GUIDE TO THE RIVER AVON
(Rock Mill Weir)
NAME OF RIVER: Avon, Rock Mill Weir.
WHERE IS IT?: This is the Warwickshire River Avon. The weir is at Warwick. Emscote road by the Greyhound track behind the new housing development (03/2005). Just by the bridge over the Avon on Emscote road, turn down a small side road following signs for allotments and greyhound track, keep going until you come to the track and the weir. Map.
PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: Put in at the weir, parking with consideration for the Greyhound Track owners.
Or, Put in downriver in Victoria Park, paddle downstream on the River Leam shooting the Princes Drive weir, paddle to the confluence with the Avon then upstream to the weir, about a mile in total.
Or, put in at the Saxon Mill pub on the Coventry road, paddle downstream half a mile to the weir.
APPROX LENGTH: It's a weir!
TIME NEEDED: Depends on how inventive you are on a limited feature.
ACCESS HASSLES: No problems encountered, anglers are sometimes found in the weir run-off.
WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: Needs to be seen really, if level is low, it's a bit of a chuckle. In high water its a walled-in stopper and none too friendly or inviting.
GRADING: It's a weir. 2??
MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: The weir face itself is near the surface, there may also be a broken sill extending a metre or so past the trough. Don't rule out underwater debris dropped in by the friendly locals.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The river makes a bend and drops over two weirs. The river right weir is about 8 metres wide and generally the one to play on. The river left weir is smaller and is sometimes an option if the water is very high.
It's about 4 metres wide on the left and about 2 metres wide on the right hand side.
The weirs consist of a shallow slope, about 30 degrees which the water shoots down to form a trough and foampile at the base. The surfers-right side of the weir is usually the easiest to get onto and the most retentive for high-effort spins, edging butt-bouncers though its a good place to practise your edging skills.
The run-off also makes a good squirt-zone or cartwheels on the eddyline.
OTHER NOTES: This weir is similar to the one on the Avon in Stratford if you have been there, only not quite as fun or reliable. Tricks are fairly limited but its good practise and hey, you're in Warwickshire, you have to take whatever whitewater you can get.
CONTRIBUTED BY: OL - http://www.rlscc.org.uk
