An advanced trip was posted to run Duddon or Rawthey as it’s been a while since I’d done either. A usual morning scan on levels and although Duddon was at a good level it was going down so a decision to meet in Sedburgh was taken.
Steve, Rhod and myself in the end, a small group but ideal really. Steve had already had a look at the Rawthey and concluded it could be quite spicy. We agreed and went up to Fairfield Mill cafe, to inspect the Clough.
This looked good so Clough it is then.
This is not a river I’ve done many times and in Rhods case it was his first, so it fell to Steve to lead us down.
At the put in we met another group of three and decided to let them go ahead, we were to leap frog them later in the gorge.
Compared to previous times the water was flowing much faster and it was still raining, at times heavy. The clouds were heavy and it was dull and cold, my hands were really feeling it.
The river starts with a gentle warm up before a series of ledges grip your attention. The third we inspected as it had a river wide retentive hole so good speed and a boof would be required.
This safely negotiated we carried on with lots of interest before arriving at a rapid leading to the bridge and the start of the gorge.
The gorge is narrow and fast with the water swirling and lapping of the sides making your kayak quite twitchy. This finishes with a couple of drops the latter very sticky. Steve led us through, I managed to somehow eddy out just before the last drop, killing my speed and allowing Rhod to catch me up. A roll therefore required in all the melee.
After this more grade 3 and a few fallen trees to avoid before arriving at a broken weir. Here the line was hard left as again there was a strong tow back river wide. On then to the many step/ ledge section, past the cafe and off the last drop to join the Rawthey.
Brilliant run with perfect levels. Hard to say exactly what the level was as the gauge is further down the Rawthey at Brigflats but it had us at 1.7 or thereabouts.
Looking at the put in again though I estimate it had gone up by 250mm.
Paddlers Steve Edmondson, Rhod Vaughan and myself Mark McGuire.
Mike H, Graeme, Rachel, Martin, Tom, Rob H John S and Julian enjoyed very day out on the Border Esk, Starting from Canonbie with the gauge showing 0.77 the flow was good.
The km passed by with idle chatter and the occasional small rapid with a few play waves to enjoy. Lunch was taken near an old church. Winds were predicted to be 4 gusting 6, however a gusty 3 was all we encountered.
The tranquility after lunch was interrupted by very loud bangs attempting to unfly pheasants. They din’t seem too successful.
At Longtown much longer rapid with a few play waves brought us to our egress at at a shingle bank.
After cafe chat just 200m from the egress. All were happy at having made the effort, this is what easy river trips should be.
Lune Bridge (higher up gauge, near Tebay): 0.81 to 0.84
Killington (used for classic Low Gill to Killington section): 0.68 to 0.70
Leader P Riley.
Because of rain overnight there had been a lot of discussion, behind the scenes, between more knowledgeable people than me about which river to pick. Eventually it was decided upon the upper upper lune as it may stay lower lower than other rivers around and even if it didn’t it was ONLY grade 2.
We assembled at Killington Bridge and on Pete’s insistence loaded 5 cars on to his roof rack, good job my boats only small.
We set off to drop the cars at a church just off Howgill Lane, passing a nearby farm which was to be our get out. It was a biblical scene and we almost expected expect to find a baby in the barn.
All in to Pete car we set off for the put in. We encounter a grade 4 bridge on the way and had a bit of a bumpy ride before we even got on the water.
We had a brief discussion on river signals before we put on so everyone knew what to expect.
The put it was just below the grade 4 rapids and a lovely trip followed. It was ideal for me as I could practice eddy hopping ( or hoping) and rock avoidance in less challenging water than of late.
The weather remained a little damp and misty but we had our Christmas Party cosily in a shelter provided by Pete.
Back on the river a more challenging rapid had a few of us bouncing in the air of a submerged rock.
Past the usual put in for the upper lune we continued into a more meaty rapid. I wimped out of breaking out along the way and ran it down to the get out just above the footbridge.
We carried our boats up to the farm and exchanged a few pleasantries with the farmer, no really.
Soon we were all back at the put in for our goodbyes.
A nice day out on not a nice day out and a good choice for the conditions.
Thanks for leading Pete.
Thanks Rachael, Martin, and Paul for the company.
Thanks for organising Alex, shame you didn’t make it.
It should’ve been a Roa Island to Piel Island Christmas paddle but a southwesterly 5 gusting 6 over a spring tide put paid to that, so plan B it was: Windermere. Fell Foot for put-in is a nice choice for a winter paddle with the prospect of a warm café social at the end. Though we were forgetting the Saturday morning park run, which was being dismantled as we arrived resulting in our cars being split between the south and north end of the site. So, after a bit of a hiatus getting the group together on the water in one place, we set off along the east side with skegs deployed in a brisk following wind.
As always with Lakeland lakes in windy conditions, there’s a hazard of strong gusts concentrated by the surrounding high fells, and that’s indeed what we got. Though, offering a good opportunity for practicing manoeuvring in wind, a circumnavigation of Blake Holme had us turning into, across and down wind. However, with a lengthening fetch as we proceeded up the lake the choppiness on the east side increased, so we crossed to the relative shelter of the west side for lunch at the choice spot of Grubbins Point (and mince pies courtesy of Liz and Charles).
Despite an up-wind return, the tree-lined west shore provided sheltered paddling back to Fell Foot for coffee & cake at the Boathouse Café, regaled by a robin chattering away in the café’s Christmas tree.
Paddlers: Giles Wilson (organiser), Rob Gregory (leader), John Soady (leader), Andy Murphy (leader), Tony Furniss, Dan Farley, Malcolm Wray, Liz Cowell, Charles Eggleston, Graeme Wild, Richard Mercer.
After rather too much speculation about water levels, once again the Lower Rawthey came up with the goods. It was a nice level at 1.18m when we set off dropping to 1.11m by the time we got off. Though it felt like roughly half of this water was coming from Dentdale down the River Dee.
A relatively uneventful trip with only one roll. A bit less playing than usual, so it only took us three and a half hours this time.
Thanks to Rachel, Stephen Blackwell, Mark Gledhill, Shaw Brown and Paul Jackson for the excellent company.
The day started with most people trying to work out the quickest way to the get in and various routes taken, Newlands proving to be the quickest. The drop off location was relatively small, so a quick kayak and kit drop then move to the get out and wait for a shuttle. Due to the various routes used, some people were able to provide shuttle lifts before even getting to the start themselves. While final shuttles were being ran, everyone helped to move the kayaks down to the lake shore. Once again, my 11-foot kayak looked tiny among all the longer touring/sea boats.
Once we all assembled a safety briefing was given by Mike S and we split into 3 groups to start with and all meet before heading to the river. During the briefing we were visited by a bat, which had obviously forgotten what time of day it was. We had a leisurely paddle around Buttermere, heading southeast around the bays before crossing back towards the start point and following the shoreline northwest and around to the start of the river section, Buttermere Dubs. The leaders went to inspect the first section of the river and then headed down stream to provide warnings and safety cover.
From the shore the river sounded like a raging torrent, but this turned out to be the steeper Sourmilk Gill entering Buttermere next to the start of Buttermere Dubs. We descended the river in small groups putting into practice the various skills learned from previous trips. The river was very narrow in places, and this is where my 11-foot boat came into its own, making breaking in and out of eddies easy.
Once all the paddlers had navigated the river onto Crummock Water, an early lunch stop was called, and a beach found. Mince pies and sweets were shared before we headed off to explore Crummock. We headed north, along the eastern shoreline into a strong headwind, the groups mixed at this point, allowing everyone to speak to different people. A leisurely pace was taken, knowing that we had a tailwind for the return journey. We paddled to the start of the river Cocker before most paddlers got beached on the return journey. A direct route back to the vehicles was taken due to the diminishing light.
Thank you to the leaders and coordinators for organising.
Mike H, Dave H, Brian, Mark Mc John H and Pete B spent 17 days in Nepal paddling the Sun Kosi, and Tamur rivers.
This was more than just a paddling adventure, so snippets of shared thoughts form the whole team are combined to give a flavour of what we experienced.
Our first campsite was on a lovely sandy beach, and this proved to be the case every day. The rivers have shaped themselves over the many years and have provided the perfect campsites.Drift wood collected for camp fire and chores done just in time before we lost the light. Sun setting around 5.30pm.
The Sun Kosi runs west to east down the spine of Nepal and even at these low levels is a mighty river with huge volume. The next day we stopped for lunch just before Harkapur rapid. This intimidating rapid is a result of the wide river being squeezed between rock face and boulders. I inspected and decided on my line, however I was turned round part way down and ended up running nearly half of it backwards.
Monkeys were seen more frequently as we left the nearby road behind. More small villages and children making their way to school, crossing the river on wagon inner tubes!
The Tamur , our second river river definitely feels more remote and the sense of adventure really kicks in. Every campsite was as beautiful as the last and lying in your tent looking up at the stars was amazing.The last couple of days really increases in difficulty, and inspections were more common. I can’t remember their names, not all rapids had them, but standing on the river bank looking down at your lines really heightened your senses.
Overall I had one swim and about six rolls in anger during the whole trip. It would have been good to have not swam at all but the sheer force and power of the Himalayan water is really something.
Our last camp was at the confluence with the Sun Kosi, we enjoyed our last day and night mixing with the locals, enjoying a beer or two and cake, cooked by Dip, wow.delicious. So this was the end of my Nepal experience. I can honestly say without a doubt I would return in a heartbeat. The people, the rivers and the scenery were just perfect.
It’s only when you get home that you have time to reflect, and echoing in my head were the words “Well it’s a long way from the Cocker” and I couldn’t agree more. What a journey it’s been so far and who knows what lies around the next corner.
Trips away just give you that time for reflection, a move away from the normal routines of life, get up at first light, asleep just after dark.I never really sleep all the way through and often have an hour or so awake in the night. A good time to reflect. There is lots to think about, sometimes if a big rapid is coming up tomorrow – maybe a little apprehension, if it has gone well, a nice glowing feeling. I always think of loved ones at home, both human and canine, and thoughts move on to the many humans and dogs come to visit us during our camp. Both I suspect are looking for food and I am not sure about getting too close to either. But we chat with what little English we have in common and watch them going to school across the river on an old inner tube and makeshift paddle.
The pools are 80m wide flowing fast, the drops ride up to 300m long, grade 3 they say or maybe 4, with trains of waves 4 to 5 feet high, occasionally more, add breaking tops and the odd hidden hole, oh, oh don’t go there! And eddies lines are occasionally metres wide boils.
Our groundhog day becomes food, paddle, food, paddle, tea, soup, dinner, lie on the sand in shorts around the driftwood fire gazing at clear skies. 10.00 p.m. the last of us slip to slumber. Only subtle changes in green and ochre landscape and the arrangement of waves differ each day. Very few rapids need inspection, most go on sight. A common theme seems float the top of each confusion, see 80m of deep water funnel into exploding wave trains…. Think I can see a route…… but the idea of going down there seems so ridiculous, but so much fun.
Harkapur is a notable rapid, Changed by the Monsoon rains the river width reduces & the gradient increases. It is fast, looks big (is big) & is certainly a little daunting. After inspecting it, as with any rapid, you make a decision, take a breath & commit. This was helped by Dip saying “Yep, you’ll be ok.”. Trusting the judgement of a guide is a strange thing but he has seen you paddle & if he has faith in your ability and is happy to sort out a swim, if it happens, then take that onboard & make the call.
Each evening was a process of erecting our tents, gathering fire wood, digging the toilet & helping out where we could whilst letting Dip, Cem & Setu work their magic. What can be produced on 2 gas rings on a beach next to a river is astounding. OK the ambiance helps but what they created was as good, if not better than I’ve eaten in any restaurant. Then an evening around a fire watching the stars, lucky with the weather & cool but not cold. We all had our own little routines & it was lovely the way we drifted around each other like fire sparks in the darkness.
For me, Nepal was never just about the paddling, though the chance to experience ‘big water’ was certainly an enticement. I’d anticipated an ‘adventure’, and that was what we got, from start to finish. I was last in Nepal in 1982 and remember vividly the colourful sights, noise and apparent chaos of Kathmandu and other towns. Thankfully none of this has changed, particularly the anarchic approach to driving. The journeys to our two rivers formed a key part of the experience.
Once on river the `Big Water` more than met my expectations. It was both exhilarating and intimidating with the ability to seriously question my paddling confidence. With the sound of the river reverberating through our river-beach campsites, sleep was often interrupted by dark thoughts of the rapids to come and my ability to cope; am I competent or not?! However, we were a strong and coherent team, LCC together with our Nepali guides, and everyone pulled together when things went awry. Advice and encouragement was freely given, my technique slowly adapted, and apprehension turned to occasional delight – mine mostly, but I also sensed a shared pleasure in my success.
We had a wonderful adventure, I’ve never been to Nepal before, Kathmandu was as busy, crazy and colourful as I’d hoped, the crew guided us to sights and views that were stunning. The real adventure began after the Sunkoshi, an afternoon in Dhranan; which is not a tourist town, chickens in cages next door to trendy cafes, with monkeys and cows roaming the busy streets. Now imagine five, middle aged white guys with stiff shoulders looking for massages. What a hoot! Then onward, the ‘new road’ up the Tamur, it will be a new road in fifteen years or so, when it’s finished. The delay then took us over passes with sun set views of the Himalayan giants, Kanchenjunga and Makalu to then be benighted in a small bazaar. The hotel, which was more like a house with a spare room, had never ever had foreign guests, our guides got them organised, helped them with the cooking and we all had an unforgettable evening. Feedback on this “add it to the itinerary it was fantastic“.
The final adventure, internal flights, the 23hr. delay was pushing our luck to get back for the flight home, but hey, that’s adventure.
Admittedly, I had pre-race nerves. I haven’t done a great deal of WW this year and I had committed to a day with the notoriously straight talking instructor Sean McGrath (that’s not an insult – I like straight talking) and was to receive input in the company of club kayaking gods: 5 star Mike Fletcher; ‘King of the River’ Steve Ed; and the quietly very competent and skilful Rachel.
We went to the Leven, running at 1.24, which is a fraction lower than ‘high’ on River Predictor. Never particularly hard, but definitely always powerful.
We did numerous exercises, under Sean’s guidance, on the various obstacles and features, repeating where appropriate.
Backbarrow rapid was raging. And the 25 minute pre-run dissection of potential lines and theoretical application of the day’s learning (although technically developmental) created some uncertainty about the future of my lunch, which I had enjoyed only an hour previously. However, despite the ferociousness of it’s bark, today, Backbarrow’s bite was actually a mere gentle, toothless nuzzling.
What a great day, with likeminded, team spirited club mates. I think we all learned a few things. I certainly did, and also managed not to disgrace myself. For that matter no-one did. At 8 deg C, no wind and the sun breaking through occasionally, we couldn’t have asked for any more. And possibly a record for most of us; a 5 hour descent of what is probably possible in 30 minutes!
Thanks to Sean for competently guiding the day along, to Mike and Rachel for being there (and for the only photos of the day), and special thanks to Steve for rescuing me from the strong grip of the weir above the put-in.
BrianC was more awake than the rest of us at the Sedbergh put in, his body clock many hours ahead of ours thanks to his recent Nepalese trip.
We were soon woken up when Brian demonstrated boof strokes while successfully balancing on top of a wobbly upside-down kayak, thankful that he didn’t make us replicate.
We all took the first weir down the fish slide taking care with our paddle placements, SteveB getting the award for the deepest plunge curtesy of his low volume Burn.
Lots of eddy hopping practice behind boulders (there was plenty to choose from).
The low water opened new lines (for me), the weir at Birks ran nicely through the middle with the usual options looking very low.
The rapids below Birks footbridge required deft paddle work to avoid rocks, BrianC showing it was possible but the rest of us had varied success.
The usual play wave was still good fun, with less power than usual it felt less intimidating to get sidewise in, the rest of group dropped the hint it was time to move on (it seems as though I have a reputation).
Onwards to Railway Falls, we were treated to a couple from Carlisle Canoe Club demonstrating good and not so good lines.
Brian demonstrated the line, we tried to emulate but in my case, I scored max points for rocks hit (both times), PaulJ had the smoothest trip down and was well chuffed with that.
We were then treated to the great privilege of being led down the river for a considerable distance by an otter, great for us but probably rather irritating for the otter.
The sun shone, the Howgills looking lovely and an otter to finish the day, the paddling wasn’t bad too 😊.
Thanks to BrianC for leading and AlexD for organising.
Participants, Ian McCrerie, Chris Dale, Steve Edmundson, Conrad Leather.
Always a difficult decision deciding on where to paddle when most water has dropped off, there’s always the Leven and rivers farther afield that involve travelling and fitting in with the meagre daylight hours.
As a long journey didn’t appeal two of todays victims suggested the Kent as it was close and an ok level (Just) so River Kent it was.
A little confusion to start with meeting at the egress but soon sorted, off to Scroggs weir we went, a little scrappy to start with but soon improved.
It was mentioned at the outset that the Sun was very low and bright, at this time of year would normally been very welcome, however when you’re approaching significant rapids and it is blinding wiping out most vision it can be entertaining!
All in all a great run with some wave surfing being undertaken, all rapids negotiated successfully even Force falls with full Sun in our faces with one roll required in the froth at the bottom.
Thanks to Conrad, Steve & Chris for your company on the river.
Lakeland Canoe Club 