Beautiful week in the highlands recently. Lots of walking but did manage to steal a couple of short paddles on the sup.
Bit windy on the lochs for sup to be honest but great to be out.
Me and Harold had a short trip around an island on Loch Leven. Paddling back into the headwind was a mission. Had to be on my knees and the waves were scaring the dog so he was locked back into me as tight as he could! Made paddling very difficult π
Seal island
Then back on βShakespeareβs Avonβ this weekend. Iβve been paddling sections of it from source to Severn when I can, and although Iβve got a little bit left from Rugby to Warwick when river levels come up a bit, yesterday I paddled from Eckington bridge to when the Avon joins the Severn at Tewkesbury, so having paddled everything from Warwick to the Severn, thatβs all of the βnavigableβ Avon done.
Absolutely stunning paddle and made even better by sleeping in a ditch, or βwild campingβ as the kids are calling it, right next to the river upstream of Eckington bridge. ππ
Paddling at dusk to find a camp spot by the river
5am and packing up to beat the heat, and also because my sleeping mat has a puncture!
Getting on the river at 5.45am with my gear
Eckington bridge. Stunning and serene at 6am
Sun rising over Bredon Hill
The majestic M5
Bit of wake action
Floating into Tewkesbury
Borough Flour Mill in Tewkesbury.
Amazing building and totally on the wonk
The very end of the river Avon as it flows into the mighty Severn
Crossing the official painted line where the Avon ends and the Severn continues
Dragon pedelo in Upper Lode locks on the Severn. They were doing a charity pedelo down the Severn
My finish at Lower Lode picnic spot***
Strava or it didnβt happen
***Weird thing happened here. I was sat on the landing platform of Cheltenham boat club on river left. Had my board in front of me and my feet on it about a foot or so below the landing platform.
I then crossed the river for a cold drink at the Lode Inn(non-alcoholic)
When I came back across the river, the landing stage was submerged, the river level having come up maybe 2 feet.
I canβt explain this. Itβs not tidal there* and the river is massive wide, no way the lock above could do that.
Any ideas?
*Edit β Just read that the Severn can have a tidal reach as far as Tewkesbury, so it must be that. Woahβ¦