River Tavy - Tavistock to Denham Bridge

[Mark R]

Read full River Guide

[FB-1]

Hi Mark,

we are going down to the Dart area over the weekend 24th-26th Oct'08 and are interested in paddling the Tavy (Tavistock to Denham Br.) as we've not paddled it before - group size anticipated at 6-8, including 2 coaches.

The guide contains mixed views re: access problems on this river and I was just wondering if you have any recent/upodated advice re: access to this stretch of the Tavy? Any guidance would be genuinely appeciated.

FB-1

[andywalker]

If you're after 15th October when the fishing season finishes, you should be OK.

Before that, expect potential major hassle sat Denham bridge.

The solicitor seems to have started keeping an eye open for paddlers, even if you have no boats on the roof... we tried in early September.

He's also started appearing with a younger "heavy" in tow...

... our shuttle party walked away as it was getting to feel rather threatening.

Ran the Middle Tavy instead and saw no-one but 1 dog walker and three Environment Agency blokes working on the weir who were very friendly...

If there's water that's a much nicer run.

Andy.

[FB-1]

Hi Andy,

thanks for the info. and pointer to the middle Tavy, will take look when we're up there.

Thanks again.


DGC

[buck197]

The old boy is harmless and his minder, its a lovely run for novices to WW and those wanting to gain experience. Do it and just remember to be polite he may even give you a letter telling you are not allowed but carry on and enjoy the river. The Walkham from Bedford Bridge is also another lovely run and finishes in the same place if there is enough water.

Buck

[FB-1]

Thanks Buck

DGC

[Ross W]

Any one know the levels?

[Mark R]

Mark Brazenor ... We paddled this section on 26/11/06 and were met at the get out by the solicitor who owns the house on river right..

Like the other comments he mentioned that there isn't an agreement to paddle this stretch. He made his point but was quite amusing with it. We were courteous and polite beyond compare and he changed from being very confrontational to quite accepting that we could paddle this section out of the fishing season.

His main gripe is with large groups as apparently the day before there was a large uni group and the place was over run with paddlers. My advice is to keep the group small and disappear quickly.


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[Hedgepig]

For larger groups if you continue another couple of hundred meters past denham bridge down to the forestry commission car park river right then you can get change and faff without irritating people as much.

[Mark R]

Kelly C 04/03/07 - 'At the get-out (Denham Bridge) our solicitor friend had placed a \'Polite Notice\' on all our cars informing us that we had performed an act of \'trespass\' and that we were \'trespassing over private land\'. The notice continued to state that there was \'an informal statement that canoeing up to the 1st March would be tolerated\' and that \'this had been ignored\'. A non-paddling driver politely spoke to this person regarding the notices and apologised for any misunderstanding. He was also observed making a note of vehicle registration numbers. The river was in spate, and we observed no anglers what so ever. The only people mad enough to be out in the torrential rain were us and the author of the \'Polite Notice\'!'

[Mark R]

For larger groups if you continue another couple of hundred meters past denham bridge down to the forestry commission car park river right then you can get change and faff without irritating people as much.

That's really useful - adding this to the guide.

[Mark R]

Pics from Colin Greaves ...
http://picasaweb.google.com/chgreaves/RiverTavyDec06#

[Ross W]

The weir on the tavy.. A sane portage at this level.. Although you can sneak down the river right line but, if it goes wrong - bad times

[andywalker]

Paddled the Walkham today and our solicitor friend has now put large blocks of stone on the perimeter of his bit of land, which has reduced the area available for parking quite a bit.

It was full when we got there today.

As posted above, if you cross the bridge and go up the hill taking the next left, there a track down to the Forestry Commission car park, which is a good alternative.

[Barnacle Bill]

http://picasaweb.google.com/heathview

[Simon Westgarth]

The rocks lining the road.


A little later on with a few rocks removed, by whom I am not sure.


The highly assertive and very unofficial Denholm Bridge Warden, who was not happy about people getting out at the obvious spot. So after a little conversation he pointed out that the river right get out 100m downstream of the bridge accessible from up the hill down a track is the preferred egress point.

[meatballs]

The highly assertive and very unofficial Denholm Bridge Warden

[Mark R]

Good effort to *whomever* removed the rocks, Simon.

[Dave Thomas]

While our friend is clearly somewhat of an irritation, I fail to see how removing rocks placed legitimately (as far as one can deduce) along private land alongside a public highway so as to enable vehicles to be parked on said private land can be considered to be a good thing or helpful to our cause.

edit: PS The walking stick 'event' appears as if it may have been a little uncivilised. But do two wrongs make a right?

[Simon Westgarth]

....I fail to see how removing rocks placed legitimately (as far as one can deduce) along private land alongside a public highway so as to enable vehicles to be parked....

While I understand that the thin strip of land from the Bridge, upstream to a field sandwiched between the road and the river could and possibly does below to someone, as to with the small layby on the other side of the road. Yet the road coating continues well into the layby's, and as such as part of the public highway, and to try to re-claim these to excluded over users in this form is quite petty, and as such play's into the hands of the narrow minded. If the established land owner does not wish anyone to park there, perhaps a reasonable sign outlining that position would be suffice, instead of claiming part of the public highway, simply because you do not want anyone there.

For too long paddlers in England and Wales have been subject to misinformation on the legal position and bullied by interested parties, with the petty and small minded with there often offensive verbal abuse being thrown out with legal threats that never seem to be seen out. This bluff for 50 years, will no longer be read on what is clearly only hollow words. The tide has finally turned, and so long as we do not directly affect or undermine any ones ability to make a living and avoid wantonly damage property, these rivers are free and there for all to enjoy.

[Dave Thomas]

While I agree that the precise edge of the highway is difficult to determine, I'd be surprised if it extended as far as the river side of the parked cars in the photo. I guess we have to agree to differ on whether or not the boulders are likely to be on private land rather than the highway.

Aside from that point, I am entirely in agreement with all of your second paragraph, Simon. Agreed also (as I said in my first post) that, as far as being on the the river is concerned, our friend is a pain in the neck.

Let's go and paddle ...

[buck197]

Just as a heads up, the weir that is shown in an earlier thread has a tree blocking the river right sneak route so be careful down that side.

[dwbald]

If its the weir in the pic by Ross it no longer there.

[Mont]

Does anyone know what the water level is like on the Tavy at the moment, was considering a little trip maybe this weekend? I assume it's relatively low at the moment, but is it paddlable?

Ta,
Monty

[dwbald]

It was low but doable on Wed. There is some rain forecast over the next few days not much but might be enough to run it.

[daydoe]

Mr Tavey was at it again this weekend, 1st putting a official looking letter on windscreens, taking down car reg numbers and then when changing he came and spoke to us in a very rude manner treating that he had heard of a case that in future he would be able to confiscate our boats and cars.... He thinks that the fishing season has now started on the river and therefore will be more likely to to be that he will be 'talking' to anyone who get out at the bridge.... Please use the forestry commission car park 1/2 mile down stream. We encountered one more problem on the paddle at the measuring weir we were asked not to surf it by a lady running horse riding lessons a few fields away, she was mostly polite but see it as getting rid of paddlers as they are a nuisance to her school.

[Dave Thomas]

.... He thinks that the fishing season has now started on the river ...

He thinks correctly.

[RichA]

If there is an alternative carpark 1/2 mile downriver, why not use it?

[dwbald]

Its not in the English white water guide. So most still use Denham bridge. If you do use the Forestry car park tie something obvious to a tree, Its not to obvious first time down.

[andywalker]

Some helpful person has done just that - there was a yellow bag attached to a tree at the get out on Saturday.