GUIDE TO ICKORNSHAW BECK

NAME OF RIVER: Ickornshaw Beck, flowing into Holme Beck.

WHERE IS IT?: Cowling, its on A6068 between Keighley and Colne.

Map.

PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: Footpath between outdoor centre the local chippy, it's only a couple of minutes walk from the road.

Take out: we got out at Lane Ends Bridge (ngr. SD981443), to carry on would mean egress over farmers land or to run the high walled section through Glusburn Cross Hills (many weirs!).

APPROX LENGTH: Just doing the top bit is just over 1 km.

TIME NEEDED: We were probably about 40 min with two portages and quite a few scrapes.

ACCESS HASSLES: Access egress are both short on footpaths. The beck will be rarely runnable so you shouldn't have a problem. There's no immediate parking at the egress the road is tight so you'll need to be quick moving boats; or a short carry up the road (down stream) to parking near the junction.

WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: Even Noah should be complaining about the rain! Every river around was up it was still a bit of a scrape.

GRADING: Prob grade 3 if the water is really up, but it'll dangerous for the grade.

MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: 2 river wide fallen trees, 1 of which has a fence immediately before it. Low branches and overgrown banks. In flood it'll be fast with few eddies, at all other times you'll be losing plastic off your hull.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: It's only short and the riverbed changes after every flood. With a good riverside path it's worth walking it first.

OTHER NOTES: If you're a fan of wet rocky ditches everywhere is flooded then its worth having a look...

CONTRIBUTED BY: Anonymous...