GUIDE TO THE RIVER CALDER

(Sowerby Bridge Whitewater Course to Brighouse)

NAME OF RIVER: River Calder (Halifax Canoe Club, HXCC), Whitewater Course.

WHERE IS IT? Near Halifax, West Yorkshire. OS sheet 104 Leeds/ Bradford.

PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: Put in Halifax Canoe Club site, Sowerby Bridge, Halifax (SE059235).

Take out Brighouse, river left below 2nd weir.

APPROX LENGTH: 10 km.

TIME NEEDED: 4 hours.

ACCESS HASSLES: Access situation good, rarely paddled.

WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: Gauge at Elland. 2 is ok, 4 is good.

GRADING: Grade 2 with weirs.

MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: Mear Clough weir (closed ends), Power station weir (steep, closed ends), other weirs.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Put in Sowerby bridge white water course - Halifax Canoe Club.

069237 1 km to Mear Clough weir - closed ended canoe gobbler in high water - be warned.

077232 1 km to Wire Works weir - metal spikes.

082226 1 km Copley viaduct and broken weir, good put in and parking here.

096223 1 km railway and footbridge, tree stuck here Dec 2002, Hebble brook confluence on the left.

097220 300 m to road bridge. Tail squirt pool river rt.

100214 1 km confluence of Black Brook on rt.

106213 1 km to Elland weirs - mainly playable weirs with easy waves.

125219 1.5 km Power station weir portage rt.

138229 1.5 km Lillands weir shoot rt.

144226 0.5 km Brighouse upper weir.

147226 200 m Brighouse lower weir.

OTHER NOTES:Black Brook is worth a look. Also nearby is Hebden Water.

CONTRIBUTED BY:Andy Craven and Paul (Heffy) Heffernan.