Last weekend the weather looked really promising for a walk up Eskdale, and a paddle back down, but with the rain came some really strong winds and a change of plan. After looking at a very empty Torver Beck, we drove over to the Duddon catchment to find levels off the scale. I had never looked at Logan Beck before, and was awestruck when we got there. The water was streaming off the fells and down the river, and this looked like one of the most intense pieces of water in Cumbria. It only took a quick inspection of a small 3 metre waterfall with an interesting lead in, a really boily ‘you won’t get out of this without a throwline and some strong friends to haul you up the vertical wall’ tea-cup eddy pool and then a number of tree blockages down some more fast grade 5 for me to say – “Not today thanks guys!”
Not to be beaten we headed over to Crosby Gill, another Duddon Ditch, that I had also neglected until this point. A quick look at Mega Rapid Z made this seem like a much more interesting, but still fairly full on paddle. As we were on a photo hunting mission (a kayaking / photographer friend of a friend was visiting from lands afar), we just ran this rapid a few times, before heading back to Logan Beck in the hope of lower levels. In the space of an hour or so, levels had dropped a couple of feet, the water was still fast and brown, but far more appealing, and we sessioned the fall until darkness set in, before heading for hot drinks with good friends. The only snag being that we are yet to see the photos. Sunday led me to the Troutbeck, one of the best grade 4 runs in the Lakes, with a beautiful gorge and continuous but spaced interest.
EDIT: SEE http://www.rainchasers.com/rainchasing-blog/crosby-stills-and-cash.html FOR PHOTOS OF DUDDON CREEKING
Then for this weekend, the plan was to go exploring in Swaledale – if the main river was tanking we’d head off to some unrecorded things that we’d looked at for the guidebook. When we got there the river was rising, but was by no means high, so we headed up Whistundale Beck, which is the perfect start to the Swale. At Wainwath, it was obvious the river had risen but we carried on to Rainby anyway. The line was similar to normal flows, only a bit bolder and with more room for error. Jonny jumped in his boat, went off the lip ever so slightly too far left, and got munched. Looking down into the bowl below, there was little we could do. Luckily the lad flushed out nicely, with boat not far behind, and paddle on the wrong side of the river. At this point an executive decision was made to walk away, for the second time in two weeks, and follow the original plan of exploring down the valley.
Walking up Gunnerside Gill. Photo: Matt Bibbings
This led us to Gunnerside Gill, a continuous boulder strewn ditch we had looked at, but doubted would ever find with adequate water. Sundays’ downpour provided more than enough, and we walked up the path, which was flowing itself. The river had few eddies, the odd tree, continuous gradient and the occasional rumble as rocks moved downstream. Further upstream there is a gorge, but when we scouted six months ago, this was tree infested and we didn’t bother walking that high up for this reason. When clear, this will be a lovely spate option for an experienced boater.
Finally we headed to Gayle Beck, which flows through Hawes. This was typically Yorkshiresque, with ledge drops aplenty considering it’s short length. Sadly the rain had stopped, and we had clearly missed the highest levels of the day. All was good, although I ended up with a split, and had the levels been as high as earlier, could have been tempted into Aisgill Force, a 10m fall upstream that awaits a known descent.
Lead in to Mill Falls, Gayle Beck. Photo: Frith Wood
This, in a very round about way, leads me to the theme of this post, ‘Walking Away’. I feel pretty lucky to paddle with friends who I am happy to discuss lines and consequences with, and would have no hesitation or feel embarrassment in saying “not today thanks” to. On the way home, a conversation with a friend who I have only done a limited amount of paddling with highlighted that this was something new to him. I cannot imagine paddling within a group where the dynamic pressured me into taking risks or paddling water that I was not happy with. There is a big difference between friendly banter and gentle persuasion, and feeling forced into doing things you’d rather not. Water and kayaking have many risks, which is one of the draws for many of us, but I’d hate to think people feel they have to run things just to get one up on their friends, tell others they have done X, Y or Z, grade 5 or a drop bigger than that one that you did. Boating rocks, ego sucks. Walk away if it’s not worth it, but friendly persuasion is definitely ok!
Mill Falls, Gayle Beck. Photo: Frith Wood
I’ve had two weekends of really good boating, but walked away twice.
