Sutton Bingham & District Canoe Club

Kennet and Avon Canal Trip,  Saturday, August 13th, 2011.

Photographs courtesy of Jane Bell and :Lynne Hawkins

As part of our 2 star course syllabus Simon Champion (our coach and respected leader) had kindly organised a day trip to the Kennet and Avon Canal for Saturday 13rd Aug 2011. To ensure that we (the two star course members) behaved, the invitation was also extended to anyone in the club who would like to come along. So in strict adherence with decades of tradition we all met at the Cartgate roundabout at 09:00 where the sun was shining and the temperature was a balmy 26 degrees. I lie - it was cloudy, a bit drizzly and only 16 degrees but we just did not notice. After a quick kit check, the team (a bakers dozen) headed off to the Limpley Stoke Canal Centre.

Following a trouble free journey we arrived at the Canal Centre at 10:20 and decanted all the kayaks, canoe and associated kit. It was plain from the outset that this was going to be an interesting excursion because at the Canal Centre café we bumped into one hen party and two 40th birthday party groups (most of which were dressed up as old fashion English gents) who were also going to be on the water at the same time as us.

With the pre trip brief completed, at 10:45 all kayakers entered the water via a controlled seal launch with the exception of Dan (who was our token Open Canoeist) and Jane and Lynne, who would be escorting us on bikes whilst taking photographs.  With Scott and Alex leading in the front, Simon keeping a watchful eye, Dennis keeping rear guard and our brand new one star coach (James) keeping a general eye on us we set off for Avoncliff  (we could almost smell the food and fine beer from the Cross Guns pub -  even from this distance). As we approached the first aqueduct it was clear that Saturday was a popular day for barge boat trips, with boats coming up behind us and 3 approaching from the front, the aqueduct was beginning to look more like the M25 on a Friday evening.

We continued to paddle at a gentle pace and made good progress down the canal with tranquil unspoilt scenery and all kinds of wildlife on either side of the bank - kingfishers, herons, water voles and geese to name a few.. With James and Simon giving us all a few pointers to improve our paddling, the wind dropped and the weather improved and as we mingled with the old English Gent group (who were in canoes) we all relaxed into the trip.

Apart from Dennis back paddling straight for a Heron which was standing on the tow path, the next three miles passed without incident right up to the point when we got out of our canoes at Avoncliff! It was clear that months of limited rain fall had reduced the water level in the canal and this made it tricky for people to exit their kayaks at Avoncliff, as unfortunately Chris found out to his cost. To assist himself out of his kayak he held on to the undercut in the canal wall and received a nasty geaze to his hand (one for the list of hazards for future trips). Following numerous applications of antiseptic hand wash, (together with the inevitable sting!) Chris patched himself up and joined by our cycling photographers, we all settled down to a nice pub lunch and for some of us a pint of the Cross Guns finest ale (Mmmmm!).   

Simon had already asked us if we would like to make the return journey via the River Avon. So after lunch we portaged to the river entry point and we set off once again. The river level was low but the sun was now shining and we had the current(?!) behind us. With the water level so low the river bank plants had encroached even further into the river, and with lots of river weed and large areas covered in reeds, with a little imagination, it seemed that we could have been paddling through a jungle (Dan in the canoe definitely looked the part, all that was missing was a machete, a head band and a machine gun!). At the mid point we arrived at an old weir and after a quick inspection by James and Simon it was decided that everyone would portage around the weir (I could sense that a couple of us were just slightly disappointed - Lee!). However, this did not stop us playing in the white water at the bottom of the weir where we were taught how to lean the boat to assist the turn.

We were reaching the final part of the trip and probably the younger member's favourite part. After a short but steep transition of the kayaks and canoe from the river Avon back up to the Kennet and Avon Aqueduct, we all enjoyed a very delicious ice cream and a well earned rest. Following our second successful seal launch we headed back to the Canal Centre café, and mingled once again with our old English gent friends. We arrived back at approximately 16:30 and yes the sun was still shining and although some of us were a bit tired we were all relaxed, chilled and hopefully slightly better paddlers. During the debrief Simon was impressed by the standard of paddling with a special mention for Dan - his first successful solo trip in a canoe (and he has the blisters on his hands to prove it). All in all a very enjoyable and rewarding day - Thanks again to James and Simon for an extremely well run trip.  

Mark Hawkins