Trip Reports

When the club runs a trip we always try and get somebody to do a write up their experience.

So if you are thinking of coming along on one of our trips, or your memory just need a little prod, then they are all archived away.

We went to Symonds Yat October the 5th. After a difficult early wake up, we were happy to see that the 4 kayaks were strongly hold on the roof, we were a bit anxious as it was the first time we carried some, but the journey went very well. It was quite cold when we arrived at the Yat, but then luckily the weather was nice all day, and even though it wasn’t sunny, it was reasonably warm and dry for October. Once we got dressed in the club perfect outfit for beginners (see photo and yes, you can laugh…), we were ready to cope in the “moving water”.

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On Friday 9th February the Wokingham Canoe club went off to Camarthanshire for a trip on the river Teifi. We stayed at a bunkhouse a few miles away, paddled about 10 miles on the Saturday, paddled around about ½ a mile on the Sunday and came home.

That is what happened over the weekend if you are looking for the bare facts, but perhaps a little more detail could be added.

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Saturday – it really wasn’t all about the swims!
Twas a wet, rainy and strangely mild January weekend when an intrepid group set off to paddle the Dart Loop. The eleven kayakers split into two groups, led by Roger and Marion. The water level was middling to high after all the rain, so some swimming was anticipated by some.

The first swim happened before we got to the bridge at the bottom of the car park. This was soon followed by an eskimo rescue – the river was at a ‘testing’ level. We paddled down stopping at most features to play (or swim!).

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This was my first trip since joining the club in the Summer. For me it was an opportunity for father & son to practice the skills we learnt over the summer.

30 paddlers turned up in Newbury with canoes of all shapes and sizes. There were families with young children and adults of mixed abilities. As a group we paddled to Woolhampton and experienced the “fun” of portaging the numerous locks on the route. It was a pity that the Rowbarge Inn at the finish point was closed as we were all in need of refreshment.

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Sunday 17th was a cold, crisp December morning. We dragged ourselves out from under the duvet and peered through the curtains. The sky was blue, so we thought “Drat – even the weather won’t provide us with a get-out. Better have breakfast and get going.”

I expect similar thoughts went through the minds of many others, but by a little after 10am the second crowd of the day rapidly assembled at Newbury Wharf, to join a vast flock of swans and assorted other birds. What a sight!

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On 7th October a group of 18 from Wokingham Canoe club travelled to Symonds Yat on the river Wye for an introduction to moving water. After a week of heavy rain the river level was high but the weekend itself was dry and mostly sunny.

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Sunday 2nd July 2006 a group of 16 of us paddled down the river Thames. We met at the centre at 10:00 and left at around 10:30 in a mixture of kayaks and canoes. So we set off at a leisurely pace.

We went through the first lock which was very interesting if not a little confusing for a person who has never been through a lock before (I still don’t understand how they work).

We went down St Patrick’s stream, bypassing Shiplake lock, trying to avoid the fishermen. Down stream we encountered a fallen tree, but Marion got out and hauled us all over, if she hadn’t done this Steve had a saw just in case! Everyone was looking out for the metal dragon in one of the gardens.

We took a 20 minute break for lunch in Wargrave. Then carried swiftly on, passing lots of lovely houses in Wargrave, I have now found my dream house!!

Through a few more locks and we were on to Henley. This weekend was the finale of Henley Regatta so it was quite busy. It was very entertaining paddling down the side of the racecourse, watching the people moored up to watch the races with their Pimms! And the large boats going past created waves in all directions.

Once through Henley we were on the home straight, to the ‘Flower Pot’ pub where we met the parents who were giving lifts back to the Centre to get the trailer.

The weather was great, and I think we all topped up our tans, while having great fun.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, and thank you to Marion for organising the trip.

by Lisa Symons

Wokingham Canoe Club Trip on the Upper Thames

In the beginning there was just me. I got on to the water from a convenient pub car park just by the bridge in Lechlade at about 8am on Saturday morning, intending to paddle upstream to fill in time before meeting up with the rest of the group at St Johns Lock, barely half a mile downstream. I worked against the current, and turned round in plenty of time to make the rendezvous. As I was passing back by Lechlade Bridge, I stopped to admire what looked like a car club rally in the recreation ground – dozens of vintage MGs and Triumphs. Very pretty they looked in the sunshine.

I went through St Johns Lock, where the lock keeper was very keen to see my licence, and very keen that it should be easily visible for all the other locks. Having explained that I was meeting the rest of the group, I paddled round the moorings, into the weir stream, and back to the lock. Marion rang to say that actually everyone else had decided that it would be easier to go back to Lechlade and paddle down to St Johns Lock, so I tied up my canoe and sat on a convenient bench and dozed until they arrived.

And then there were 9 – Marion and John in her canoe, me, Brian and Tim in canoes and the Lucas family in four kayaks. We paddled on as the sky got greyer, and ended up eating lunch while some sheltered in their boats under a little wooden footbridge and some braved the rain (oh yes – the kayakists had to get out to stretch their legs). The rain through the afternoon was pretty persistent, and there was much putting up of hoods. Landfall was at the Trout Inn at Tadpole Bridge – about 10 miles and 5 locks for the day. The Lucas’ and Tim left, leaving the rest of us to pitch camp. And then there were 4. Happily it had stopped raining by this point. Some cooked and ate al fresco, some ate in the warm, dry pub.

Sunday morning dawned warm and sunny, and the Cascarini’s joined us with their brand new, never got wet before, canoe. As we got sorted and shuttled cars, we were overwhelmed by Weybridge Skiff and Punt Club on their annual childrens outing – about 15 canoes of varying shapes and sizes (and ages), with matching paddlers. They were finally sorted and off just before us. We took things gently, stopping for some coaching along the way (How do you make a brand new canoe go in a straight line?). And then there were 8 – one kayak, one solo canoe, and 3 tandem canoes. We swapped around a bit, with the younger Cascarini’s showing their independence – what’s wrong with baling from the river into the boat? Why can’t I do draw strokes to bring us into the bank when I want to? We stopped at a convenient bit of bank for lunch in the warm sunshine, and Brian’s stove proved it’s worth once again. Steph and Zoe and the boys left us at Bablock Hythe Ferry where they had left their car – and then there were four. We saw the Skiff Club here, who mentioned that they had only had one capsize! We paddled on to Pinkhill Lock, where there is a campsite on the island between the weir and the lock. There is no public access by road, and we had the very pleasant wooded site to ourselves. We sent the oldest member of the party to sort out camping fees, which is probably why we got such a good deal – including use of the recently installed shower in the wooden hut.

One of our number was up at his usual early hour on Monday morning, but the rest of us weren’t much later. Not having cars to shuttle, we were ready and on the water just as the lock keeper came on duty at 9 o’clock. Marion and John left us at a boatyard a mile or so downstream as they apparently had better things to do. And then there were two. Brian and I paddled on towards Oxford, observing how the river had suddenly become much wider, and the weather apparently much windier. We could hear the noise of traffic, and all too soon we were in the town. We went past small terraced houses, smart university buildings, modern offices, lots of university boathouses, and arrived at Donnington Bridge at about midday.

In total, we paddled about 35 miles in 3 days with 11 locks. The weather was as good as could be expected, the company was pleasant, and the organization superb as always (thank-you Marion!). Now when are we going to paddle the rest of the Thames?

David Palfrey
27th – 29th May 2006

Last year we had a very pleasant trip down the river Thame from Stadhampton to the Thames at Dorchester, paddling in the Summer sunshine and pushing our way through the reeds. To get away from the reeds, John Bennell arranged the next paddle earlier in the year – hitting the weekend when the clocks go forward.

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On a chilly March Saturday in Mid Wales, the hardened few set off for Concrete Bridge. Six kayaks and an open launched on to fairly perfect water conditions.

A few gentle rapids and play waves gave way to continuous Grade II with the occasional large boulder to avoid and overhanging trees to catch the unwary.

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