GUIDE TO THE RIVER MEAVY

(Meavy ford to Goodameavy)

NAME OF RIVER: Meavy.

WHERE IS IT?: South Dartmoor. Map.

PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: Start at the ford near Meavy (SX545670), making sure that you don't get run over by a 4X4 whilst launching.

Take out at Goodameavy bridge (SX529547) or continue down the much harder lower Meavy.

APPROX LENGTH: 3 miles.

TIME NEEDED: 1-3 hours - the portages will slow you.

ACCESS HASSLES: Park officials have on occasion claimed that they have jurisdiction over navigation of the Meavy. They don't, obviously.

WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: Works when the upper River Plym is too high. We paddled this when everything was flooding, the Meavy being over the fields in some places.

GRADING: Grade 1 and 2.

MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: Several low trees. Much more dangerous, several barbed wire strands and and bits of rope are slung across the water.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The river flows fast past the ford where you launch. Unfortunately, right around the first corner you need to be extremely careful as there are several strands of rope and barbed wire to duck/ dodge/ portage. Nasty, and awkward to portage.

After this, the river is much nicer and meanders idly through pleasant fields and woods, albiet with one or two more strands of wire lurking sometimes. Take out at Goodameavy if you don't want the paddling to get a whole lot harder.

OTHER NOTES: The river upstream of here from the dam is completely choked by epic piles of wood. If these were ever cleared, there would be some interesting Grade 4(?) to explore ...

CONTRIBUTED BY: Mark Rainsley.