North East England

[Jim Pullen]

ENGLAND - NORTHEAST

(North of the Trent drainage, flowing to the North Sea)

Regional Editor: Jim Pullen

PLAYSPOTS

RIVER AIRE (Aire Wave) - a big fun (but dirty!) playwave at the right level.

RIVER AIRE (Castleford Weir) - an alternative playspot to the Aire wave.

RIVER CALDER (Sowerby Bridge Whitewater Course) - a good training facility.

RIVER DERWENT (Yorkshire Derwent, Howsham Weir) - playspot being maintained by YUCC. (photos)

RIVER OUSE (Linton Weir) - A popular playspot.

RIVER TEES (Tees Barrage International White Water Centre) - the recently upgraded artificial whitewater course. (photos)

EASY WHITEWATER/ TOURING RIVERSRIVER BAIN - England's shortest river?

RIVER CALDER (Sowerby Bridge Whitewater Course to Brighouse) - grade 2 with weirs.

RIVER COQUET (Alnwinton to Rothbury) - Bouncy grade 2.

RIVER DEARNE (Darfield to Confluence with the River Don at Conisbrough) - South Yorkshire touring.

RIVER DERWENT (County Durham Derwent) - easy whitewater in the northeast.

RIVER DERWENT (Yorkshire Derwent, Malton to Stamford Bridge)

RIVER DERWENT (Yorkshire Derwent, Kexby to Wheldrake Ings)

RIVER DERWENT(Yorkshire Derwent, Breighton to Barmsby)

RIVER DON - easy whitewater near Sheffield.

RIVER DON (Doncaster Prison to Barnby Dun) - some interesting weirs.

RIVER ESK (Egton to Sleights)

RIVER HULL (Driffield to Beverley)

RIVER HULL (Rowing Club to Humber confluence) - a chance to relish the centre of Hull.

RIVER OUSE (Source to York) - easy touring.

RIVER OUSE (Rawcliffe to Fulford) - touring through the centre of York.

RIVER SOUTH TYNE (Slaggyford to Haltwhistle) - easy touring.

RIVER SOUTH TYNE (Haydon Bridge to Hexham) - easier than the North Tyne.

RIVER SWALE (Annerside Bridge to Grinton) - mellow touring in beautiful countryside.

RIVER SWALE (Grinton to Richmond) - mellow touring in beautiful countryside.

RIVER SWALE (Richmond to Catterick) - an intro to whitewater with a nice playwave.

RIVER SWALE (Catterick to Ure Confluence) - multi-day touring.

RIVER TEES (Newbiggin to Middleton-in-Teesdale) - flat stretch joining up the low force and race course sections.

RIVER TEES (Winston to Piercebridge) - a great intro to mellow whitewater.

RIVER TEES (Neasham to Over Dinsdale) - plenty of wildlife.

RIVER URE (West Tanfield to Ouse) - multi-day touring.

RIVER WEAR (Eastgate to Stanhope)

RIVER WEAR (Stanhope to Wolsingham)

RIVER WEAR (Wolsingham to Witton-le-Wear)

RIVER WEAR (Bishop Auckland to Sunderland Bridge)

RIVER WEAR (Sunderland Bridge to Durham)

RIVER WEAR (Durham City to Finchale Priory)

RIVER WEAR (Finchale Priory to Chester-le-Street)

RIVER WHARFE (Hubberholme to Kettlewell)

RIVER WHARFE (Grassington to Barden Bridge) - includes Appletreewick rapid. (photos)

RIVER WHARFE (Bolton to Ilkley)

RIVER WHARFE (Ilkley to Otley)

WHORLTON BECK - blink and you'll miss it; a tiny fun tributary of the Tees. (photos)

WIDDALE BECK - A short, easy trib of the Ure near Hawes. (photos)

INTERMEDIATE/ ADVANCED WHITEWATER RIVERS

RIVER ALLEN (Cupola Bridge to River South Tyne confluence) - a gem of the Northeast. (photos)

ASHGILL BECK - a tributary of the upper South Tyne.

RIVER BALDER - tree ditch Tees trib. (photos)

BLACK BROOK - an industrial adventure in West Yorkshire. (photos)

CHIRDON BURN - a short section of waterfalls in the Kielder Forest. (photos)

COWSIDE BECK - Great spate trib of the Skirfare flowing into Arncliffe. (photos)

DEVILS WATER - the coolest named river in the NE. (photos)

RIVER EAST ALLEN (Sinderdale Ford to Allendale Town) - an adventurous spate trip in Northumberland.

LITTLE EGGLESHOPE BECK - as obscure as ditch paddling gets! (photos)

EGGLESTON BURN - a spate River Tees tributary. (photos)

RIVER ESK (Houlyke to Egton Bridge) - a varied spate stream on the North York Moors.

FLUSHIEMERE BECK - a rarely paddleable waterfall run near the upper Tees. (photos)

RIVER GRETA (Rutherford to the Tees confluence) - if it's rained really hard... (photos)

GREEN FIELD BECK (Source to Beckermond) - spate stream forming the Wharfe.

HARDEN BECK - Spate trib of the Aire including Goit Stock Waterfall.

HEBDEN WATER - West Yorkshire's best WW?

HUDESHOPE BECK - spate beck flowing into the Tees at Middleton-in-Teesdale.

ICKORNSHAW BECK - spate beck near Colne.

KEX BECK - rarely runnable steep tributary of the Wharfe.

RIVER NORTH TYNE - the home of the Tyne Tours. (photos)

OSMOND CROFT BECK - short Tees 'rockslide' tributary. (photos)

OUGHTERSHAW BECK - one of the sources of the Wharfe.

OUSE BURN - Urban spate boating in central Newcastle.

PEN-Y-GHENT GILL - Great spate trib of the Skirfare.

ROOKHOPE BURN - an unusual tributary of the Wear. (photos)

RIVER SKIRFARE - a 'wire fence slalom' tributary of the Wharfe.

SLEIGHTHOLME BECK - a rarely run trib of the Greta with a dodgy looking gorge.

SPURLSWOOD BECK - a small beck between Teesdale and Weardale. (photos)

RIVER SOUTH TYNE (Tynehead to Garrigill) - spate paddling at the source.

RIVER SOUTH TYNE (Garrigill to Alston) - spate grade 2-3 paddling.

RIVER SOUTH TYNE (Alston to Slaggyford) - a good spate trip.

RIVER TEES (High Force to Wynch Bridge) - the most spectacular put-in in the UK? (photos)

RIVER TEES (Below Low Force) - a short, but worthwhile addition to the High Force to Low Force stretch.

RIVER TEES (Middleton in Teesdale to Barnard Castle) - including the 'racecourse' section. (photos)

RIVER TEES (Barnard Castle to Whorlton Falls) - including Abbey Rapids. (photos)

RIVER TEES (Whorlton Falls to Winston Bridge) - addition to the classic section above. (photos)

RIVER TILL (Etal Village to Twizel Village) - easy ww trip in Northumbria.

RIVER URE (Aysgarth Falls to Wensley Bridge) - An easy trip with a few harder falls/ portages.

RIVER URE (Hack Falls to West Tanfield) - a good spot for learning WW skills. (photos)

RIVER WASHBURN - the saviour of the north in Summer! (photos)

RIVER WEAR (Wear Head to Eastgate) - good grade 3 fun in spate. (photos)

RIVER WEST ALLEN - a spate tributary of the Allen, near Hexham. (photos)

WEST BECK - a fun spate tributary of the Esk, near Whitby. (photos)

RIVER WHARFE (above Hubberholme) - a scenic spate run. (photos)

RIVER WHARFE (Kettlewell to Grassington) - A popular Yorkshire trip. (photos)

RIVER WHARFE (Barden Bridge to Bolton Bridge) - including the 'Strid' rapid. (photos)

WHITSUNDALE BECK An addition to the Upper Swale in high water.

VERY DIFFICULT/ EXTREME WHITEWATER RIVERSRIVER SWALE (Hoggarth's Bridge to Muker) - a crunchy waterfall paddle. (photos)

SWINDALE BECK - crunchy waterfall beck near Brough. (photos)

RIVER TEES (Cauldron Snout) - it's going to hurt... (photos)

Can't see a guide to the river you're looking for? Click here to discuss missing guides and work-in-progress.

Read full article

[Jim Pullen]

Right, here's a quick list of "the missing" compiled from EWW, WWLD, Nick Doll's Guide Book, personal knowledge and a quick glance at OS maps.

If any of these start in Scotland or go into the North West Section, let me know and I'll remove them.

New Rivers

Akenshaw Burn (Kielder Water Trib)
Aln
Arkle Beck (Swale Trib) - added Feb 2013 by me.
Bain (Ure Trib) - guide received from Andy Waddington 22/01/09.
Barben Beck (Wharfe Trib)
Barney Beck (Swale Trib)
Bedburn Beck (Wear Trib)
Bishopdale Beck (Ure Trib)
Black Burn (South Tyne trib)
Blyth
Bollihope Burn (Wear Trib) - see here for inspiration!
Bowmont Water (Till Trib)
Breamish (Till Trib)
Buckden Beck (Wharfe Trib)
College Burn (Till Trib)
Colne (Calder Trib)
Cosh Beck (Skirfare Trib)
Cover (Ure Trib)
Cowside Beck (Skirfare Trib) - guide received from John Wootton 24/11/09.
Cragg Brook (Calder Trib)
Cray Gill (Wharfe Trib) - see YouTube videos here, here and here for inspiration!
Cross Gill (South Tyne Trib)
Deepdale Beck (Tees Trib)
Dove (Rye Trib)
Foxup Beck (Skirfare Trib)
Gayle Beck (Ure trib)
Glen (Till Trib)
Gordale Beck (Aire Trib, contains Janet's Foss) - see this YouTube video for inspiration!
Gunnerside Gill (Swale Trib) - see Johnny's video for inspiration.
Harden Beck (Aire Trib, contains Goitstock Falls) - added 10/11/10, thanks to Tom Hustler.
Harthope Burn (Till Trib)
Harwood Beck (Tees Trib)
Holme (Calder Trib) - added 15/06/14, thanks to Chris Halligan.
Houxty Burn (North Tyne Trib)
How Stean Beck (Nidd Trib)
Hudeshope Beck(Tees Trib) - see here for inspiration! Guide for lower bit added ~17/01/11.
Kielder Burn (Kielder Trib)
Killhope Burn (Wear Trib) - added mid 2012, thanks to Dave Peel.
Little Beck (Esk Trib - contains Falling Foss, a 10m waterfall - is this runnable?!)
Langdon Beck (Tees Trib)
Leven (Tees Trib)
Lewis Burn (Kielder Water Trib)
Lune (Tees Trib from Grassholme Reservoir and above Selset reservoir including Lune Head Beck and Long Grain)
Murk Esk (Yorksire Esk Trib, fed by West Beck & Eller Beck
Maize Beck (Tees Trib)
Nent (South Tyne Trib)
Nidd
Park Burn (South Tyne Trib)
Rede (North Tyne Trib)
Rye - added Dec 2012, thanks to Richard Ollerenshaw and Tom Jarvis.
Scalby Beck
Seven (Rye Trib)
Skerne (Tees Trib)
Sleightholme Beck (Greta Trib) - Guide uploaded 23/01/09 (received from Andy Waddington)
Stonesdale Beck (Swale Trib) - added Feb 2013, thanks to Dave Peel.
Tarret Burn (North Tyne Trib)
Tarset Burn (North Tyne Trib)
Usway Burn (Coquet Trib) - added Apr 2013, thanks to Stu Ridley, Bob Evans and James Connor.
Walden Beck (Ure Trib) - contains West Burton falls which have been run.
Wansbeck
Warksburn (North Tyne Trib)
Waskerley Beck (Wear Trib) - added late 2012, thanks to Bob Evans.
Widdale Beck (Ure Trib) - Guide uploaded 01/12/08 (received from Andy Waddington)

New Sections

Aire (all of it apart from the playspots)
Calder (all of it apart from Sowerby Bridge to Brighouse) - Hebden Bridge to Sowerby Bridge added Jan 2013, thanks to Andy Pagett.
Coquet (above Alnwinton, below Rothbury)
Derwent (Yorkshire, above Malton)
Ouse (South of York) (Section through York added 08/12/08, thanks to Matt Haydock)
Tees (Cauldron Snout to High Force, (Winston Bridge to Piercebridge uploaded 18/05/09), Piercebridge to Neasham, Over Dinsdale to Yarm and Yarm to the Barrage added April 2013, thanks to Alan Lilley.)
Tyne (After Confluence of North+South)
Wear (Witton-le-Wear to Bishop Auckland)
Wharfe (Below Otley)

Playspots

Aire Wave - uploaded 01/12/08, info compiled from LUUCC
Catterick playspot (Swale) - added as part of the new Richmond to Catterick guide, uploaded 9/5/09, thanks to Wilf.

So if you've run any of these, please get guide writing!

[Jim Pullen]

Some photos from Paul Jones (Leeds CC) of the Wharfe uploaded today:

Conistone Falls
Weir 2.5 metres
Linton Falls

[Jim Pullen]

New Wear guides from Andy Waddington for Eastgate to Stanhope and Wolsingham to Witton-le-Wear went up today.

I've also added some new pics of the Aire Wave from Nick Ball.

[RichA]

The 3 links in your last post don't work, in case you hadn't noticed yet.

Conistone Falls
Weir 2.5 metres
Linton Falls

Feel free to delete this once you've seen it :-)

[Jim Pullen]

Thanks - now fixed. Most broken links will be caused by a missing "neengland/" in the url after Mark did his site tidy-up. Please let me know if you spot any more!

So, anyone run any of the above list?! PM about a guide if you have. Doesn't have to be a massive essay, but would be nice to have something up about all paddleable NE rivers!

[geyrfugl]

Add to the missing list:

Swale: Richmond to Catterick. The Easby Abbey section used to be a slalom site so I presume there is some white here. I was hoping to read about it :-(

Tees: Winston to Piercebridge. An easy beginners' section. I'll write it up.

Greta: Stainmore to Bowes - very much a spate run apart from Mill Force
Greta: Bowes to Rutherford bridge - treated in one sentence in the existing guide and actually quite nice, but nothing very memorable to write about ... I'll have a go.

and not missing but

South Tyne: Alston to Slaggyford. Do you really classify this as Intermediate/Advanced ? Its easier than the Upper Wear which is in Easy/Touring.

From the missing list:

River Bain - see your email Jim :-)

Andy

[Jim Pullen]

Thanks Andy - now added.

South Tyne: Alston to Slaggyford. Do you really classify this as Intermediate/Advanced ? Its easier than the Upper Wear which is in Easy/Touring.

Upper Wear (wearhead to eastgate) is in intermediate/advanced. Generally anything which is mainly grade 2 or less (with the odd bit of 3 maybe) goes in easy and anything up to 4+ in intermediate/advanced, but it's pretty subjective. The only bit I did move was the Tees from Low Force to Newbiggin, which got a promotion!

[Jim Pullen]

Sleightholme Beck went up today - again from Andy Waddington. Andy hasn't run the "exciting" looking gorge on this - anyone out there fancy it?!

[mole]

I've heard mention that Cragg Brook, running into the Calder at Mytholmroyd has some interest. Similar in character to Hebden water but a bit harder. I have not run it however and suspect it is dependant on loads of rain (LOADS of rain). There is plenty of gradient there and I think it was ElPres that mentioned it on these boards at least.


Neill

Edit: Also is there anyrthing on the Colne, running from Saddleworth direction down to the calder below huddersfield

[geyrfugl]

Jim, is it possible to have a link to this thread from the top of the river lists page ? SOmething
along the lines of "don't see the river ylou want here ? Check the list of missing rivers in
this thread where some details may be posted, even if a full description is not yet written".

Reccied Barney Beck today - not enough water to paddle it :-) I can confirm that there are
no significant drops, access on foot is hard work in places (I was on river right - a better
path is on river left in the top half). There are half a dozen fallen trees, the majority of
them not sneakable and would take a long time to saw through. About halfway down there's
a pigwire fence right across the stream, topped by no less than four strands of barbed wire,
and it's at a point where the valley sides are very steep - this would be a difficult obstacle to
pass. I have a lot of photos. There's one awkward little strid which currently has a small
tree upright right in the middle. I think there must be a rootball at the bottom, since I could
not quite get the thing to pull out, but with a throwline, firmer footing and two or three people,
that one would shift fairly readily, I think. Apart from the trees and the fences, it is steepish,
few eddies, but doesn't look desperately hard...

Ah, just looked closely at one of those photos:- not far below the confluence of Old Gang Beck
and Bleaberry Gill, and just as Barney Beck enters the woodland, there is a bridge - I hadn't
noticed this afternoon, but the photo clearly shows a livestock fence under it. Doesn't look
sneakable unless someone can stand and pull one half or the other up.

Andy

[Jim Pullen]

Barney Beck - lots of trees, fences, nothing hard and only goes in massive spate? Sounds ideal(!)

Good idea on the link from the river lists, I'll get onto it...

Edit: Now added at the bottom of the page.

[Jim Pullen]

I've updated all the guides so they now have grid refs and multimap links on. If I've missed anything then please let me know.

If anyone fancies writing a guide for any of the missing rivers please send it in!

[Jim Pullen]

As I was driving around Swaledale a few weeks ago I noticed a couple of tribs not on my list which I thought may have potential.

The first was Startindale Gill. The Put-In would be from the road at NY885045, there was a small fall immediately after this, but the main issue would be Currack Force before the trib reaches the Swale - I'm guessing this would be unrunnable.

The second one was Straw Beck which runs through Muker. From what I could see there were a few slides and drops on this little ditch before it joined the Swale.

The Swale itself was at a good medium level, but both of these tribs would have needed a little more water to comfortably float on.

So has anyone attempted them?

[Jim Pullen]

New guide to the Swale from Richmond to Catterick just uploaded, thanks to Wilf.

Also an update to the Allen from Lindsey.

[Jim Pullen]

New guide to the Tees (Winston to Piercebridge) uploaded tonight. Thanks to Steve Quinn.

[Jim Pullen]

New pictures of a high water run of Whitsundale Beck added today. Thanks to John Wooton.

[Jim Pullen]

New guide to Cowside Beck uploaded today. Thanks to John Wootton.

[Jim Pullen]

New guide to West Beck, a Yorkshire Esk Trib, uploaded today. thanks to Rob Helyard.

[Jim Pullen]

New guide to Hudeshope Beck added after the site up date.

With the change over to Joomla it's now incredably easy for me to add guides and do updates, so please keep sending them to me! (a pm will surfice!)

[joealexandercoaching]

Hi Jim
I have some new film and photos of Rookhope burn, if you would like it.
Thanks
Joe

[Darksideup]

Anyone working on a guide of the Wansbeck? I have heard there are people paddling it from Morpeth to Mitford but no details. Any help would be appreciated I am looking for somewhere new to paddle.

[Jim Pullen]

New guide to Killhope burn added on 29/06/12. Thanks to Dave Peel.

[andypagett]

Calder (all of it apart from Sowerby Bridge to Brighouse)

So if you've run any of these, please get guide writing!

Our club does Hebden Bridge to (beyond) Sowerby Bridge some times... did it last weekend. Can write up our notes on the various weirs etc in to guide format if you like? Also, not this region, but could do Derbyshire Derwent from Darley Abbey downwards, and some bits of the Trent that aren't on this site?

[Jim Pullen]

Calder (all of it apart from Sowerby Bridge to Brighouse)

So if you've run any of these, please get guide writing!

Our club does Hebden Bridge to (beyond) Sowerby Bridge some times... did it last weekend. Can write up our notes on the various weirs etc in to guide format if you like? Also, not this region, but could do Derbyshire Derwent from Darley Abbey downwards, and some bits of the Trent that aren't on this site?

That'll be great if you could - pm it to me and I'll stick it up.
For the Trent, I think peakfreak is doing the midlands, so pm him, or failing that Mark R.

[Jim Pullen]

A number of the above "missing" list now feature in the new edition of English White Water. Which I had the priviledge to edit and complie for the northern sections - it has a massively expanded North East Section compared to the original edition (~100 sections, compared to ~60 in the original).

Where these are new guides sent to me for use in the 2nd edition that don't already appear on UKRGB, I'll check with the authors and then add UKRGB versions of them to the site in due course. Examples include Cray Gill, How Stean Beck, Gayle Beck, etc....

[stuartcm83]

Jim,
I paddled the River Nidd from Goldsborough to the A59 at the weekend, I would be happy to contribute my findings. Should I post them here?

Stuart