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I've got a Decathlon 2 person inflatable 'kayak' and a 11ft SUP. I was considering driving to Goodrich, walking to Kerne bridge, inflating the devices, paddling down to Huntsham Bridge then walking back to the car either with our without the inflatables.
I read that there were access issues at these bridges, anyone know if that's still the case?
There are apparently rapids at Symmond's Yat, but in the pictures they don't look like much. Is attempting them in an inflatable kayak going to end in a swim? Is bobbing down them on a paddleboard going to end with me falling off and breaking my arm or leg by jamming it in a rock or something bad? Am I an idiot?
Looks like about 5 miles on the river - how long would it take?
There are apparently rapids at Symmond’s Yat, but in the pictures they don’t look like much
Nearly forty years ago they were highly exciting and fun for a thirteen year old me on a PGL holiday with no canoeing experience. I think that as you are asking about them you will also find them rather more exciting once you enter them on your inflatables 😀
You should only consider paddleboarding on moving water with a quick release waist leash attatched to your pfd or a waist belt, NEVER a leg mounted leash. It takes far less flow than you have on a grade 2 to trap you either side of a boulder, board on one side, you on another pointing downstream with no way of reaching your ankle to release the leash. Several people have died this way, including someone this summer on a strong tide who went either side of a buoy chain.
Id prrobably wear a helmet as well for that bit.
As for the kayak/canoe you'll be fine.
Symmond’s Yat depends on the river level. High enough and it just washes out. But even at lower levels just keep to the middle and you will be fine. Good advice above on the leash! I’ve seen people paddle down it in little rubber dinghys and inner tubes, most of them survived 😉
🙂
Good advice re the leash ta.
I've done kayaking before on the Wye and bigger rapids nearly 30 years ago but my kids haven't. They definitely need flat water practice first. I also will probably scout it out first somehow perhaps on my bike. Not sure @SaxonRider is well enough...
At the moment the Wye is so low that it would be more paddling than paddling. If you get my drift.
I have been through the symonds yat rapids 4 up on an inflatable octopus dinghy (approx 30 yrs ago) and I've also paddled it a few times in a loaded Canadian. it's nothing special but like anytime on the water you need to make sure you take care and wear a pfd etc. the smallest things can catch you out .
Last weekend I paddleboarded from Lydney down to Monmouth, including the mighty Symonds Yat.
I had to park in Monmouth and get a taxi up to Lydney as the bus service was not great.
Just under 13 miles, and it took me 4.45 hours with some stopping for lunch and looking at stuff.
As someone said above, it's low at the moment. There were several sections where I basically got off and walked before I ripped my fin off.
When I got to Symonds Yat rapids(which I've kayaked before several times) I stopped above and took my fin off, then went down it kneeling.
There were loads of kayakers on it and I didn't want to stack it in front of them when they probably already hated me for being on a paddleboard 😂
I got to Monmouth and then paddled upstream back to the van on the river Monnow.
When I say paddled, I mean walked... Very shallow.
I was quite struck actually how I basically saw no fish on my trip.
Stark contrast to paddling a lot on the Warwickshire Avon recently where I've seen loads.
Sadly I think the Wye isn't as clean as it could be.
Near the end, the river was very wide, and had a horrible head wind and I could barely get anywhere.
I then unexpectedly hit a shallow bit, my fin caught and I went flying into less than a foot of water but mainly rocks.
My knees didn't enjoy it 😭
There are apparently rapids at Symmond’s Yat
You won't do them Kerne bridge to Huntsham bridge. That's further downstream.
Last weekend I paddleboarded from Lydney down to Monmouth, including the mighty Symonds Yat.
I don't think you mean Lydney, do you ? Lydney's on the Severn, not the Wye. Lydford ??
Looks like a fun trip though
Lydbrook, I would imagine. Or Lydbrook-on-sea as it has become known recently.
I was quite struck actually how I basically saw no fish on my trip.
Stark contrast to paddling a lot on the Warwickshire Avon recently where I’ve seen loads.
Lots of chicken farms in the Wye valley. Whilst the farm buildings contain all the chicken waste when they are cleared out there’s a lot of guano to get rid of. I understand that this mostly involves spreading on fields as fertiliser, but even if it’s piled somewhere prior to final disposal any rain water run-off washes it into the watercourse.
I don’t think you mean Lydney, do you ? Lydney’s on the Severn, not the Wye
Oops yeah, Lydbrook.
this mostly involves spreading on fields as fertiliser, but even if it’s piled somewhere prior to final disposal any rain water run-off washes it into the watercourse.
Yeah there's a documentary kicking about that supports this. There's a lady they call the wild woman of the Wye who swims in it most days and she campaigns against the falling water quality.
Terrible 😓
She does look a funny colour to be fair.
OP asked about access at the bridges. There are footpaths on the OS map but the banks are quite vegetated and the whole of the Wye has had so much paddling traffic landowners may be sensitive to people leaving the path. We looked at Kerne Bridge as a put in point for open canoes but it looked tricky. There's a launch point about 500m downstream on the left bank, it may be owned by a rafting company so there might be a charge. Don't know about Huntsham Bridge.
Having said that, Google maps aerial shows what look like canoes on the ground next to both bridges, but Streetview the locations look overgrown.
Kerne bridge is fine for open canoes.
A lot of the trip companies run from there.
Edit- unless you mean the ACTUAL kerne bridge? The car park and official canoe launch is known as Kerne bridge too as it's very near.
Good effort @kayak23 !
I'm knackered after about 1hr30 on mine! So that is impressive. But I'm stll new too it, so probably waste a lot of energy being tense.
I had the river bed strike > fall > landing in the rocks too! Bought a river fin now.
My closest water is jsut 5 mins from home, the Nadder (which becomes Avon) in Salisbury. It's a pretty area, but very shallow in places. Loads of fish, chalke streams around there so really clear.
My dad recently bought a Silver Birch open canoe (he won't grow up). I've been out on that with him twice. That is really lovely! I think my next purchase will be an open canoe
My dad recently bought a Silver Birch open canoe (he won’t grow up). I’ve been out on that with him twice. That is really lovely!
Wow I bet.
I wouldn't want to be dragging that over a load of rocks!
Bought a river fin now.
A what now?
Presumably a lower profile fin?
I was amazed actually when I took the central fin off, just how horrendous the straight line tracking was on the board.
Makes a huge difference.
My closest water is jsut 5 mins from home, the Nadder (which becomes Avon) in Salisbury. It’s a pretty area, but very shallow in places. Loads of fish, chalke streams around there so really clear.
Sounds lovely.
I'm really enjoying the paddleboard.
It's quite different from taking a whitewater kayak on flat water which is a bit of a pig to paddle any distance.
My Canadian canoe is massive and bulky so I love the fact I can shove everything I need in a big backpack and get a bus to the put in. 😊🤘
Are fin mounts standard? My stuff is from Decathlon and the fins are rigid.
On the subject of boats, I want either or both of these, they look brilliant:
Presumably a lower profile fin?
Yeah, around 4" as opposed to 8" that it came with. Seems to make a good enough differnce to what I can risk drifitng over.
I love the fact I can shove everything I need in a big backpack
Yeah that's the primary appeal. I take mine in the boot to work, and try different locations around the area on the way home. Mine is actually really heavy though. I bought a Bluefin 10.8 cruise. It's too heavy to walk far. I took it down to Lulworth Cove when we had a family day out with the kids, around 20 min walk and I was dying!
Are fin mounts standard?
No, well kind of. Mine is "quick-lock", quite a few boards use that type - Jobe, Bluefin, iRocker etc. The other main type is US Box. But some boards have fins that are not interchangeable