The canoes and kayaks are a remarkably versatile craft, and they can open the door to a variety of adventures for you. One of our particular favourites is to pack up the tarp, bung in the bivi and cram in the camping kit, before heading off for a weekend of paddling and camping fun with our paddling mates, partners, kids dogs etc. Don’t worry we know we used the ‘Bush’ word above but we’re not going to insist you grow a beard and then bang on about every little detail of a ‘Ray Mears’ style survival camping epic, after all […]
Discipline
Whitewater Kayaking in the French Alps
We love gear testing, but we hate doing gear tests! Why? Well, gear testing involves putting stuff through its paces out on the water, using it for its designed purpose and generally using and abusing it to see if it stands up to every day use and is good for the job. Putting together a gear test, on the other hand, involves photographing said gear out there in the wilds and in some suitable location. The trouble is, much as the Paddler testers love to get their mugs in front of a fisheye getting the planets of sun, water and […]
Canoe & Kayak Guide to the River Tees
We’re fortunate in the UK to have a breadth of fantastic whitewater rivers, and all with their own unique characteristics, character and flavour. On any given weekend you could be off paddling to Wales, Scotland, the South West or north of England, When the rains come we really are spoilt for choice for quality whitewater runs. Most weekends the question we ask as river runners are not, ‘what should we do?’ But more commonly, ‘where should we go?’ This month we look at one of the UK’s classic runs with a wealth of great whitewater, from waterfalls to fun wave […]
Canoe & Kayak Guide to the Loop section of the River Dart
The Loop (New Bridge to Holme Bridge/Dart Country Park) The middle Dart or the Loop as it’s more commonly known is one of the most popular runs in the UK. It’s fun rapids, mellow nature and beautiful surroundings make it justifiably loved. It’s an ideal river to cut your whitewater teeth on and has a real sense of adventure for canoe clubs and groups. For experts, it offers some fun paddling and some great little playspots. As the level gets higher these play spots get better and better and in super-high water, the Loop become a roaring freight train of […]
Canadian Canoe Group Test
Whether you’re thinking about replacing that old faithful boat, that’s seen one season to many or taking the plunge and purchasing your first canoe, the choice available to the recreational canoeist can be bewildering. To give you a better idea of what’s available we’ve put a dozen of the most popular boats on the market through the Paddler Test Team wringer and combined what we found with some useful buying tips and a little technical info to get you started on quest to find the right boat for you. Venture Canoes Ranger 14 Length: 450cm Width: 90cm Weight: 32kg Material: […]
A- Z Open Canoeing Terms
Open Canoeing is a great fun but there’s an awful lot of jargon that goes on. So the Canoe and Kayak team have put together an Open Canoeing jargon Buster. So if you’re out canoeing on open water or in the whitewater; whether it’s poling or lining you will find the answer here.A B C D E F G I J K L P R S T W A Air bags In an open canoe, airbags like in a kayak become very handy indeed. Because the canoe can cope with a variety of conditions having air bags in the boat allow […]
A Paddler’s Guide to the Afon Conwy
The Afon Conwy is a true North Wales whitewater classic. Draining an enormous area, it holds water for a little longer than some of the other rivers in the area, and the tributaries are classics in themselves. Starting high on the Mignient Moors, it flows and gathers strength to meet the sea on the North Welsh coast. The Conwy is steeped in kayaking history, and has sections for every type of paddler, from placid touring to twisting and powerful gorges. ‘Upper’ Conwy – A5 road bridge to Rhydlanfair Bridge – Grade 3 (4) Above this section of the Conwy, there […]
A Whitewater River Guide to the River Etive
Flowing through the beautiful, rugged Glen Etive, under the impressive shadow of Buachaille Etive Mor, one of Scotland’s best known and best known Munros, the River Etive is rightfully considered one of the absolute classic Scottish whitewater kayaking runs. In fact, alongside the Orchy and the Findhorn, it is probably one of the best known whitewater rivers in all of Scotland. With its rapids bearing emotive names like Triple Drop, Ski Jump, The Letter Box, Crack of Doom, Crack of Dawn, Rockslide and Big Man Falls, the Etive’s smooth boulder gardens, tight constrictions and sweet granite bedrock slides it provide […]