100 Paddles in England
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INTRODUCTION. This publication sets out to provide the answer to the question “where can I paddle my canoe?”, heard so often from both new club members and independent canoeists. The brief called for the waters to be easy and relatively safe for those with basic skills, to be free from problems with land owners or anglers and to be attractive journeys. No apology is offered for the varying styles included which reflect the individual contributors as much as their rivers. Neither do we apologise for the lack of maps or pictures or for the many waters that the more experienced canoeist might expect to find. This is a first edition and, if canoeists find it useful, it will encourage us to produce an expanded and possibly illustrated further guide. Let us know the name of particular rivers you would like to see included. British Waterways Board require licences for use of their waters but accept the display of British Canoe Union and Welsh Canoeing association membership stickers. Other canals and rivers may require licences in which case details are given in the text. Unlike walking, which is well catered for in England by the many thousands of miles of footpaths, canoeists have very few opportunities to practice their sport without becoming involved with problems of access. It will surprise those who are just entering their canoeing apprenticeship that the majority of rivers in this country are private and they will not be made welcome by some anglers or landowners. The BCU, over many years, have with some success negotiated agreements, which allow access to some private rivers for canoeing. It is essential to note that where agreements have been negotiated the dates and times that the stretch of river is open for canoeing and any other conditions MUST be strictly adhered to, otherwise the future of the agreements is endangered. This arrangement requires that the Regional Access Officer or Local Access Officer is contacted well in advance of any proposed use of such stretches if the paddler is in any way unsure of the terms of the agreement. 1 Local Access Officers (all volunteers) have been appointed for most rivers and up to date contacts can be provided by the British Canoe Union, John Dudderidge House, Adbolton Lane, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 5AS. The information provided is given in good faith but neither the British Canoe Union, the contributors nor the publishers can accept any responsibility for its total accuracy. Every guide book starts to get out of date from the day it is published and canoeists must be prepared to find that conditions have changed. There is no substitute for the inspection of all hazards encountered. This publication is the result of co-operation between the BCU Touring & Recreation Committee and the English Regions Management Committee. We are grateful to the many BCU Regional Officers who have provided the data. Thanks must be recorded to Carel Quaife (BCU National Development Officer) for his encouragement, Mike Twiggs (Chairman BCU Access Committee) for his overall review of the access content and Ralph Tyas (Secretary BCU Touring & Recreation Committee) for his constant advice. Cover design by Richard Gregory. Printed by Claran Press. Compiled by Colin Kempson for, and published by, the Touring & Recreation Committee of the British Canoe Union. Copyright 1993 British Canoe Union. 2 NORTH EAST TYNE Bywell Bridge to Wylam - Grade 2 - 9 kms. O.S. Landranger 87 and 88. This is a pleasant touring stretch, with an occasional Grade 1-2 rapid, and covered by the Tyne Access Agreement. It is open all the year round and there is usually enough water for canoeists to avoid anglers. The Tyne is just moving from very rural to being more urbanised on this stretch. Kms. 0.0 Bywell Bridge. Old stone Road Bridge. Access on left bank downstream. Parking in large passing places. Long straight stretch, road on left bank. River bends to right, then left. Railway embankment high on right. Minor rapids. 5.0 Prudhoe Road Bridge. Prudhoe town on right. Tyne Valley Canoe Club, right bank, and Countryside Park (parking). Good rapid under bridge, keep left. River straight, then bend to right and left. Ruined railway bridge. Minor drops. 9.0 Wylam road bridge. Weir just downstream, 1 m drop. INSPECT (People have drowned here - dangerous in spate). Egress immediately below weir on left or below rapid just downstream also on left. River now becomes tidal. TYNE SOUTH. Haydon Bridge to Hexham - Grade 2 - 13 kms. O.S. Landranger 87. 3 This section of the South Tyne is frequently canoed, as the river is of a respectable size, in grade it is easy - but the Allerwash Gorge makes the scenery very rural, if not spectacular. The trip includes a short section of the river Tyne from the confluence of the North and South Tyne, 3.25 kms down to Hexham. The Access Agreement gives unrestricted canoeing from Nov 1st to April 30th and from May to August but paddlers are asked to keep off in low water (it becomes a bind to canoe anyway). No canoeing September and October. Please do not use any vehicular access apart from those mentioned here otherwise annoyance will be caused to local people. Kms. 0.0 Haydon Bridge, Access is on right bank, downstream of new road bridge, down a short road through some houses to the Football Field. There is plenty of parking here. 1.0 Small drop (weir), followed by Haydon Spa rapid, big and bouncy in spate. 2.0 Shingle rapids, rocky ledges, gorge closes in, railway line on left bank. River valley then widens out. Fourstones village on left. 8.0 Paper Mill left bank, shingle bank on right, Take care not to be swept into left bank. 9.0 Road bridge. Warden village left. 9.75 Piers of old railway bridge, then confluence. 10.5 New A69 concrete road bridge. Rapids after, then piers of old bridge. 13.0 Tyne Green is on right. Landing, cafe, toilets, parking. COQUET Amble upstream to Coquet Lodge Weir and return (tidal). Flat water apart from tidal weir between Warkworth and Amble - return journey is 8 kms. As the stretch is tidal, there are not the access problems encountered on the rest of the Coquet. The last part of the river through Warkworth is 4 wooded and beautiful, and well worth experiencing, and then the estuary flattens out between sand dunes to the east and the coast road to the west. Amble harbour is interesting, but trips out to sea should only be undertaken by competent sea canoeists; the harbour has a bar which is trecherous at low tide and the sea out to Coquet Island is exposed. A trip should be commenced upstream from The Braid, Amble (car parking next to Amble Marina) about 1 hour before high tide. Kms. 0.0 The Braid. Access straight on to estuary. 1.0 Small tidal weir should be completely covered. 2.0 Warkworth Bridge. Landing on left bank above bridge, car parking. Warkworth Castle is on left. Town and castle well worth seeing. River now winds between wooded banks. 3.0 Castle is high above on left bank. 4.0 Coquet Lodge Weir, tidal limit. Return by same route. WEAR Durham to Finchale Abbey - Grade 2 - 9 kms. O.S. Landranger 88. This trip is a North Eastern classic, starting in a picturesque historic city, flowing through a wooded vale and finished at an ancient ruined abbey. Historically there have been no access problems. (There is also very pleasant canoeing around the “Durham Loop”, as the river winds for 3 km from Shinciffe around the Cathedral and Castle to the Durham weirs, but it has not been added to this trip as the weirs are dangerous.) Kms. 0.0 Access via The Sands, a park on right bank, downstream of the Ice Rink. 2.5 Valley sides steeper. Many bends, pleasant wooded countryside. Occasional easy rapids. 5.0 Disused railway viaduct. 5 7.5 Pipe Bridge Rapid on right side of river (Slalom site). Drop more pronounced. Pipe Bridge follows (water pipes). 8.5 Caravan site left bank. Rocky shelves start in river. 9.0 Finchale Abbey footbridge, rapids under (Slalom site). Abbey left, landing left, also car parking, shop and caravan site. TWEED Kelso to Coldstream - Grade 1 (plus two easy weirs) – 20 kms. One portage. O.S. Landranger 74. For this part of the Tweed, the left bank is Scottish, the right bank is Scottish to Carham, then English. This part of the river is very heavily fished for salmon so problems can be avoided by paddling on a Sunday when fishing is prohibited. (Otherwise you will be asked to stop if a fish is being played). Kms. 0.0 Kelso, left bank below bridge, at the Mayfield picnic site and car park. Immediately a long shingle rapid (an old Tweed ‘cauld’ or shallow weir). River has long straights, high banks, agricultural land. 5.0 Weir. 1.25m sloping drop, two smaller broken weirs on left, play waves. Islands below. Portage this weir if in doubt. 10.5 Large bend to right then left. Carham village and church on right bank. 11.0 Weir. Carham Hall right bank. 15.5 Large island. Wark village on right bank. 17.0 Small weir - 0.5m drop. 20.0 Coldstream Town left. 6 KIELDER WATER O.S.Landranger 80. Kielder is the largest man-made lake constructed in the U.K. recently and one of the largest in Europe. It is in N.W.Northumberland, reached by the main N.Tyne valley road from Hexham.