GUIDE TO ARTLE BECK
NAME OF RIVER: Artle Beck
WHERE IS IT?: A trib of the Lune, flows from near the Littledale scout camp into Caton. 15 mins from lancaster, M6 J34.
PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: Go to the get out first which is the hump back bridge between Caton and Brookhouse (SD534644, Multimap). Drive over the bridge and turn right at the BlackBull in brookhouse. Follow this road up into the Littledale until you see the scout camp (SD554622, Multimap).
APPROX LENGTH: 5km.
TIME NEEDED: 1 - 2 hours depending on trees and how often you micro eddy out.
ACCESS HASSLES: None when I have done it but it does flow through a private estate near the bottom.
WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: Needs heavy localised rain before it goes (6 hours worth). Goes down just as quick. At the get out hump back bridge if the water is just touching the sides of the bridge underneath then this is the bare minimum (level pics taken at).
GRADING: Constant grade 4/4+ (bank full).
MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: TREES! You best have your micro eddy technique up to scratch as trees are very common. I remember two notable trees, but due to the steep sided valley more could have fallen in.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: From the put in its about 30 metres to the first drop. Easy option is to take the slide down the right, left does go but a friend bruised his ribs going that way! After this you pass the scout camp on the right and some reef like drops/slides appear. You are now in the wooded gorge with bank scouting not easy. Continuous rapids with a pernament log dam appear creating an S bend style rapid. After this more rapids lead you to the beginning of the private estate, marked by a sheep fence right across the river, be on your toes for this in high water. Portage on river right keeping a low profile as you are now on the estate's land. Rejoin the river immediately and get ready for the must run weir/fall. When you see the estate house the weir is next/joined to it. Above it there is a nice pool so paddle over to the right to have a look. It is bowl shaped so wherever you run it you will pretty much end up in the same place at the bottom. I believe the drop at the bottom of it is undercut so just a word of warning. The action is now over with approx 1 km of gentle rapids down to the get out.
OTHER NOTES:
CONTRIBUTED BY: Anthony Shaw.
