WATER LEVEL, ACCESS AND HAZARD UPDATES: Southwest England

[Mark R]

This area is for posting useful info to quickly update and complement the river guides; e.g. water levels, access hassles and new hazards.

Please refrain from creating new threads unless absolutely necessary - there is a thread for each riverguide on the site, use these wherever possible.

If you wish to submit a correction to an existing riverguide, or photos, or a new riverguide, you are welcome to submit it here ...

The regional editor for Southwest England is myself - Mark Rainsley.

Best wishes,

[jeckyllewithans]

Paddled the Barle today,or i should say portaged. Lost count of the number of trees straddling both banks,on the run Tarr Steps to Dulverton.
Three groups,from different parts of the UK,leapfrogged each other,all the way down.

[andy g]

What is likely to be running this weekend 21/22 Feb in the Dartmoor area at Grade 3/3+?
Mixed ability group with good coaches and have driven from SE London so we are prepared to travel to find the water.
Regards
Andy
Meridian CC

[Mark Allen]

What is likely to be running this weekend 21/22 Feb in the Dartmoor area at Grade 3/3+?
Mixed ability group with good coaches and have driven from SE London so we are prepared to travel to find the water.
Regards
Andy
Meridian CC

Not much without rain!

[meatballs]

Surf.

[Jack Butcher]

Dammed weir on the erme, watch out in bigger water. Would have been a hazard yesterday with the big flows, take care has the potential to form a very retentive hole in big water.

[JohnAllan]

Watch out for a large amount of loose branches just downstream of DartMeet Bridge on the Upper Dart - Inspect the channels from thr bridge before getting on until someone can confirm it's all clear.

The house downstream and river right appear to have dumped a large amount of Rhododendron branches into teh river and it's very likely that today these could have totally blocked the narrow channels as you paddle down to eth confulence of the East and West Dart. Yesterday some branches had already floated down and become pinned across various boulders st the first Island rapid. Keep your eyes open!

[Mark Allen]

Watch out for a large amount of loose branches just downstream of DartMeet Bridge on the Upper Dart - Inspect the channels from thr bridge before getting on until someone can confirm it's all clear.

The house downstream and river right appear to have dumped a large amount of Rhododendron branches into teh river and it's very likely that today these could have totally blocked the narrow channels as you paddle down to eth confulence of the East and West Dart. Yesterday some branches had already floated down and become pinned across various boulders st the first Island rapid. Keep your eyes open!

The river right channel is clear. The branches are in various places down stream.

[Quinny]

New very large branch/medium sized tree blocking river right, 50m upstream of Holne bridge. Pinned quite happily across half the river! Go left.

Spotted it this morning from the road on my daily jaunt to Ashburton.

[pete thorn]

On the East Lyn, be aware of two separate trees across, below the gorge section. On the run out of the gorge there is a technical dog leg corner. Above this there is a trunk across on two boulders, with not much space under it. At the start of the dog leg corner, shortly afterwards, there is a major trunk right across the entrance. Easy portage on the left, provided you spot these in enough time.
The rest of the river clear from Brendon. The stump on the second fall at Rockford has been washed away so now entirely clear.

[pete thorn]

East Lyn obstructions now removed. Thanks boys.

[morsey]

East Lyn River. There is a branch in the second rapid on the gorge section, the squeeze right through boulders (Boof left in high water) rapid. The branch is quite long but not too thick and runs diagonally through the squeeze, and may not be visible in medium water!

[justin-g]

Tree just below euthanasia - watch it at high flows as you can't see it from above.

[Zool]

River Walkham completely blocked at Gem Bridge. Only exit river left as low barbed wire fence on the right.

[Dave Thomas]

Excuse my ignorance, but which is Gem Bridge?

[Zool]

Its the new cycle bridge put in to replace the old railway bridge that was demolished 50+ years ago. Its links the Drakes trail Yelveton to Tavistock cycle path. Situated between Magpie Bridge and Grenofen Bridge.