RIVER DERWENT (Darley Dale to Matlock)

[Mark R]

Guide.

[Pete K]

The most popular site in Derbyshire but sadly little info.

Paddled today from the Matlock Canoe Club steps upstream to the wave by Artists Corner car park and back again to the end of the slalom course.
EA River Level Gauge showed 0.45m http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/riverlevels/120755.aspx?stationId=2103.
I'd rate this as a low level but not a scrape.

We paddled in traditional open canoes & 1 spec boat and apart from the odd rocky bit near the banks and the slalom course it was plenty deep enough for some skills practice and teaching novices. It would of course be a good level for kayaking too.

Next on the list is getting on at Rowsley or from Bakewell on the Wye.

[G32turbo]

Hi Pete,

Was that you with the orange van? Was going to stop and say hello but you looked a bit busy. My son has just moved to the Matlock area and mentioned the slalom pole section so I was down there having a look on Saturday. Level looked to be about minimum for a decent run. I'm not that experienced but have run a few North Eastern rivers mainly grade 2 with bits of grade 3. The run didn't look very long. Would you think it's worth hauling my kayak and kit down there next time I visit?

Cheers, Tony

[Pete K]

Hi Tony, yep it was me with the orange van. Feel free to stop and say hello next time.
A run from Darley Dale to the Slalom Course is a good couple of hours with a bit of play or Artists Corner CP to the Slalom Course for some messing about can take whatever time you want. Both are worth while if your in the area and you can do as many runs on the Slalom as you can be bother to do coz it is an easy carry back to the start (even with an OC/OC1).
As for levels, you could run it a bit lower in a kayak but it gets a bit bumpy for expensive Royalex canoes. When it goes up after rain the features get a bit more meaty.

Drop me a line if you want to do a Darley to Matlock run and need a shuttle sometime, I may be free.

[gonzo]

Regional guide - Darley Dale to Matlock Bath - empaddlers website

[Rjo103]

Anyone out tomorrow (6 April) from Darley Dale to the slalom course? We're heading down about midday and it would be good to meet any locals heading down!

Richard

[teddy_simmon]

Not a local but heading down on saturday, have you got any insight on what the levels might be at?

Thanks

Matt

[Rjo103]

We'll be there tomorrow so I'll try and post an update. It's at 0.64 at the moment which is comfortably above "low" but some way from medium (1m) when things are a bit more bouncy, the slalom course washes out much above this... From the EA graph it looks like it'll hold it's level for some time :)

Rich

[Rjo103]

Have fun tomorrow.

Water stayed up around 0.66m, certainly no risk of scraping. Killer Rock on the slalom course was covered enough to camouflage it but not to paddle over it, watch out for it between the symmetrical eddies half way down the slalom course (two lines of rocks either side and several slalom gates between).

There was a good flow from Darley Bridge down to the slalom course, the eddy lines were very defined in places and quite capable of tripping up the unwary. Good fun to be had all the way down, especially at the bridges.

Met a few anglers, all quite polite and happy for us to pass through. One had just caught a trout :)

There are quite a few trees down with some of the arches of the bridges impassable, but there is a route through everywhere when you look for it. The three-arched bridge with trees across the left goes on the right and probably right to left through the middle (didn't try it). There's also a huge tree across the river about half way down from Darley Bridge but it is easily passable on the left (the right has a submerged trunk). A few others in places but nothing to worry about.

Rich

[Pete K]

Can anyone with information about the Upper Derbyshire Derwent please get in touch. I'm looking for safe access and egress points, known hassle spots, fences, play spots, fishing clubs, illegal signs (like the 'Police Notice' ones at Froggatt) and any other useful information that can be collaited together for the benefit of paddlers. I won't go into full details here but anyone who wishes to may contact me for more info.
PS, I'm not interested in any of this 'paddling this river will jepodise access for me and my mate' rubbish that is spouted by some in Derbyshire who should know better.

[stiffy]

Does anyone have any upto date info on this run? Looking for a paddle for a group of 3* paddlers that had planned to go to HPP but they have a competition on at the weekend. Thanks. Cliff. cliff.melhuish@hotmail.com

[Pete K]

Down there today, its at a fine level.