RIVER TEES (High Force to Wynch Bridge)

[Ricks-Freestyle-Mind]

Heading up there this weekend. Anyone able to give me some info on how low the level is? Dops still goers? How about the bits in between? Whats the best way to go about access at the mo?

Thanks in advance.

[TheKrikkitWars]

The tees will almost always be going... if it is obviously too low in places use your discretion. Though it should still be paddleable at the very least ATM.

As for access, the agreement totally defaulted several year back, so no problems now, but if you want to park in the high force car park you will end up paying the raby estates fee on top of parking. Some of the Tribs run through/past private gardens etc.. so they can be very sensitive.

[heybaz]

RickFM
When the HF to LF section is low it's a complete ball-ache of a scrape and certainly no fun. You will be able to judge level from the top, but probably need to pay to park first. If you paddle this section, the estate does expect you to pay (£3 last time I was there) - and folk will argue over this 'til the cows come home, I'm just stating what I know...
At low levels the main rapid, Salmon Leap, has a minor pin possibility, right at the top, though not serious (I have video of a mate doing a very quick exit from the entrance to the rapid due to a pin a few years back when there was plenty of water) and the entrance to LF can narrow down to less than a boat width - though if all you want to do is the drop, just park at the bottom and walk in. In fact, it may be worth your while doing that anyway just to get an idea of level and check the line you want at Middle Force. Never been lower down the Tees at low water levels so can't comment on anything below LF - but it's a blast in spate!
Maybe check out what the Barrage is doing to give yourself a "Plan B" option?
There has been some rain about today and more forecast over the weekend, so hope you find some water - it's a good run when it goes.

[Ricks-Freestyle-Mind]

Thanks alot for your help.

-Will the Raby Estate still let you paddle though? The access details on this site say not permitted after 31st of March?!?! I can imagine that if we went to the car park, they turned us down so we went lower down and tried jumping on that they may follow us...not that they can do anything if we get on by a public pathway which there is all along the river!

Will the river left line still be a goer in 'low' conditions?

If it's absolutely bone dry, (but I think there should be just about enough) then I'll be climbing, wahooo!

Any more advice would be great.

Thanks.

[TheKrikkitWars]

Thanks alot for your help.

-Will the Raby Estate still let you paddle though? The access details on this site say not permitted after 31st of March?!?! I can imagine that if we went to the car park, they turned us down so we went lower down and tried jumping on that they may follow us...not that they can do anything if we get on by a public pathway which there is all along the river!

Will the river left line still be a goer in 'low' conditions?

If it's absolutely bone dry, (but I think there should be just about enough) then I'll be climbing, wahooo!

Any more advice would be great.

Thanks.

Raby estate only charges if you're at the high force carpark... and lets people on year round.

the river left line (low force I'm assuming) still "goes" in low water, but the potential for getting flipped by a rock and having your face literally rearranged by a pointy rock at the bottom increases somewhat.

[Big Henry]

Apparently its going to be a scorcher this weekend, so levels will probably be low.

[mpooleman]

RickFM
If you paddle this section, the estate does expect you to pay (£3 last time I was there) - and folk will argue over this 'til the cows come home, I'm just stating what I know...

Out of interest, what is this £3 supposed to cover, if you pay the car parking and use the public footpath rather than going to the bottom of high force? Or is this just if you wish to use the path to high force?

Regards

Mark

[Jim Pullen]

There's several different charges!

£3 to paddle the river (I know, I know..)
£1.50? for parking
£1.50? for walking down the path to view high force (the one that forks right from the road)
However they won't let you any where near that path with a kayak for fear of you trying to run high force I guess!

The lower Tees looked dog low early this morning as my train went over it, but this isn't a very good indication of upper levels. There was a heavy burst of rain this morning, but it'll probably be back to base level by the weekend.

You can bump down salmon leap/dog leg or fall off low force in base levels but the rest of the run above these you may end up walking. The bit below down to the get out by Newbiggin will go, but isn't that great without water.

You could always try cauldron snout - the levels should be ideal! ;-)

[Grumpy Fisherman]

1) Drive over the bridge at Egglestone Abbey - check the level. If it looks shockingly low, go home.

2) Drive to Newbiggin, get changed in the car park by the village hall.

3) Drive up towards High Force hotel. Keep an eye on the river on the left. When you see Dogleg (pretty much the only rapid you will see from the road), pull into the next layby on the left. Chuck your boats over the wall. Drive the car back to the bottom and come back up (only a 10min walk, or less in a car).

4) Paddle.

5) Get changed back at the village hall.

6) Home via a tea shop in Barnard Castle.

Ta-da. No paying.

[clarky999]

Does the Tees (HF/LF) work most of the year?

[Grumpy Fisherman]

It is pretty reliable, yes.

[Ricks-Freestyle-Mind]

Everyone do the rain dance...

Thanks alot for your help everyone, main thing is that were 'aloud' to paddle the river in terms of access.

[Jim Pullen]

Actually there now seems to be a fair bit of rain coming in for Sunday morning, so you may stand a chance of getting something in in the afternoon.
I may even head over myself...

[Ricks-Freestyle-Mind]

Was good! Dog Leg, Low Force all went smoothly and the section 200m downstream of the ussual get out was alreet!

[tape34]

Was good! Dog Leg, Low Force all went smoothly and the section 200m downstream of the ussual get out was alreet!

I was pleasantly surprised doing this "extra" section recently and getting out at Newbiggin - much better!
Pete Ball

[Jim Pullen]

Ditto, well worth heading up there. No scraping at all I was very pleasantly surprised!

None of the nearby Becks were running, but torrential rain on the drive back (big flooding on the road between Nebiggin and Middleton) may mean more will be up tomorrow if anyone's lucky enough not to have to go to work. :-(

[Jim Pullen]

Rain has now caught up with me - thunder and lightning and the road outside my house is a small stream - damn having to work tomorrow!

[Mark R]

Guide.

[Jim Pullen]

Additional information - the landowner (not the estate you paid
your fee to) of the river left bank AFTER the bridge is not keen on paddlers
who miss the proper takeout clambering over his walls. If you go too far
(i.e. to where you can actually see the village) it will save you a long and
tedious argument if you scramble back upstream over the rocks rather than
heading through the barbed-wire fences and off across the fields.

Submitted 19/02/07

Note the two alternative take-outs for this section, either at Wynch bridge or continue down the next short section and get out river left when you see the footbridge (unlike Ralph above). Follow the footpath back to Newbiggin, where parking may be found in the layby or the village hall (although please don't block all the parking at the hall to keep the local residents happy!)

[Jim Pullen]

The rapid after low force, has a thick branch protruding from it, this could
impale some one. The water level was pretty low, and the brach was about a
foot above the water surface, at higher waters this would be hidden.

The normal route is river left, the branch is in the second part of the
rapid, right in the middle. River left is pour over, our group walked from
here, others boofed from the pourover.

Submitted on 06/03/07

I've paddled this a few times since then at highish levels and not noticed this branch, does anyone have any more info?

[Francis_jones]

I've paddled it a few times recently in low and high waters and not seen this at all so it has probably been dislodged.

On that same rapid, however, do be aware that on the route down river right in high water make sure you don't end up in the fold to the river right of the line over the pourover as it can vertical pin you or at the least make you look very silly.

[Jim Pullen]

I noticed this weekend that the footpath along wynch bridge to the road and on river right along this stretch is officially temporarily closed while they re-gravel it. Probably best to run the extra mile down to the Newbiggin get out. There wasn't anyone actually doing any work, so I suspect they may only be out on weekdays.

The last two times I've been up there, I've noticed the car park is no longer manned. Also the guy selling tickets for access and to walk to high force isn't always in the gift shop. There are honesty boxes for the car park and falls walk, but no mention about kayaking. Seems like Raby Estates are cutting back on their workforce?

[RichA]

Excellent, it sounds like I can now pay for parking per vehicle, rather than 'access fees' per person which I always disagreed with.

[boosh]

Hello

A small gang of paddlers (six) are heading up from Norfolk to paddle the Tees in two weekends time and we were wondering what was the current access agreement for this river.

We dont want to muddy the water (pun intended) of any negiotations that are currently occurring.

Cheers for any info.

[Jim Pullen]

Who knows?! I emailed all the northern BCU LAOs listed on the BCU website encouraging them to use the forums created for each of their rivers to update us. I got two replies!

For the Upper Tees, the situation is the same as it's always been - pay £3 each at the High Force car park and you will have a hassle free time year round. It's up to you whether you believe they have the right to charge you this.

For the lower sections, the old access agreement was limited to 1st Nov- 31st March (see here). As it is now Canoe England's official policy to not agree to agreements with date restrictions unless there are environmental reasons, I think we can say it's dead! Combine that with the fact that the agreement was suppossed to allow access/egress at Whorlton Lido which is now blocked up and I think we can safely bin it.

When I rewrote the guides this was my comment:

The access agreement here is somewhat redundant now it is not possible to put-on/get-out at the Lido. With regard to dates, paddlers have been using this section year-round when there is enough water without any reports of problems over the last few years.

[boosh]

Cheers Jim

Looks like we should get hassle free boating then :)

Thanks again.

[peteri]

hi

Any idea of levels for this weekend? (20th Nov)

Cheers

Pete

[Jim Pullen]

It's really low and no significant rain forecast! Down to 0.5m on the gauge at Middleton - 0.6m is the usual minimum. You'll get down the two major rapids, but in between will be a real scrape.

[peteri]

Jim

Thanks and bugger!

Doesn't seem worth the fuel from Bedford then!

Pete

[Lancs_lad]

Vid showing 0.8 on the gauge