This last weekend I attended an Advanced White Water Safety & Rescue course up in North Wales. Booked through by Tom Parker and coached by Chris Eastabrook. It’s a while since I’ve done one of these and the BCU have expanded the old one from one to two separate courses since then. The advanced course is billed […]
Read more "Safety First"I spent last weekend up in North Wales with KCC on what I fear might become known as “Simon’s Annual Tryweryn Trip”. Well at least it’ll fit well with “Tony’s Dart Weekend” and “Guy’s Annual Usk Trip“. Anyway with twenty of us we managed to put in a good effort with groups paddling both the Upper and […]
Read more "Fun and games in Wales"This weekend I ventured down to Dartmoor for the annual Pyranha Fest with a few friends from KCC. Saturday saw the Dart hovering around the edge of the ledge and clear blue skies that made the dry suit seem unnecessary, well almost. Taking a punt on the Erme running we headed to Ivybridge and to […]
Read more "Misty Morning"Last weekend was spent down on Dartmoor with Pathfinder Youth Canoe Club were we paddled the rivers Dart, Tavy and Walkham. Despite fears of uber-high water levels everything turned out to be just about the right level for everyone. Everyone came back with there own stories from the weekend some surreal, some scary, but all fun. More […]
Read more "Down with the kids"Me, about to be pummelled. The photo above was taken last week on the River Orchy by Guy Davies. It’s me on ‘Eas a’Chataidh’ just before I back-looped on to the rocks and bashed my head and got pummelled leaving me with a ringing headache. Fortunately no permanent damage seems to of been done to me though […]
Read more "North of the border"Last weekend I and a few friends took advantage of the recent rainfall and headed off to Wales for a spot of paddling. Though I thought it was a bit low, the Upper Tawe didn’t fail to provide thrills and the section from Glynetawe to Abercraf was splendid. As was the lamb in the local pub. In […]
Read more "Tawe"It rained towards the end of last week, but annoyingly stopped before the weekend. Still, I thought, all that rain on Friday should leave some rivers full enough to paddle on Saturday. But where to go? Devon was the obvious answer, the Upper Dart would still be lapping around the bottom of the ledge. But […]
Read more "Levelling Up"Whilst going through a few things I found this article I wrote ages ago and promptly forgot about. It brings back a few memories of an outstanding trip last year and has fired me up for the trips I’ve got planned this year. Just what I needed to get me out of the winter slump. […]
Read more "Norway Without the Gnarl"
I’ve just been skiing on the hill behind our village. Didn’t manage to pick up as much speed as I’d hoped and I can see why ski lifts were invented; walking uphill in ski boots is no fun… (Read More)
Read more "Winter"