RIVER CALDEW (Grainsgill Beck to Mosedale)

[Jim Pullen]

Guide.

[Jay Oram]

The get in for this is just after the bridge turn left, down a steep grassy bank, an obvious path through the heather. I have run this in all levels, a bit of a scrape in the summer months and dry season but always runs.

The second drop - 4/5 foot with as boulder mid-left side, on the left hand side is a overhanging branch, really obvious, it is best to catch the eddy river left eddy above the drop and ferry over to river right.

The rest of the river is fine down past the third fall. We get out at the gravel bank just above a small wall and small wave which is fun to surf if a bit shallow.

Me and the guys from Newtonn Rigg paddling club paddled it on thursday last week about 6 times, the first 1km and a half. we parked at the top and walked back up each time. The last fall and rapid provided the best fun.

Jay

[RobHendy]

This is also a good river if you had intended to run the greta on day and the river levels do not permit access. Its only down the road from the greta "get-in" point.

[Jay Oram]

The tree which was on the second drop I described above has been removed and can be run anywhere now - just got to wait for the water to get to a runnable level and will take some pictures and a video or two.

Jay

[callwild]

The tree which was on the second drop I described above has been removed and can be run anywhere now - just got to wait for the water to get to a runnable level and will take some pictures and a video or two.

Jay

Not sure what you mean by tree removed and was there any need ?
SureI I have removed an odd branch to make a rapid possible but the tree on this fall has been there as long as I remember and has never restricted line or vision while running the river. The line down the main flow river right was always clear. The tree is/was one of the last remaining in this area and should not have been removed.
If you mean just a branch has been trimmed with no lasting damage, then fair enough but we should all consider the impact of our actions on the environment just for a piece of short lived personal pleasure.

Stuart Miller

[Jay Oram]

The river was normal level when I ran it, the tree was an obvious strainer and the flow was straight into it. I posted that was going to do it ages ago and all the paddlers I was with said it was the right thing to do - it's a whole other argument and I'm not getting into it. The tree's gone now, too late whatever.

Jay

[callwild]

The tree only covered half the river as it had for years, only blocking a line onto rocks anyway.
I can find no post of your intentions in advance for discussion
Were all the paddlers you were with mature, informed locals?
To totally remove a living last remaing tree saddens me.
It was only ever a risk to those not in control of their paddling.
Pictures here
http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=46696#p360018

Too late obviously but I feel you should think much harder in the future and consider more than the immediate enjoyment or even safety. If it was not impinging on the main line there was no need.

[Jim Pullen]

The Upper Caldew has an EA gauge on it here.

Does anyone have any calibrations for it? (Minimum paddleable level, etc)