COMMUNITY RIVERS REPORTS GRADES CONTRIBUTE BOOKS SEA

By Stephen Hunt.

(Stephen paddled the length of the Clywedog and Severn - his notes have been included here on the 'Reports' section as they don't quite fit the normal riverguide format)

NAME OF RIVER: Clywedog and Severn

WHERE IS IT?: Mid Wales and England.

PUT-INS/ TAKEOUTS: Put in at road bridge below dam and took out at Stourport.

APPROX LENGTH: 130 miles.

TIME NEEDED: 4 1/2 days.

ACCESS SITUATION: Did not have any problems - even English natives were friendly.

WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: Water levels low between Llandiloes and Welshpool and many 'pull off shales took place - two more inches would have been great. Rain Tuesday night swelled river, but by then was in deeper Severn area.

GRADING:After the Clywedog section mostly 1 or 2.

MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: Major hazards are trees on the Llandiloes to Welshpool section. Two categories - the over hanging sections in the deeper water sections - choice to climb trees or ground in shallows and fallen trees completely block river in fast narrow sections.

Either way it becomes hopeless trying to use paddles - any suggestions other than don't do it?

Little warning of large weir downstream of Newtown and no easy pullout, but can go up bank and around waterworks and use fisherman' spots.

I can't imagine anyone going over that one - OK someone has when it is in flood. Must be mental!

Didn't try the weir at Shrewsbury but had two nice EA men help me carry a well loaded Carolina around the obstruction. Helped them by finding a dunked Renault 5. Wonderful partnerships!

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Anyone else doing longer distance touring? Problem is identifying facilities on land. I use the EA guides but for the major part it means leaving the kayak and going half a mile to nearest pub whilst others play with gear.

CONTRIBUTED BY: Steve Hunt steven.hunt@virgin.net