GUIDE TO THE RIVER BARLE

(Tarr Steps to Exe Confluence)

NAME OF RIVER: Barle.

WATER LEVEL, ACCESS AND HAZARD UPDATES: Here.

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.

The Anchor Inn allow parking, as long as ...

1, Permission is granted prior to the paddle

2, Use their car park, then eat their food or drink their drink.

The Anchor Inn, Exebridge, Dulverton, Somerset TA22 9AZ01398 323433 e-mail - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Neil Gladwell ... "River Barle, Tarr Steps. Tempting though it may be to launch off the Tarr Steps bridge itself can I just remind everyone that it is a listed Ancient Monument - you can't even get near Stonehenge so please give this place some respect everyone! You are just starting on the great paddle that is the Upper Barle, I guarantee you will very quickly forget the tiny thrill you get from seal launching all of 30-50cm. Oh, and can I just remind everyone to be helpful and friendly with all the non-paddlers you meet? A cheery smile and a "Good Morning" costs nothing but will always help give canoeing a good image. Access agreements can take years of work and that friendly gesture just might make a difference."

APPROX LENGTH: 7 miles.

TIME NEEDED: 2 hours+.

ACCESS HASSLES:

River Advisor:
Russell Blackmore
(01823) 274651

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.

Edwin Datschefski ...'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 drowned 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: 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.

CONTRIBUTED BY: Mark Rainsley, also BCUSW, Conor O'Neill, Tom Brindley, John Jenner, Dave Snook, Alan Adams, Neil Gladwell, Edwin Datschefski, Richard Wright, Darren Sutton, Dave Jackson, Chris Stephens, Paul Smith and Steve Balcombe.