WHATEVER activity you choose this hottest of summer weekends, let there be water.

The shimmer of the sea, a lake, pond or river is something to behold when the sun shines down and it's even better when you interact with it.

We live in Cornwall, where most of the coastline (or at least some sort of water source other than a tap) is accessible within a 20-minute drive.

There's wind-surfing, surfing, kiteboarding, wake boarding, all aboarding (I made that one up), stand-up paddle boarding, gig rowing, sailing, swimming, kneeboarding, kayaking, water skiing and probably several other "ings" that I've missed.

As a child with a blond mullet (hard to believe for a number of reasons these days) I spent day after day of long, hot summer holidays on Holywell Beach. Surfing, surf-skiing and eating TUC cheese biscuits when there was no surf. In fact, eating TUC cheese biscuits when there was surf.

My knees are shot these days (my excuse for not surfing despite living on a beach) and I haven't convinced myself yet that stand-up paddle boarding is the way forward.

For a start it looks a little tedious compared to surfing and secondly, you have to stand up. ALL THE TIME.

No, I like my sporting pursuits to be more leisurely these days. More of a loafer than a surfer.

The irony, of course, is that my knees are so shot because of all the sports I dabbled with in my formative years.

Surfing, football, cricket, golf, table tennis, badminton, tennis, skateboarding (is that a sport?) and almost everything involving a round ball (except squash - bad for the knees, hoho).

Water is famously kind to the limbs. There's no harsh impact (unless you're a rubbish surfer like I was), no sudden jarring and twisting of limbs (unless you're a rubbish surfer like I was) and it is the most energising and simultaneously relaxing experience.

I will play a dusty game of cricket in searing heat tomorrow and wash it down with a cold beer afterwards. That doesn't count as a water sport though, so I'll have to think of something for Sunday....