GUIDE TO THE RIVER TEIGN
(A382 Bridge to Steps Bridge)
NAME OF RIVER: Teign.
WHERE IS IT?: North Dartmoor. It is a large river with two significant steep tributaries, the North and South Teign.
PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: There is very limited roadside parking beside the A382 Bridge at SX 713893. Access the river through a gate from the footpath on river left. It is also possible to start upstream for more grade 3.
This section finishes at Steps Bridge at SX 804883. Take out directly below the bridge on river right and walk up a path to the road. There is a decent car park a hundred yards up the hill from here.
Another possible takeouts are Fingle Bridge SX743899 or Clifford Bridge, SX 782898.
APPROX LENGTH: 7 miles.
TIME NEEDED: Approx three hours.
ACCESS HASSLES: As far as I am aware, there is no access agreement. You certainly want to do this outside the fishing season; the river is lined all along by fishing spots.
WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: The Teign has the second largest catchment area on Dartmoor, after the Dart. However one of it's two tributaries, the South Teign, is dammed. Hence, heavy rain has less effect then one might imagine.
We paddled this after a night with some heavy rain, during which the Dart had risen from 4 on the gauge to 5. It was medium-low; the weir at the takeout bridge was rocky but paddleable on river right.
High water would be fun, but care would have to be taken regarding low tree branches.
GRADING: Grade 2 (3-)
MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: There is a metal bridge just below the put-in which trails steel wire and would be a hazard in flood. Plenty of low trees to avoid. In October 2002, there was a tree right across the river half a mile below Fingle Bridge.
Mark Harris (December 2002)...'An additional tree has fallen across the river approx 300 yards past Clifford Bridge. The tree has many branches straining the river and some tricky manouvering is required to squeeze through on river left. We paddled in low-medium levels, in high water this tree could be a serious hazard.'
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: An enjoyable quiet trip through scenic woods. The first half is best, but grade 2 rapids appear all the way to the end.
Just below the put-in bridge, the flat river passes below an old metal bridge which has loose metal wires trailing in the river; be careful.
A mile from the put-in, the hills close in on either side and the river squeezes between two big rounded boulders...this is the dramatic point of no return for the 'Teign Gorge'. Unless of course, you walk or paddle back upstream again.
Just downstream, the river backs up behind a rather gnarly 10 foot high weir. This can be run by the fish steps on river left or portaged easily on the same bank.
Between here and Fingle Bridge is the best of the Teign, enjoy it. Continuous grade 2 paddling with small drops and boulders to negotiate. Two steep technical rapids require a fair bit of manouvering, so they are probably grade 3.
The only flat on this section is where another weir pools the current. This can be run anywhere, but has a convenient chute on river left.
The river flattens out below Fingle Bridge for a while. This lasts until a sloping weir is reached; easily paddleable. Between here and the takeout, infrequent grade 2 rapids keep the interest up. Clifford Bridge is a possible finish point. Otherwise, finish this pleasant trip by carrying on to Steps bridge and running the small weir above the bridge.
OTHER NOTES: The Teign provides an excellent alternative for those who want an easy paddle, but are sick to death of the Dart Loop; it's slightly easier but more adventurous! Further up the Teign is some more grade 3 and if you explore the North Teign, some steep creeking.
CONTRIBUTED BY: Mark Rainsley, also Mark Harris.
