South West

Canoe and Kayak river guides to South West England (The Somerset Frome and Dorset Stour and westwards).

Playspot

Title
Hayle Sluice - tidal playspot in Cornwall.
River Avon (Bristol) - Saltford Weir (Saltford Weir) - OKish playspot.
River Avon (Hampshire) - East Mills Weir A Play spot on the River Avon (Hampshire)
River Dart - Newbridge playwave (Newbridge playwave) - great easily accessible spot in high water.
River Fal (Sett Bridge) tidal playspot in Cornwall.
River Stour - Blandford to Spetisbury (Blandford to Spetisbury) - including Dorset's premiere playspot.

Easy White Water / Touring River

Title
Dane's Brook (Hawkridge Plain to Barle Confluence) - small Exmoor stream.
Fowey River - Treverbyn Mill to Drawbridge An continuous grade two, but don't underestimate the trees and weirs.
Fowey River - Two Waters Foot to Bodmin Parkway Station (Two Waters Foot to Bodmin Parkway Station) - good playing for Cornwall.
Hoccombe Water - Source to Badgworthy Water (Source to Badgworthy Water) - An Exmoor ditch.
Moor Brook - Tiny tributary of the East Okement.
River Avon (Bristol) - Bath to Bristol (Bath to Bristol)
River Avon (Bristol) - Bradford on Avon to Bath (Bradford on Avon to Bath)
River Avon (Bristol) - Chippenham to Melksham (Chippenham to Melksham)
River Avon (Bristol) - Christian Malford to Chippenham (Christian Malford to Chippenham)
River Avon (Bristol) - Great Somerford to Christian Malford (Great Somerford to Christian Malford)
River Avon (Bristol) - Malmesbury to Great Somerford (Malmesbury to Great Somerford) - there is all the touring you'll ever need on this river!
River Avon (Bristol) - Melksham to Bradford on Avon (Melksham to Bradford on Avon)
River Avon (Devon) - Tidal Section (Tidal Stretches) - near Bantham.
River Barle - Simonsbath to Withypool (Simonsbath to Withypool) - easy whitewater on bleak moorland.
River Barle - Tarr Steps to Exe Confluence (Tarr Steps to Exe Confluence) - a good WW beginners trip on Exmoor.
River Barle - Withypool to Tarr Steps (Withypool to Tarr Steps) - the best whitewater the Barle offers.
River Barle (above Simonsbath) (above Simonsbath) - the headwaters of the Barle.
River Biss - Trowbridge to Bradford on Avon (Trowbridge to Bradford on Avon) - a small tributary of the Somerset Avon.
River Bray (Leeham Ford Bridge to Newtown Bridge) (Leeham Ford Bridge to Newtown Bridge) - continuous grade 2 on the fringes of Exmoor.
River Camel - Penrose to Wenfordbridge (Penrose to Wenfordbridge) - a messy trip in Cornwall.
River Camel - Tuckingmill to Penrose (Tuckingmill to Penrose) - an enjoyable grade 2 paddle.
River Dart - Buckfastleigh to Staverton (Buckfastleigh to Staverton) - easy touring.
River Dart - Holne Bridge to Buckfastleigh (Holne Bridge to Buckfastleigh)
River Dart - Staverton to Totnes (Staverton to Totnes) - the last non-tidal section.
River Erme - Ivybridge to Ermington
River Exe - Bickleigh to Exeter (Bickleigh to Exeter) - some spectacular weirs, causing carnage on the Exe Descent!
River Exe - Bolham Weir to Bickleigh (Bolham weir to Bickleigh) - the most popular section.
River Exe - Bridgetown to Bolham Weir (Bridgetown to Bolham weir) - needs a bit of rain...
River Exe - Exeter to the Estuary (Exeter to the Estuary) - a less paddled but interesting section.
River Exe (Silly Bridge to Bridgetown) (Silly Bridge to Bridgetown) - continuous easy rapids.
River Fal - Tidal creek - tidal touring in Cornwall.
River Fowey - Estuary - tidal touring in Cornwall.
River Frome - Wool to Wareham - a flat winding tour through Dorset.
River Frome - Woolverton to Freshbrook - a marvellous and entertaining introduction to whitewater.
River Frome (Bristol Frome) - a miniature bobsleigh through Bristol.
River Lynher - Kerney Bridge to the Sea - a small Cornish river.
River Marden - Calne to Stanley (Calne to Stanley)
River Marden - Stanley to River Avon Confluence (Stanley to River Avon Confluence) - a titchy twisty Bristol Avon tributary.
River Meavy - Meavy ford to Goodameavy (Meavy ford to Goodameavy) - easy but dangerous Dartmoor river.
River Mells - Mells to Oldford - spate Somerset ditch.
River Percuil - Tidal creek - Cornish tidal creek.
River Piddle - Cecily Bridge to Cuckoo Pound (Cecily Bridge to Cuckoo Pound) - obstacle-strewn touring in Dorset.
River Piddle - Cuckoo Pound to Wareham (Cuckoo Pound to Wareham) - a lovely quiet river with mini-weirs.
River Plym - Bickleigh Bridge to Plym Bridge (Bickleigh Bridge to Plym Bridge) - attractive valley approaching Plymouth.
River Stour - Canford School to Christchurch Quay (Canford School to Christchurch Quay) - the back route into Bournemouth.
River Stour - Spetisbury to Canford (Spetisbury to Canford) - taking in the splendid Coventry Arms.
River Stour - Sturminster Newton to Blandford (Sturminster Newton to Blandford) - route of the popular Stour Descent.
River Tamar - Greystone Quarry to Horsebridge (Greystone Quarry to Horsebridge) - flowing along the Devon/ Cornwall border.
River Tamar - Horsebridge to Gunnislake (Horsebridge to Gunnislake)
River Tavy - Tavistock Canal (Tavistock Canal) - a very unusual canal, included because it flows and it's, well, interesting...
River Torridge - Sheepwash Bridge to the Sea - gorgeous touring in North Devon.
River Warleggan - Trengoffe to Fowey Confluence - tiny Cornish stream.
River Yealm (Mark's Bridge to Yealmpton) (Mark's Bridge to Yealmpton) - easy whitewater with dodgy weirs.
Semington Brook - Seeve Cleeve to Melksham - tributary of the Somerset Avon.

Intermediate / Advanced Whitewater

Title
Badgworthy Water - Hoccombe Water to Malmsmead (Hoccombe Water to Malmsmead) - Beautiful valley at the source of the East Lyn.
Black Brook - Princetown to West Dart Confluence (Princetown to West Dart Confluence) - a spate tributary of the West Dart.
Fowey River - Golitha Falls Carpark to Treverbyn Mill (Golitha Falls car park to Treverbyn Mill) - Cornwall's grade 4 trip.
Horner Water - Upper Section to West Luccombe (Upper Section to West Luccombe) - an unusual steep river.
Oare Water - tributary of the East Lyn River.
River Avon (Devon) - Shipley Bridge to South Brent (Shipley Bridge to South Brent) - an excellent steep river, in the same vein as the Erme.
River Avon (Devon) - South Brent to Gara Bridge (South Brent to Gara Bridge) - easier section with weirs.
River Bovey - Clapper Bridge to Lustleigh (Clapper Bridge to Lustleigh) - a tree choked Dartmoor river.
River Camel - Trecarne to Tuckingmill (Trecarne to Tuckingmill) - a Cornish grade 3 gem.
River Dart - Dartmeet to New Bridge - the 'Upper Dart' (Dartmeet to Newbridge) - the best Grade 4 trip in the UK?
River Dart - New Bridge to Holne Bridge - the 'Loop' (Newbridge to Holne Bridge) - an always enjoyable intermediate trip.
River East Dart - Postbridge to Dartmeet (Postbridge to Dartmeet) - a popular spate run.
River East Lyn - Brendon to Watersmeet (Brendon to Watersmeet) - a lovely trip, one of the best.
River East Lyn - Malmsmead to Brendon (Malmsmead to Brendon) - a high water extension to the classic East Lyn sections.
River East Okement - Upper section to Okehampton (Upper section to Okehampton) - a really adventurous trip on North Dartmoor.
River Erme - Harford Bridge to Ivybridge (Harford Bridge to Ivybridge) - a Dartmoor gem!
River Erme - Upper Section to Harford Bridge (Upper section to Harford Bridge) - a great spate paddle with epic walk-in.
River Lyd - Upper Section to Lydford (Upper section to Lydford) - a spate paddle of wildly varying quality.
River Meavy - Goodameavy to Plym confluence - a Plym tributary for those rare occasions when you have too much water...
River Okement - Okehampton to Brightley (Okehampton to Brightley) - surprisingly committing.
River Plym - GR 583662 to Cadover Bridge (GR 583662 to Cadover Bridge) - wild exploring in spate conditions.
River Plym - Shaugh Bridge to Bickleigh Bridge (Shaugh Bridge to Bickleigh Bridge) - a mellower part of this river!
River Swincombe - Bridge at GR 642725 to West Dart confluence - a tiny spate tributary of the West Dart.
River Tavy - Hill Bridge to Tavistock (Hill Bridge to Tavistock) - One of the best continuous Grade 3 paddles.
River Tavy - Tavistock to Denham Bridge (Tavistock to Denham Bridge) - a quieter version of the Dart loop?
River Tavy - Tavy Cleave to Hill Bridge (Tavy Cleave to Hill Bridge) - A tree dodging exploratory trip.
River Taw - GR 622926 to Sticklepath - a dire tree ditch.
River Teign - A382 Bridge to Steps Bridge (A382 Bridge to Steps Bridge) - a great easy exploring trip in North Dartmoor.
River Teign - North and South Teign Confluence to A382 Bridge (North and South Teign Confluence to A382 Bridge) - a good section of grade 3.
River Walkham - Bedford bridge to Tavy Confluence (Bedford Bridge to Tavy Confluence) - a good continuous grade 2-3 trip in SW Dartmoor.
River Walkham - Huckworthy to Bedford Bridge (Huckworthy to Bedford Bridge) - a mostly easy section warming you up for the lower Walkham.
River Webburn - Ponsworthy to Dart Confluence (Ponsworthy to Dart confluence) - only for tree-huggers.
River West Dart - Two Bridges to Dartmeet (Two Bridges to Dartmeet) - a popular spate run.
River West Lyn - Barbrook to Lynbridge (Barbrook to Lynbridge) - a short section near Lynmouth.
River West Okement - Meldon Reservoir to Okehampton (Meldon Reservoir to Okehampton) - a good intermediate paddle.
River Yealm (upper section to Mark's Bridge) (Upper section to Mark's bridge) - great grade 3 bobsleigh run.

Very Dificult / Extream Whitewater

Title
De Lank River - Delford Bridge to River Camel Confluence (Delford Bridge to River Camel confluence) - grade 5, in Cornwall? There must be a catch...
Hoaroak Water - Hillsford Bridge to Watersmeet (Hillsford Bridge to Watersmeet) - a steep tributary of the East Lyn.
River East Lyn - Watersmeet to the Sea (Watersmeet to the Sea) - a short demanding Exmoor paddle.
River North Teign - Footbridge to North and South Teign Confluence (Footbridge to North and South Teign Confluence) - Good steep creeking.
River North Teign - Upper Section to Footbridge (Upper section to Footbridge) - tree ditch purgatory.
River Plym - Cadover Bridge to Shaugh Bridge (Cadover Bridge to Shaugh Bridge) - steep, steep and steep again.
River Walkham - Merrivale Bridge to Huckworthy Bridge (Merrivale Bridge to Huckworthy Bridge) - similar to the Plym.

Photos 87

Photos of rivers of the south West of England

River Updates SW England