River Dart - Dartmeet to New Bridge - the 'Upper Dart'

[Mark R]

Read full River Guide

[Mark Allen]

Whats the level 2day? Ive been away this weekend and dont have a clue!!!

[Ross W]

To low mark, no rain! Saturday seen it below the slab.

So, No paddling today :(

[pauly1664]

I have been trying to use the Dartcom Weather Station to predict the levels for the Loop and Upper. Can anyone offer some advice as to which graph I need to be using, Rainfall rate or Cumulative, at what are the "magic" figures to look for? Someone told me about 10mm would bring the levels up?

Any help much appreciated.

Happy Paddling

[Ross W]

It all depends on previous rain fall...

If its been dry it will need a lot more rain that if it had rained yesterday/day before yesterday.

Some times dartcoms not accurate, The rain catcher sometimes dose not get an "accurate" amount due to wind etc etc.

Use dartcom in conjunction with Hay tor

I'd personally say that it takes about 10mm of rain to bring it up after 24hours of dryness.

Hope this helps.

[Simon Westgarth]

In recent high water there have been some changes to the tree at Surprise Surprise. The tree has moved 2m or so towards the left channel and whilst not yet being a problem, in the next highwater the left channel could easily be blocked. So if on the apprach you no longer see the fallen large tree on the river left, STOP and inspect.

Note though that this tree has helped change Surprise Surprise over the Summer, and pile of boulders in the centre now has a line through the middle, this has been catching numerous paddlers out who are not river left enough for the slot exit.

Lastly below the islands after the action, the first rapid has changed considerably, there appears to of been some movement of large boulders, as there is now no pool above the drop, and in fact there is no loss of gradient at all, with the central rocks being significantly more exposed.

[Simon Westgarth]

At dust tonight and due to recent snow fall, there are been some trees fallen into the river. Two rapids above Surprise Surprise there is a fallen tree in the main river channel, this tree currently is not an issue. Downstream of the island on the main right channel, a large tree blocks the whole river. It's post to duck under at tge far river right side, but the eddy is small on the approach. Lastly, on the left channel of an island at the end of the long straight on the paddle out, there is a tree blocking the channel, although it's passable on the right.

Be very careful out there this weekend

[Martyn Read]

Ok. So looking like a dry one this weekend down in Devon. However I am supposed to be going down with my old Uni club.

What are folks views on the minimum levels for paddling both the lowers and uppers? By this I mean the minimum level you can float your boat without it turning into a walk (and considering the 'possible' environmental impact of paddling when the river's empty) rather than it necessarily being much fun!

Thanks
Martyn

[Simon Westgarth]

Very, very, very low. However rain is due tonight and on Saturday morning, whether this will be enough to change river levels, this is uncertain.

It os possible to paddle the middle part of the Upper section, however the run in and out are at present extremely low.

[Ross W]

Very, very, very low. However rain is due tonight and on Saturday morning, whether this will be enough to change river levels, this is uncertain.

It os possible to paddle the middle part of the Upper section, however the run in and out are at present extremely low.

Can you not access the center section of the upper by parking and walking across the field @ venford ?

[Simon Westgarth]

Very, very, very low. However rain is due tonight and on Saturday morning, whether this will be enough to change river levels, this is uncertain.

It os possible to paddle the middle part of the Upper section, however the run in and out are at present extremely low.

Can you not access the center section of the upper by parking and walking across the field @ venford ?

Indeed Ross, you park in the car park, and hike upstream to follow the a river right stream, upstream of Venford, and drop into the River Dart just after the first island. If you wish you can then paddle down to Euthanasia, and then hike out on river right, straight up the hike for 200m until an access road is found, and follow it back uphill to Venford.

[Seamstress]

Is the shuttle going to be running up to Dartmeet tomorrow, as we are hoping to get away with travelling in only one car.

[Simon Westgarth]

Is the shuttle going to be running up to Dartmeet tomorrow, as we are hoping to get away with travelling in only one car.

I think the shuttle goes once a day back up to Dartmeet, although I am not sure when. They do not take kayaks from Newbridge to Dartmeet though.

[Grandad]

I think the shuttle goes once a day back up to Dartmeet, although I am not sure when.

Some weeks ago the driver told me that it was between 13:00 and 14:00 but couldn't be more precise than that.

[woodsy]

Does anyone have any updates re fallen trees, levels?
Thanks
Woodsy

[Simon Westgarth]

There currently is a tree across the right channel at Surprise Surprise. It is situated where the two channel meet at the end of the central island.

[hardy]

Dangerous tree trunk locked into boulders at Surprise Surprise now removed yesterday courtesy South Avon Canoe Club.We put it high up river left near the other big tree,hopefully it will stay up there for some time,or be swept cleanly downstream.We took a few people not used to the likes of the river,and gave us a chance to practice a few rope skills.

6" below ledge i reckon.

[Simon Westgarth]

There currently is a tree across the right channel at Surprise Surprise. It is situated where the two channel meet at the end of the central island.

There is now a complete and large tree across the river right channel at Surprise Surprise.

[Simon Westgarth]

Upper Dart Update; right channel of Surprise Surprise/Pandora's Box is now blocked by a tree, #ukrgb

[jmmoxon]

Fortunately the tree has washed safely downstream.

Mike

[joules]

A per a posting on kayaking the River Dart FB page, please note the River Dart Country Park has asked paddlers egressing at their premises to not park cars at/near the bridge as this causes access issues to other users of the park. They ask for paddlers to walk their boats to the main car park. Thanks.Jules

[Environment-Agency]

We at the Environment Agency are dealing with a serious outbreak of disease among migratory fish on many rivers in Devon including the River Dart. The Dart fishery has been in decline in recent years and this year a significant disease outbreak is estimated to have killed the majority of Salmon and Sea Trout that have entered the river so far.

We are asking for the assistance of all water users, including fishermen, dog walkers etc. to help the river recover. For canoeists this would include careful entry into and egress from rivers, paddling in good flows only and avoiding contact with river beds wherever possible. We also encourage canoeists to only paddle where there are agreed access arrangements in place.

We are currently trying to establish the extent and cause of the disease affecting rivers across Devon and Cornwall. Until we understand more and are able to implement any suitable measures, our only option to limit the impact of this disease is to protect the surviving salmon and sea trout and their spawn sites. Fish will potentially start to spwan from late September and eggs remain in gravels until around April, so this is a particularly sensitive period.

Thanks for your understanding and co-opertaion on this matter.

[Chris Bolton]

We also encourage canoeists to only paddle where there are agreed access arrangements in place.

I don't understand why you're saying this. There's no correlation between whether a river has an "access agreement" and it having disease. You may actually be pushing people towards the rivers where there will be more effect on disease.

If you named the rivers with the worst disease problem, and named other rivers that you'd prefer people to paddle, to minimise disease risk, you might get more co-operation. Asking people to give up their ancient right of navigation and follow an "agreement" that they probably weren't party to is not going to encourage them to co-operate.

[Tom Fasham]

There is a new pay and display system at Holne Bridge. It costs £2, bring your change. If you can afford to spend £1000s on drysuits and plastics boats and shiny paddles and money on fuel driving down the A38, you can afford £2 to park. They have reduced the size of the car park from what it was 10 years ago, by placing some boulders to block some of it off. If canoeists insist on not spending £2 to help the upkeep of the Dartmoor National Park, then I would fully understand if they took further action to reduce parking in the winter. We as kayakers and canoeists should self police ourselves to keep ourselves welcome wherever we go.

[jam bo]

There is a new pay and display system at Holne Bridge. It costs £2, bring your change. If you can afford to spend £1000s on drysuits and plastics boats and shiny paddles and money on fuel driving down the A38, you can afford £2 to park. They have reduced the size of the car park from what it was 10 years ago, by placing some boulders to block some of it off. If canoeists insist on not spending £2 to help the upkeep of the Dartmoor National Park, then I would fully understand if they took further action to reduce parking in the winter. We as kayakers and canoeists should self police ourselves to keep ourselves welcome wherever we go.

I don't think the parking situation at newbridge is solely due to the kayaking usage. if you think it's busy on a weekend when there is water the in river, you should see it when it's hot in the summer.

and there was always a parking charge at newbridge, it was an honesty box that no-one ever put any money in...