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NAME OF RIVER: South Tyne.

WHERE IS IT?: Off the A689, flowing back to the A69.

PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: Put in at Slaggyford, where a small roadbridge crosses the river, NY681519.

Take out at Haltwhistle (NY705637) , or earlier at Featherstone Castle (NY673613).

'Dunmail' adds: The section below Lambley viaduct is given as grade 3 in 'English White Water'. To avoid this section access at Lambley road bridge (NY675597 upstream river right).

APPROX LENGTH: 13km.

TIME NEEDED: Unknown.

ACCESS HASSLES: There is an agreement for the whole Tyne system, it can currently be found on the BCU website here. Whilst being a lot fairer than some of the older-style access agreements, in that there is a summer spate clause, it still deviates from the CE ideal of 365 days access unless there is a sound environmental reason not to paddle.

WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: The great thing about the area is the speed of the water, which is almost Alpine, and the speed at which it floods and drops which may be up and down in 4 hrs.

The River Call North East Number is 09066197722. In addition, daily water levels for the Tyne area can be found on the Fish Tyne website here with the calibration on Rainchasers. Additional calibration for the South Tyne would be useful if anyone has further info?

GRADING: 1-2.

MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: Featherstone weir.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This section does not get above grade 2 at all. Featherstone weir is deadly! Dunmail notes that in Nick Doll's canoeist's guide to the North-East the photo of Featherstone Weir has been reversed to show a mirror image of the weir.

OTHER NOTES:

There is also the South Tyne from Garrigill to Alston, from Alston to Slaggyford and from Haydon Bridge to Hexham.

Has anybody paddled the section from Haltwhistle to Haydon Bridge?

CONTRIBUTED BY: Pete Button.