GUIDE TO THE RIVER GLENDERAMACKIN
NAME OF RIVER: Glenderamackin
WHERE IS IT?: North-east Lake District. Its source is high up on Mungrisdale Common and is a stones throw from Sharp Edge. Scales Tarn provides some of the water for this run.
PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: On the one occasion that I paddled this river I put in somewhere in the region of NY 346 281. To get here we walked up the well made track from Mungrisdale so we didnt have to organise a shuttle.
In the White Water Lake District guidebook a similar put in is suggested, however it is suggested that you walk into and over Mouthwaite Comb, just east of Scales Farm on the A66. This would require a shuttle and the walk in would be steeper than the other suggestion, but a tad on the shorter side.
It is possible to take out in Mungrisdale, opposite the village hall, but the trip can be continued on to Lamb Bridge (NY 354 268) or to Threlkeld Bridge where the Glendermackin joins forces with St. Johns Beck to form the Greta.
APPROX LENGTH: Just under 2 miles if you take out in Mungrisdale like we did.
TIME NEEDED: Somewhere in region of one-and-a-half hours I imagine. It takes about an hour to walk in, if you head out from Mungrisdale, and half an hour to slide back down to Mungrisdale
ACCESS HASSLES: None that I know of.
WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: Needs rain, and lots of it. In Stuart Millers guidebook it suggests that you look over the bridge in Mungrisdale to see if the rocks in the river are covered. However, when we paddled it we found a gauge (NY 365 299) just downstream of a small wooden footbridge, which spans the river, besides the village hall. It was just lapping 7.1 and we didnt touch any rocks on our descent.
GRADING: 3/4.
MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: Trees in the small gorge section through Mungrisdale. We were lucky enough to get out and inspect the gorge from one of the gardens with kind permission of the owner who was walking her dog, but obviously dont take this for granted. Inspection might be best on river right to see if its clear. It wasnt on 18th November 2009.
There are also several fences across the river. The suggested put-in should see you get in below one of them and there is another fence that I know of just downstream of a weir, just before the river flows through Mungrisdale.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This beck could be likened to a log flume ride. At best it hits 3+, but if you get it in condition it will be some of the nicest 3+ youll have ever paddled in a fantastic setting. The river is little more than three meters wide, there are no eddies to speak of and once on its a case of keeping straight and pointing downhill.
We managed to get out just before the weir upstream of Mungrisdale to check out the gorge, but it looked possible to run the weir and then get out on river right. However there is a fence across the river just downstream of this so we opted for the easier option that was on offer.
On discovering that the gorge was tree filled we walked back down to the main road, crossed the bridge to the pub, hoped over the wall and ran the last rapid before floating on back down to the village hall.
OTHER NOTES: If this river is up so will the Upper Caldew, which is ten minutes up the road from Mungrisdale and as this river is the main source of the Greta, it is a definite sign that there will be water in that as well.
Pictures of the Glenderamackin.
CONTRIBUTED BY: Iain Rockrat Robinson
