Ullswater & The River Eamont

The Lakes is a place I like to try and visit a couple of times a year as I enjoy both the paddling and scenery it has to offer. So whilst on one of my trips earlier this year I took the opportunity to revisit Ullswater whilst introducing a few young kayakers to the delights that open boating has to offer. I felt that paddling the entire length of Ullswater followed by an overnight bivy then a trip down some easy grade moving water of the River Eamont was the way ahead.

Ullswater is the second largest lake in the English Lake District. It is approximately 9 miles long and 0.75 miles wide and has a depth of 60 metres. It is said to be one of the most beautiful of the English Lakes and has been compared to Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. The name Ullswater is said to have possibly originated from a Nordic Cheif ‘Ulf” who ruled the area.

One of Ullswater’s interesting facts is that Sir Donald Campbell set the world water speed record on Ullswater on July 23, 1955, when he piloted the jet-propelled hydroplane “Bluebird K7″ to a speed of 202.32 mph (325.53 km/h).

 

We chose to launch at the Southern end of the Lake on the Western shore at the Jetty where the Steamers sail from. Launching here is free although there is a fee for parking. The weather was rather unsettled with strong gusting winds and heavy showers so I was very glad I was wearing my old favorite an Aleutian Cag. Not to be put perturbed  by the conditions we set off trying to get some shelter provided by the many surrounding hills. As we paddled across we had a good view down the lake of what was to come on our journey.

As previously mentioned the winds were quite strong so we decided to harness the effects and rafted our boats together, building a Catamaran style sailing rig. All set and fully briefed with regards safety, man over board etc we were off. The decision was made that due to the speed we were traveling at we would only sail for a short distance so as not to end our days journey by arriving at the end too soon.

We made good time and soon arrived at the far end of the Lake not far from Pooley Bridge. We camped for the night at the Waterside Campsite which I can thoroughly recomend. As usual I opted for a tarp shelter using my boat rather than a tent.

Next morning we set off paddling from the site heading to Pooley Bridge where the River Eamont flows out. This is a very pleasant section of river at a grade 1-2. Overhanging trees being the biggest hazard together with a few weirs, most of which can be run in lower levels but may require inspection at higher levels.

 

 

 

A few drops later and it was time for some lunch near the Eamont Bridge before continuing on down to our finish point at Brougham Castle. This section of the River Eamont is approximately 11km with the option of extending the trip further, as the River Lowther now joins leading on a further 7km to where it joins the River Eden.

Despite the challenging weather a great couple of days paddling were had. I can thoroughly recommend this trip, but  as previously mentioned check the levels before setting off and if in doubt seek some advice. Many thanks to Angus, Maria and Oliva for accompanying me and may be now Ive converted you to wannabe open boaters!

See you on the water…

Jules

www.voyageur-coaching.co.uk

A Different Side of Open Boating

Having paddled open boats of the more traditional variety for many years I recently decided to revisit and explore the world of the White Water Canoe or ‘Spec Boating‘ as it is sometimes referred to.

 

I have been the proud owner of a Mad River Outrage for a number of years and have had  lots of fun and enjoyment paddling it. Although I will say I did clock up a number of hours trying to roll it! It definitely allowed me to take my White Water paddling into new areas, and gave me some new skills to apply to my traditional style of paddling. The boat seen above is a Spanish Fly and paddling this has been like learning to paddle again from scratch.

 

Although still an open canoe these boats take on a somewhat different appearance, being alot shorter in length, have a more pronounced rocker and in some cases quite bold edges. Unlike traditional canoes the boats tend to have a saddle of some form in place of a kneeling thwart together with some kind of strap system to ensure a snug/secure fit and also to allow the boat to be rolled. Another feature of a White water specific specific canoe is that most of the empty space within is occupied by air bags. All these features greatly aid the performance and the fun that can be had by a canoe in a more challenging environment.

 

Having spent more time in it recently its time to move on. In a few weeks I will be visiting the Pyrenees for some trad style boating and hopefully to have some more fun in my WW canoes. Then later this year another trip to the North of Scotland is on the cards. Hope to have some tales of paddling them together with some pictures soon.

See you on the water….

Jules

www.voyageur-coaching.co.uk