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GUIDE TO THE RIVER BARLE (Tarr Steps to Exe Confluence) NAME OF RIVER: Barle. WHERE IS IT?: The River Barle runs from northern Exmoor (Somerset) south to join the River Exe. It's pretty much drains the opposite side of the hill from the much harder River Lyn. PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: Tarr Steps. It's important to mention that there is no parking by the river - instead, use the tourist car park up the hill.. Egress at Dulverton or Exebridge, see below. Access/egress is also permitted at Marsh Bridge, although the parking is pretty limited. Egressing at Dulverton, use the public car park, not the very limited parking by the get-out. Egressing at Exebridge, park in the large and obvious pub car park, but ask permission please. APPROX LENGTH: 7 miles. TIME NEEDED: 2 hours+. ACCESS SITUATION: Steve Balcombe - 'The access agreement stipulates no paddling above Tarr Steps. This has been the case for at least six or seven years, although the Barle was indeed regularly paddled from Withypool at one time. The access agreement on this river is generally pretty fair, so we wouldn't want to jeopardise it by encouraging anyone to paddle the top section. Access Officer: Tarr Steps to Exbridge is open October - March; Marsh Bridge to Exebridge is also open April.' WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: I have only paddled this in medium/ low levels when you can (just) duck under Tarr Steps and it is graded accordingly. I understand that the difficulty and danger increases somewhat in higher water. GRADING: Grade 2. Again, apparently harder in high water. MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: Trees and weirs. There was a fatality on this river in very high water when an open canoe paddler had difficulties on a weir and also became entangled in tree roots/ branches. This October 1998 event is referred to in Edwin Datschefski's comments below. RICHARD WRIGHT NCKC...'WE PADDLED THE BARLE THIS WEEKEND (4/5 MARCH 2006) IN LOW WATER WENT DOWN THE CENTRE CHANNEL AT THE 3 WAY SPLIT(SS871306) BELOW TARR STEPS, WE DUCKED UNDER A TREE HARD ON RIVER LEFT THAT WOULD BE A PROBLEM IN HIGH WATER. ALSO CUT TREES LEFT IN WATER JUST ABOVE SALMON STEPS. GREAT TRIP. Hazards for the Barle updated (i.e. some removed, some kept) to 26-1-05. Dave Jackson (Exmoor Canoe Club)...'Paddled the Barle Last Sunday 28th Nov 2004 in Low water (level was just above the concrete ramp at Dulverton). There has been a section of bank at Three Waters (GR 872307) collapse and swept away. Where the river splits into three, the central run now has a channel cut under the fallen tree river left. This could prove a pinning issue in higher water as most of the water is pushed under the tree and bank.' Paul Smith (Dec 2003)...'We paddled the Tarr steps to Dulverton section of
the Barle on Sunday 7th December and found a POTENTIALLY FATAL river
wide tree strainer about 1.5Km from the start at Tarr Steps. Edwin Datschefski ...'2 Nov 2002. There is a big tree across the river about a quarter of the way down from Tarr Steps to Dulverton. About 2 boat lengths' space to pass on the left at the levels today (1 foot of air under the steps). 3 Nov 2002 I was paddling the Barle from Tarr Steps to Dulverton today and ended up walking the last mile into town (don't ask! :) On the way I met an older gentleman walking his dog, and we said hello. He was very friendly and immediately offered a place to get on via his waterfront garden. He lives directly next to the weir above Dulverton. I said thanks very much but I was sticking to the road and then he told me to tell all kayakers: 'If the water's brown, you're going to drown'. It turns out he had fished out a dead paddler there a couple of years ago. He now keeps his little rowing boat moored on the jetty river left during the winter in case it might be useful in case of an emergency, and he also said he had trimmed some of the overhanging trees on the central island over the summer. This chap is an angler and says he hates kayakers, yet he appreciated the need to share the river and had clearly been profoundly affected by that incident. Just a small insight into the impact we can have in a community, and the goodwill that exists. But also a reminder of the risks and consequences of what we do - treat the weirs and trees with utmost respect; it might only be a grade 2 river, but the weirs in spate can be deadly.' See also the comments from Alan Adams and Dave Snook below. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Barle is a great trip for those learning whitewater skills and at low/ medium levels offers pretty much continuous Grade 2 conditions. You won't miss Tarr Steps; it's an ancient stone footbridge which gives little room for ducking underneath or may need portaging if the river is high. Below Tarr Steps are many small rapids; look out for a mini-playhole on river right not far below the bridge. In high water this section would presumably be fast and dangerous flowing through trees...but normally it's a great section for those wanting to get every breakout and surf every wave. After four miles, look out for a disused Bridge...the river bends slightly to the right and a rock ledge on river right gives a playspot just above the bridge. In spring 1999 there was a tree awkwardly lodged across every single arch forming a bit of a hazard; don't assume it has moved in the meanwhile. A mile below the bridge you will approach an ominous horizon line; you've reached Dulverton weir and may want to inspect if you're unsure. The river narrows below the weir and there are a series of waves and small stoppers which are fun to mess around on. You then reach Dulverton Bridge which is a possible egress (river left above the bridge) or, carry on down the less difficult lower section. Easier water takes you to a very dodgy weir in a mile. I've run this in low water but iron spikes and wire loops stick out everywhere offering all sorts of unamusing ways to claim your refund, portage on river left. It's another two miles to where the Barle flows into the larger Exe, with only a very small weir halfway through this distance to wake you up (see comments below). Note that after joining the Exe, it's another mile to Exebridge, the takeout. Not long after the rivers meet, there is an enjoyable surf wave lurking on river right if you still have the energy. OTHER NOTES: Among the best grade 2 paddles I know of. Needs respect in high water, a fatality occurred here in October 1998. There are long sections of the Barle upstream of Tarr Steps; the river can be paddled from Simonsbath or from Withypool. Also see Keith Meredith's account of a club trip on the Barle. Update from Dave Snook (October 2003)...'Yesterday (Sunday 19th) we attempted to remove some trees from the big Mill weir on the Barle, just below Dulverton. We removed 3 of the 4 successfully, but one still remains. I have enclosed some pictures. We estimated it weighs in excess of a ton. The last picture shows its current location, which will be recognisable to those who know the river. It was originally in a critical area at the top of the weir, and it is still not in a safe place, but it is better than it was. My advice would be to only run this weir via the steps, even the nice slide half way along could be nasty, but the high water "chicken chute" on river right is a definite no go area, as this tree is at the bottom of that drop.' Warning regarding the final weir from Dave Snook (March 2002)...'Myself and a few guys did the Barle yesterday, and as always it was a very enjoyable laid back day, the level was a bit low, but hey, it was warm and sunny, and all the small play spots were working well. However there has been a noticable change to the weir just before the Exe and the Barle meet. There is a salmon chute that is fairly central on the weir, and runs in a right to left direction, it is a popular line, and is quite often run backwards to create a bit more exictement to this otherwise boring weir. Three quarters of the way down the shute, a BIG hole has occured in the face of the weir, which I managed to drop my boat (and me) into. No major incident occurred, and I became the source of amusement for the rest of the guys. But, had the water levels been medium or high, this could supply some serious pinning potential, in a VERY deep hole, in a spot where rescue would not be easy. So be warned. We also got challenged by a man who claimed to be the riparian land owner, and chairman of R.E.T.A. River Exe and Tributaries Assosciation. But he was O.K. with us. I thought some of this may be of interest, All the best, Snooky.' Alan Adams adds a warning note (6/2/00)...'We paddled the Barle yesterday from Tarr Steps to Dulverton. The level was low, just enough to float under Tarr Steps. We managed to pin two boats at Dulverton weir (the one upstream of Dulverton, beside the road, with a lot of new stonework). As you approach the weir, the left hand half is new cemented stonework, forming large steps on the downstream side, and at the current level, no water going over. To the right of this the weir consists of large, new boulders piled at random. Just right of the cemented section is an obvious shoot. There is a large pointed boulder sticking out of the water about halfway down the drop, with a large cushion wave. Under water upstream and left of it is a flat rock, with a sort of marble pattern on the top. If you shoot right of the submerged rock and then move left of the pointed rock you are OK, using the cushion wave to make the turn. Even our relative novices managed this. However two of them went left of the submerged rock, which turned them left. The bow of each boat became securely pinned in a hole under the cemented stonework. One boat went in up to the front of the cockpit. It took two people standing in the river to pull the boat upstream and release it. With more water this is a potentially serious pinning spot, although with lot more water I guess it would become safer again as the rocks become covered. However anyone in the hole could be completely under water. It seems that the new stonework is hollow at this point. Certainly the hole is large enough to take the entire front end of a Stunt Bat. This incident apart it was an enjoyable paddle.' Darren Sutton...'Paddled this river on Sunday 15th December as a first whitewater experience, loved every minute of it! The level was a little low in a couple of places so scraped a few rocks on the way down, even managed to jump a couple of rocks and end up on top of one with only the middle of the boat in any contact with anything which was very funny! I didn't end up a swimmer which is always a bonus and managed to finish the trip relatively dry. Both the experienced paddlers with me said that this was the best they had ever found the Barle and loved every minute of it! (both of who had paddled the river on numerous occasions before) If there are any clubs or anyone out there looking for somewhere to take paddlers for some whitewater experience and somwhere the experienced paddlers can have some fun, go paddle the Barle! We had a fantastic time! CONTRIBUTED BY: Mark Rainsley, also BCUSW, Conor O'Neill, John Jenner, Dave Snook, Alan Adams, Edwin Datschefski, Richard Wright, Darren Sutton, Dave Jackson, Chris Stephens, Paul Smith and Steve Balcombe. |
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