River Tavy - Tavistock to Denham Bridge

[Mark Allen]

Never lose sight of the fact that he has no jurisdiction over navigation - his opinion on paddlers and what paddlers do is just that - an opinion.

He is fully aware of that. The EA opinion is there want and easy ride. They don't want complaints!!

[bubbles_jonnybravo]

Paddled yesterday and there was a tree all the way across the river about a quarter of the way down. It's an easy portage on river right.

Also Just before where the Walkham come in are two trees sticking into the river, if you go river right the left you can get through very easy, just be aware that the water pushes into the tree on the right.

[jam bo]

clear from double waters down. massive tree on river right at the wier above the get out. I'm pretty sure that weir is collapsing.

also.

Point to note is at the denham bridge forestry car park get out, on the lower side of the S bend there is a big tree across 2/3rd of the flow. we got out just above it and were glad once we saw what was below.

[jam bo]

Paddled yesterday and there was a tree all the way across the river about a quarter of the way down. It's an easy portage on river right.

Also Just before where the Walkham come in are two trees sticking into the river, if you go river right the left you can get through very easy, just be aware that the water pushes into the tree on the right.

The tree from quarter of the way down has gone or moved.

The double tree is still there and quite awkward. Ok if your confident but if I was taking beginners down it might need inspection. It's just after the larger drop on the corner.

Anyway, GPS track here from today.

http://www.strava.com/activities/38712548

[jam bo]

House at Denham Bridge is now for sale...

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for ... 06644.html

[StuartA]

Hmmm, would need to charge quite a lot to justify turning it into a bunkhouse although that stable block has potential!

[HUNTER]

The car park in Denham Woods has been moved to the top of the track (top of the hill) This is to stop the 4 x 4 driving through the woods to Lopwell.
There are new owners in the lodge at Denham Bridge.
And there has also beem work carried out on one of the weirs.

[Zool]

The EA are working on the collapsed weir (some times know as Dentist Weir) just before the monitoring station. Portage left early as there is lots of debris in the water including iron bars. Work also ongoing on the salmon leap.

[bear1986]

**BE AWARE LARGE TREE JUST BELOW TAVISTOCK WATER STATTION** there is just enough room to get around on river left on a 0.20meters (tight) but anything bigger you could have an issue. 06/11/14 other than that a great do out. love the river.
previous post above about the wier being rebuilt, it still happening and as you go down river right there are 3 large metal plates.

[Charliewhewell]

Hi. Does anyone know who the new river advisor is for the Tavy?
I tried to call and email Bruce on the details above but neither worked.
Alternatively, does anyone know what the water levels are like and if the river is likely to be runnable (in open boats) later this week (Friday 20 feb) as I know there's not been much rain recently.
Cheers in advance
Charlie

[High View]

The Forestry Commission has made a small park (ten cars?) just off their road at the entrance to the woods. They have installed a substantial metal barrier and padlock that prohibits access to the rest of their good road down to the earlier take-out parking spot. Sorry guys - it is a long and steep hike from the take out, or from the bridge (on a narrow road). I do not know how averse they would be to a prior request for access....someone planning a trip with a well disciplined group might try.....

[jam bo]

Large tree blocking the main line on the G2/3 rapid by Tavy cottage

It's easily visible from the large pool above and in high water you can probably sneak river right.

[AlexN]

Paddled the Lower Tavy today (06/11/15). There was a tree at the end of the rapid soon after the Walkham confluence (referred to as the biggest rapid on the section in the guide). It was mostly covered, but just visible, at a good medium level today.

[pete thorn]

The long standing saga of pollution on the Tavy has been added to with reports of severe pollution incidents from the Horrabridge works? on the Walkham. Thanks to Ross Levine for reporting two incidents. EA and South West Water are investigating.
If anyone else experiences pollution incidents on any river the way to go is to ring EA 24 hour helpline to report it, so they can check it out immediately. The number to ring is 0800 807060.
Pete Thorn

[pete thorn]

South West Water are fitting eight electronic monitors on the Tavy discharge. Four are in place but not yet connected and four more to be fitted soon. The Environment Agency will gather data from these monitors and there should be public access to the results. Then we can compare the raw sewage discharge times with the times of spates in the river. There is a suspicion that discharges, caused by surface water overwhelming the system, continue for some time after the river spate subsides, possibly causing the multiple instances of puky paddlers. When data is available next winter we can check this.

[colincanoe]

Paddled on 12th March 2017 - tree down across bottom of rocky rapids about 1/2 mile before Walkham confluence. Tree across whole river at water level when we paddled (guage ~ 1m in Tavistock). We portaged rapids due to risk of capsizee getting stuck in tree - put back in right by tree roots and ducked under trunk against the bank.

[PilkingtonD]

Not sure whether this has been mentioned before but there is a metal fence in the river somewhere near Wash Ford (468711) (can't quite remember where, but if you see a metal ladder up against a tree on the right hand side then it is nearly directly in front of it). Looks like a sturdy one with spikes on top that we had to dodge when the river was at scrape level, at low it is probably just about hidden, but definitely has potential to hole a boat going fast enough!