RIVER TEES (Whorlton Falls to Winston Bridge)

[Mark R]

Guide.

[Jim Pullen]

I've just added a bit more detail to the guide after a paddle down this section today.
I keep forgetting how fun this bit is and it's stupid that I don't get around to paddling it more often with Winston being less than a 15min drive from my house! Loads of playable waves and stoppers, even in lowish levels.
I thought I'd turned up to the Dart by mistake when all the lay-bys at Winston were choked with paddler's cars today - great to see so many people out paddling!

[Jim Pullen]

I've never experienced any hassle with access or fishermen on this stretch, but unfortunately it looks like Stockton Angling Ltd now believe they control access rights on public footpaths. A load of signs have gone up at the egress stating that there's "No right of access for canoes, dingies, boats or similar." They've been nailed to trees in a couple of cases and would have required a ladder to get up there. Ho hum, please ignore and continue to enjoy this stretch.

Edit: after a bit of research, it looks like most of the fishing rights they hold are for the section BELOW Winston Bridge, so you're unlikely to receive any agro getting off here, still annoying to see the signs though.

[geyrfugl]

The agreed access, river right, upstream of the bridge, is definitely a public footpath, right at the water's edge, so there can be no grounds whatsoever for suggesting that there is no right of access - this also leads to a good put on for park-and-play usage on the drops upstream. There are public rights of way both sides, both upstream and downstream of the bridge (a bridleway river right downstream, footpaths otherwise), but apart from the normally used one, the others do need a scramble down the banks off the path.

I've never experienced any hassle with access or fishermen on this stretch

The playwaves some way below Whorlton (Graft's Farm, NZ118143) are on a stretch where the fishing rights on the left bank (usual place for eddy service) are owned privately by the farmer for his own use (he told us), and some aggro has occasionally occurred here out of the winter season. Apparently many years ago this was something of a trouble spot, but more recently the chap claims to have been paid off by the BCU and mostly comes and grumbles only if you get off the river on his bank (we had stopped for lunch). I've only had this happen just the once, a few years ago (2006, I think), and it's my local river, so we do come here quite often. I wouldn't categorise it as anything to worry about if you stop to play, but perhaps not picnicking here might be best :-)

I've changed the river guide on the Swaledale Outdoor Club site to reflect this new signage, making it quite clear that there is a right of access river right upstream of the bridge.

Andy

[Jim Pullen]

Following on from the addition of the signage by Stockton Angling club and the recent notes left on people's cars. I had a hilarious encounter with the landowner of the downstream river right bank today.

We were parking the cars for the shuttle when he drove up to pass through his gate. As he wound down his window looking angry about something I thought "here we go." But instead he pointed at the angling club signs, saying (words to the effect) "don't pay any attention to those signs, those idiots from Stockton think they own the place, get on the river and have a good time. We live here, not them!"

I held the gate open for him and his friend and then closed it behind him with a wave. Later we saw him again as we were getting off and he asked us if we'd had a good day.

We also saw two friendly fishermen just below Abbey Rapids, who happily reeled their lines in and had a quick chat. There are no problems paddling this stretch of the river year round.

[Rjo103]

We had very similar response from a local person leaving that land (river right, downstream). After a bit of a chat it was clear he was quite happy with us and berated the people who put up the signs. I got the impression the gentleman was either the landowner, or knew them.

[stuart496]

went to this location yesterday after a whorlton to winston trip, wanted to know my exact rights if anyone can help.
basically got off the river tied the boats up and went to get the start car. (only two of us were paddling) came back and started to load theboats on. a man pulled up in his car and went to my younger friend, stating we are not aloud to kayak or canoe on the river this time of year, so i went over and sudenly got bombarded with "stockton anglers this stockton anglers that" i stated "theres obviously been a lot of confusion as to who owns the river, but for the time being as far as im concerned we are in the right" and i left the conversation to go back to my car (about 7m away). as i was putting the boats on i turned round to find him standing practically in my face, shouting about stockton anglers, now at this point i must admit i felt rather threatend so i raised my voice and told him the same thing over again. by this point there was obviously a major conflict of opinion then he started to take my "registration" down on a bit of paper. which i wasnt to happy with but i let him crack on by that time id lost all sense of interest with the bloke. he then stormed off.
can someone help, this is the 5th time this has happend to me now its becoming a pain!, cheers stu :)

[dgg2dwp]

Stuart, i would suggest you report it to the police now and if it happens again while you are there just phone them straight away. Did you take down his car registration number?

[Jim Pullen]

No sign of him yesterday. As Dave says, if you feal threatened or harassed, report to the police. If they get a lot of reports maybe they'll give him an asbo....

Other than all the standard legal rights and wrongs, probably the easiest argument to use with this numpty is that Stockton Anglers only control the fishing rights downstream of the bridge and the vast majority of boaters don't use that section!

[stuart496]

i think he seems to target my group as we are all young guys ranging from 16 to 25. he thought wrong when he got into the argument with me tho, and i explained my rights as a paddler. next time i shall take his reg. and report him :)

[callwild]

The section below Winston Bridge is apparently a good open boat touring section of river highlighted in the new Pesda Press English Canoe Classics. So don't get too bogged down in using we only paddle above the bridge argument. You have the right to paddle the river (above or below) so do it.