North West

Canoe and Kayak river guides to North West England (North of the Severn drainage, west of the Pennines).

Acting Regional Editor: Jim Pullen

Playspot

Title
Arnside (Arnside tidal bore and playspots) - The Kent estuary's classic spot, along with some notes on the Leven bore. (photos)
River Derwent - Workington Weir (Workington Weir) - Cumbria's hidden playspot. (photos)
River Eden - Wetherall Weir (Wetherall Weir) - Carlisle's playspot.
River Lune - Skerton Weir playspot (Skerton Weir) - playspot for the very brave.

Easy White Water / Touring River

Title
Goyt (New Mills to Brabyns Park) Manchester run.
River Bollin - Manchester Airport to Ashley Road (Manchester Airport to Ashley Road) - a touring river under a runway?
River Brathay - a scenic beginners trip. (photos)
River Calder - Martholme Viaduct to Ribchester (Martholme Viaduct to Ribchester) - Ribble tributary.
River Dee - Farndon to Chester Weir (Farndon to Chester) - just in from Wales.
River Derwent - Bassenthwaite Lake to Workington (Bassenthwaite to Workington) - classic touring trip.
River Derwent - Derwentwater to Bassenthwaite Lake (Derwentwater to Bassenthwaite Lake) - between two beautiful lakes.
River Derwent - Seathwaite to Derwentwater (Seathwaite to Derwentwater) - touring in Borrowdale.
River Derwent - Workington to the Sea (Workington to the sea) - short trip to surfing.
River Eamont (Ullswater to Brougham Castle) - draining Ullswater in the Lake District.
River Eden - Appleby in Westmoreland to Langwathby (Appleby in Westmoreland to Langwathby)
River Eden - Langwathby to Lazonby (Langwathby to Lazonby) - scenic easy whitewater.
River Eden - Lazonby to Armathwaite (Lazonby to Armathwaite) - scenic easy whitewater.
River Ehen (Ennerdale Water to Egremont) - West Cumbrian beck. (photos)
River Goyt (Brabyns park to MCC site) - near Manchester Canoe Club's base.
River Greta - Lune Tributary (Ingleton to the Lune) - scenic exploring in the Three Peaks area.
River Hodder - Burholme Bridge to Higher Hodder Bridge (Burholme Bridge to Higher Hodder Bridge) - classic open boat touring.
River Hodder - High Hodder to Ribble Conflence (Higher Hodder Bridge to Ribble Confluence)
River Kent - Bowston to Sprint Confluence (Bowston to Sprint Confluence) - an easy trip is possible on this section and into Kendal.
River Lune - Halton to Glasson Dock (Halton to Glasson Dock) - a tour of Lancaster and estuary touring.
River Lune - Rawthey Confluence to Rigmaden Bridge (Rawthey confluence to Rigmaden Bridge) - easy whitewater touring.
River Lune - Rigmaden Bridge to Kirby Lonsdale (Rigmaden Bridge to Devil's Bridge) - easy whitewater. (photos)
River Lune - Tebay to Beck Foot (Tebay to Beck Foot) - above the classic ww section, with one grade 4.
River Ribble - Clitheroe to Ribchester (Clitheroe to Ribchester) - a long section with easy rapids.
River Ribble - Paythorne to Sawley (Paythorne to Sawley) - flat water with weirs.
River Roch - An surprisingly good urban paddle with a few tricky weirs.
River Rothay - a pleasant Lakeland paddle on Wordsworth's river.
River Weaver - scenic flat water touring in Cheshire.
River Wenning (Clapham to Low Bentham) - an easy Lune tributary draining the Yorkshire Dales. (photos)
River Wye - Buxton to Litton Mill (Buxton to Litton Mill) - exciting easy grade WW trip in the Peak District.
River Wyre - high water easy WW near Lancaster.
Rivers Yarrow and Douglas - Chorley to Tarleton (Chorley to Tarleton) - a manmade gorge near Chorley.
Tarnbrook Wyre - high water, easy WW beck that leads into the river Wyre.

Intermediate / Advanced Whitewater

Title
Aira Beck - A great blast into Ullswater.
Artle Beck - A spate tributary of the Lune near Lancaster.
Barbon Beck - Fence and tree dodging spate tributary of the lower Lune.
Birk Beck - Continuation of Wasdale Beck and tributary of the Lune.
Black Beck - a tree and wire fence strewn ditch near the Duddon. (photos)
Black Clough - short spate ditch near Woodhead reservoir.
Borrow Beck - a spate Lune tributary. (photos)
Church Beck - Coniston to Coniston Water (Coniston to Coniston Water) - a short spate trip in the Lakes.
Cockley Beck - small tributary to Borrow Beck.
Deepdale Beck - spate trib of the Dentdale Dee.
Flint Beck - steep exploring near the Rawthey. (photos)
Grains Gill - spate beck forming the Borrowdale Derwent. (photos)
Grassguards Gill - spate tree-ditch addition to Upper Duddon.
Great Langdale Beck - a bimble in England's most beautiful valley. (photos)
Kirkstone Beck - spate boating next to the A592.
Leck Beck - great Pennine spate stream needing a walk-in. (photos)
Liddel Water - short section on the Scottish Border. (photos)
Little Langdale Beck - a short trip with extreme possibilities. (photos)
Long House Gill - a short spate paddle in Dunnerdale. (photos)
Low Gill - a short trip to add to the Lune. (photos)
Millerground Beck - rockbash into Lake Windermere. (photos)
Newlands Beck (Little Town to Stair) - a good trip in the North East Lakes.
River Calder - Lankrigg Moss to Thornholme Farm (Lankrigg Moss to Thornholme Farm) - a high water run in West Cumbria.
River Calder - Thornholme Farm to Sellafield (Thornholme Farm to Sellafield) - radioactive West Cumbrian gorges.
River Caldew (Grainsgill Beck to Mosedale) - Paddle next to Skiddaw
River Clough - Garsdale Head to Road Bridge (Garsdale Head to Road Bridge) - steep paddling in upper Garsdale. (photos)
River Clough - Road Bridge to Sedbergh New Bridge (Road Bridge to Sedbergh New Bridge) - steep paddling in Garsdale. (photos)
River Crake (Coniston Water to the Sea) - a south Lake District trip.
River Dane (Gradbach to Rushton Spencer) - spate Peak District ditch.
River Duddon - Seathwaite to Duddon Bridge (Seathwaite to Duddon Bridge) - completing one of the Lake District's longest trips.
River Etherow - A classic spate paddle less than 30mins from Manchester.(photos)
River Gelt - trib of the Irthing near Brampton.
River Glenderamackin - spate trib of the Greta with a walk-in. (photos)
River Greta (Lake District) - a Grade 3 gem in the north Lake District. (photos)
River Hindburn - a great spate trip near Lancaster. (photos)
River Irthing (Waterfall to Gilsland) - a trip near Carlisle. (photos)
River Irwell (Rawtenstall to the Burrs) - the raging river of Bury! (photos)
River Kent - Scroggs Bridge to Bowston (Scroggs Bridge to Bowston) - a mostly easy section with two harder rapids and lots of weirs.
River Kent - Sprint Confluence to Force Falls (Sprint Confluence to Force Falls) - an introduction to waterfalls with reliable water. (photos)
River Leven - the most reliable Lake District whitewater river. (photos)
River Lowther - a pleasant and fairly easy Lake District river near the M6.
River Lune - Beck Foot to Rawthey Confluence (Beck Foot to Rawthey Confluence) - a classic reliable grade 3 trip. (photos)
River Lune - Halton Rapids (Halton Rapids) - one of the north's best training sites. (photos)
River Mint (Patton Bridge to the Kent Confluence) - a easy spate stream feeding the kent above Kendal.
River Rawthey - Rawthey Bridge to Lune Confluence - one of the best Grade 4 trips in the north. (photos)
River Ribble - Helwith Bridge to Settle (Helwith Bridge to Settle) - excellent grade 3 and 4 paddling in the Yorkshire Dales. (photos)
River Roeburn - Pennine demon spate run! (photos)
River Sprint - Near S Bends to River Kent Confluence (Near S Bends to River Kent Confluence) - a speedy south Lakes river. (photos)
River Troutbeck - an intense spate paddle in the Central Lake District. (photos)
Torver Beck - a short spate Lakeland stream. (photos)

Very Dificult / Extream Whitewater

Title
Church Beck - Coppermines to Coniston (Coppermines to Coniston) - a difficult portage-ridden waterfall trip in the Lakes. (photos)
Croglin Beck - short waterfall trib of the Eden. (photos)
Glenridding Beck - a steep run flowing into Ullswater. (photos)
Greenburn Beck - a continuous steep low water run with a walk-in.
Grizedale Beck - a supersteep boulder bash between Windermere and Coniston Water. (photos)
Heyden Brook - A steep continuous spate ditch close to Manchester. (photos)
Langstrath Beck - short spate run with a walk-in. (photos)
Lead Mines Clough - a short spate run near Chorley.
River Belah - tree-strewn steep run in East Cumbria. (photos)
River Doe - extreme waterfall run near Ingleton. (photos)
River Duddon - Birk's Bridge to Seathwaite (Birk's Bridge to Seathwaite) - a splendid tricky trip in the Lakes. (photos)
River Esk - Upper Section to Brotherikeld (Upper section to Brotherikeld) - Cumbrian waterfall run. (photos)
River Rawthey - Upper reaches (upper reaches) - a very tough gorge above the normal section. (photos)
River Spodden (Healey Dell) - several good drops in a nature reserve near Rochdale. (photos)
River Sprint - Upper Section (Upper Section) - steep drops in upper Longsleddale. (photos)
River Twiss - paddling the Ingleton waterfalls walk. (photos)
Scandale Beck (Low Sweden Bridge to Scandale Bridge) - short section of rock-strewn falls. (photos)
Stock Ghyll - a high speed tour of Ambleside. (photos)
Wasdale Beck - a steep continuous spate run near Borrow Beck. (photos)
Whillan Beck - a Lakeland low water horror. (photos)

Subcategories

Photos

Photos of rivers of the North West England

River Updates NW England