling, the endurance of long-distance running, the fighting in hockey, the offensive and defensive skills of basketball, the fandom of soccer and, of course, some swimming, that’s water polo.”

Players can start from age eight (providing they can swim), and some of the club’s members are in their 50s, with the club containing both rookies and players who represent the South West.

The club has two sessions a week (Sundays and Thursdays), and for more details on those, contact tauntonwaterpolo@outlook.com or visit facebook.com/TauntonDeanewaterpolo.

Have we missed out your sport? To feature your club, get in touch with us at sport@countygazette.co.uk