RIVER TEES (Barnard Castle to Whorlton Falls)

[Mark R]

Guide.

[Jim Pullen]

There is no longer any access at
Whorlton Lido forcing you to run the two sections together.

Submitted 14/03/07

[Grumpy Fisherman]

It is possible to egress at Whorlton Lido, using the left bank rather than the right.
Approx. 10m downstream of the end of the ledge drop at the lido on river left is a public footpath that leads back upstream to the road. It is then a 2min walk along the road and over the bridge to the layby.

[Big Henry]

As mentioned on another thread on here, it seems that some people have been exiting river right at Whorlton Lido:

[Jim Pullen]

I've had a few mention some of this in some of the later updates. Thanks for your contributions guys, I'll update the guide with new get-out procedures!

[stroudy]

I was driving through Barnard Castle this weekend and noticed that the carpark that we used to use as a get in (upstream river right of the main road bridge in town) is blocked by two massive boulders, so you cant park here anymore.

Tom S

[Jim Pullen]

I was driving through Barnard Castle this weekend and noticed that the carpark that we used to use as a get in (upstream river right of the main road bridge in town) is blocked by two massive boulders, so you cant park here anymore.

Tom S

Not used that one before, but have seen boaters getting changed there as recently as a couple of months ago. Alternatives are to use the YOI car park and walk to the river, putting on next to Deepdale Beck, or to park next to the grassy area on river left at NZ053160 and put on there.

[littlejohn]

I have been told there is at present a very large tree across the top of Abbey Rapids

BTW - The boulders block entry to the car park in Barnard Castle around the period of the Appleby horse Fair (Whit week).

John

[davedraperdesign]

Paddled the tees from Barnard Castle today and there is a huge tree in the water above abbey rapids. Its about 100m above the main rapid but cannot be paddled around. Please be aware of this if u r paddling the section.

[warren]

Think this tree will be there for a while as it will take way more than a chain saw to get rid of it and its well wedged .it has four trunks to it and they are all about 2.5ft thick
I noticed some body had removed the bushy top part so well done to them!
paddlers will prob be able to get round on the right hand side in high water but be carefull.
i saw lots of possible entrapments amongst the rocks to the side of the tree (was low water ), and in my opinion the tree will push alot of water to the right over theese and could make for some interesting water.
bear in mind normaly you would not paddle this line if the tree wasnt there , so just thought i would give the heads up just in case it ever rains again and the river is up.

Oh and Dave , cant belive we had a portage on my Favourite strech of water . your a jinx ;-)

[David Fionda]

There is a very large tree back in Abbey Rapids, about a 3rd of the way down. Bocks most of the river except hard right

[Big Henry]

Had a look down there today and took the following photos. They should link to bigger versions:
From Above:

From the Side:

From Below:

[Wilf]

A few more images of the tree. It's really bad.

Wilf

[tape34]

There is a very large tree back in Abbey Rapids, about a 3rd of the way down. Bocks most of the river except hard right

After 2 of us visiting the tree with saws and ropes and making a very small impression on it, I have reported the tree to the Environment Agency (someone had reported it yesterday by the looks of things) and they will deal with it, I am told. I used their incident number and got a good (verbal) response from someone who seemed to know what they were on about.

Pete Ball

[ken hughes]

If this moves it could prove to be even more deadly in the gorge below!

Anyone with a chainsaw hobby would be doing a great service if they just cut it to pieces so it floated off with the next flood.

Anyone wanting firewood; its yours, take it away!

Ken
www.kenhughescourses.com (updated calendar and gallery)

[Jim Pullen]

I thought the EA had been contacted about this (by at least two different people) and were going to clear it? Anyone know any more?

[Big Henry]

Pete Ball (SOC) reported this to the EA on Thursday of last week. They said it should be left to them to deal with! Hope all the water this weekend doesn't shift it.

[ken hughes]

What weekend rain is that then ;-)

http://www.farsondigitalwatercams.com/l ... rd-Castle/

Ken
www.kenhughescourses.com

[tape34]

Pete Ball (SOC) reported this to the EA on Thursday of last week. They said it should be left to them to deal with! Hope all the water this weekend doesn't shift it.

I reported the tree blockage to the EA. on 9th June and they already had a report about it the day before. Apart from concerns for canoeing I told them about the possible risk if children started playing on it or using it to cross the river. They were very definate about not wanting members of the public to try and deal with it, I'm happy for the professionals to sort this one out.

I used the EA incident line 0800 807060, their incident reference number is 892538

Pete

[Big Henry]

Went down to have a look yesterday to see that it has been chopped into 8-10ft lengths. Too bad these lengths have just been left where they were and are going to be washed downstream when lots of rain finally come. I took some photos but have no editing software at the moment so can't put them up yet.

If you are careful you should just about be able to pick a line hard river right, but have a look first.

[Big Henry]

From above:



From below:

Looks to me like at least some of them need dragging out!

[Wilf]

Well, how about we go there one evening or at the weekend and Pig rig them out? Good practice no?

Can anyone make Wednesday evening?

Wilf

[Big Henry]

As you can see, the part of the tree spanning the river is now gone:

However, I am sure that when a lot of water comes down, the massive remaining stump on river left will at some point be washed into the water, probably to end up stuck in the main/last rapid of Abbey, knowing our luck!

Today we saw one of the pieces that had moved, approx 40-50 yards further down, and on the bank river left (this is looking upstream from river right bank):

so I would suggest that if you have a look and it's not still there, check down to the bridge and beyond (if you're paddling further).

We did see a couple of other cut up sections of the trunk about 3/4 - 1mile downstream, not causing any problems at the moment.

[geyrfugl]

There's some discussion on the thread for updates to the section above (Cotherstone to Barnard Castle) concerning reconstruction work on the Barney weir in 2012 and 2013: http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/foru ... 4&p=636568

Mostly that's irrelevant to this section (though it will probably affect the gauge readings we've all got used to using), but at the start of the description, you'll see a reference to putting on at Deepdale Beck. Running that will almost certainly drop you directly into the construction site during 2012, so would be best avoided :-)

Andy

[geyrfugl]

Gauge readings at Barney should be back to normal, as water is now flowing over the full width of the weir. Deepdale beck still flows under a low temporary bridge, and work may be continuing on the banks until September. Portage access river left is still obstructed by path closure, but the weir should be runnable when levels are appropriate. Note that the fishladder (which used to be a safer option at higher levels) is now gone. I haven't got a look at the centre channel(s) on the weir yet, but both are boxed in by concrete walls so any stoppers that do form will be enclosed...

Andy

[Andy Davies]

Kingston Kayak Club have posted a couple of video on YouTube.
Using all those hours worth of footage, we've tried to make some useful River Guide videos. Very much a work in progress, but thought someone may find them useful.

This is the link to the Barnard Castle to Whorlton Falls video

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ExLdoALWnxs

[Mark Gawler]

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT ABBEY RAPIDS

Paddlers, please be aware there is currently a tree across Abbey Rapids preventing paddling. We have made contact with the Mortham Estate who maintain the area and will update once the tree has been removed. For now, please do not use the rapids. Please share with fellow paddlers.

[Big Henry]

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT ABBEY RAPIDS

Paddlers, please be aware there is currently a tree across Abbey Rapids preventing paddling. We have made contact with the Mortham Estate who maintain the area and will update once the tree has been removed. For now, please do not use the rapids. Please share with fellow paddlers.

Has this been sorted out and removed yet?

[Big Henry]

Has the tree at Abbey been sorted yet?