This trip started with a bang (or for at least one of our number, a splash), with a very shootable weir barely 20 yards from our starting point at Fladbury. All members attempted it, in a variety of craft (tandem and solo open boats and kayaks). Many chose the long man-made concrete slope into the water below, but I opted, along with our Chairman, for a fish chute just next to it – my first experience of one. Apparently, squealing like a child on a roller-coaster is not mandatory, but I felt it was needed.
Matt Taylor would like me to record that he was not the first person on the trip to take a swim, but it is fair to say that his exit off the weir was possibly a little less than graceful.
There was a little time for those in Kayaks to play in the weir before the group moved off.
Wind was certainly a feature for the trip (of the weather kind only – Dave’s camping stove at the lunch stop was only used to heat soup and not beans, fortunately), and there were times when you had to paddle just to keep still. That said, HCC members are made of stern stuff and everyone finished trip, even if some of the kayaks were abandoned in favour of tandem paddling of open boats. I also found taking the “racing line” around those meandering river bends also helped, although on at least one occasion my co-pilot in his open boat had to remind me that I drive a Volvo and not a formula one car.
From Fladbury we passed into Wyre Piddle and after only a short pause to enjoy the scenery and titter at the name, we had another weir to shoot. Again, another concrete chute, made a little more interesting by rocks at the bottom which also provided another inevitable playground for those of us in kayaks.
The wind decided it needed company and was joined by light rain for a time, but the scenery was lovely. Some eagle eyed members spotted deer grazing, and the bad weather conditions meant that we were undisturbed by larger craft or anglers (we were the only ones mad enough to be out!).
After more damp, furious paddling we came upon our third weir. A more technical descent with the current flow, it was deemed suitable for kayaks only. This robbed a certain Member of his chance to even the score after a previous encounter, but provided a fun but tricky descent for those who were brave enough to try it. One particularly interesting decent was performed by Paul Ingley – not sure I have ever seen a kayak do a belly flop before. Not quite trusting my own rock hopping skills, I opted for a somewhat intrepid seal launch, down a bank into a tree. Not sure the BCU advice for such an entry would have ever included the line “Make sure you cover your face, bab!” but I was grateful to Dave nonetheless.
A lunch stop was necessary to fortify ourselves for the five mile stretch to the next and final weir. Wind and light rain parted company for a while, only to be replaced by lots of wind and lots of rain a short time later. The scenery remained very lovely though, and we managed to keep going at a fairly good pace.
The final weir was again for kayaks only except Dale in his open boat who did the biggest high brace ever seen. Having been advised to hit the weir at speed so as to push through the stopper wave at the bottom, I had to again call upon bouts of girly squealing but the end result was successful if not dignified.
A short final stretch with some interesting navigation around some sunken trees led us to the end of the trip. After the obligatory stripping off in the car park and discussions about the best way to strap a boat to the roof of your car, everyone headed home. Thanks to everyone for making what could have been a very difficult trip good fun!
Rhiannon Laura Davies