GUIDE TO LOW GILL
NAME OF RIVER: Low Gill.
WHERE IS IT?: It flows down into the River Lune at Beck Foot.
PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: The section described is at the put-in for the Lune, Beck Foot (620963). This is in the general vicinity of M6 junction 37. Start where a railway viaduct crosses the small stream. Trip finishes in the Lune; obviously this very short trip is only worth doing as a fun start to the Lune.
APPROX LENGTH: Several hundred metres.
TIME NEEDED: 15 minutes with inspection.
ACCESS HASSLES: Unknown, but see the River Lune situation. The less time you spend on the banks inspecting, the less likely you are to offend locals (and damage the flora).
WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: Can be paddled in low water levels. May be very serious in very high water.
GRADING: Grade 4 at medium levels.
MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: 'Pinny' drop (see below). Trees. Low bridge at the bottom, may be a problem in high water.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: From the viaduct, the river drops steeply. One early drop tends to vertically pin paddlers, consider walking around it. The steepest couple of drops (2 metres each) lead to a split in the river with a straightforward route river right or a dubious undercut on the other side for headbangers. A long slide finishes the (short) interesting section and the river passes under a (low) bridge before entering the Lune.
OTHER NOTES: A way to liven up the Lune but it will deserve respect in high flows.
CONTRIBUTED BY: Mark Rainsley.
