Planning Help a Belgian out: need travel-advice

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Ruud

Full Member
Jun 29, 2012
670
176
Belgium
www.rudecheers.wordpress.com
Hi all

I'm doing a bushcraft-course in August 2021 in the beautiful UK and I'm taking my Ally canoe with me to travel for another week through the country. I'm doing the course in the south of the UK. After the course I'm picking up my girlfriend in London.

As a Belgian I have been looking all over the web for nice streams, rivers and lakes, but there is so much choice that I'm hoping that some people in here can point me in the right direction. We love road trips so doing some distance is not a problem really.

Important to know:
- We'll do the trip with two
- We are taking a car, a canoe and a tipi
- A nice, peaceful river would be great

Many thanks!

Ruud
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
7,975
7,755
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
Hi Ruud. I really hope things are settled well enough by August for you to do your trip because I'm desperate to get my canoe on the water as well.

When you say peaceful do you mean no white water or no people? If you want a gentle paddle through some quiet countryside but not out in the wilds the river Wye is very pleasant. You won't have much (if any) opportunity to rough camp but there are quite a few campsite son the route. The upper reaches can be challenging in the right conditions but the lower river is gentle.

Have a look here:

Wye Canoe? Canoeists' guide to the River Wye - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

However, if what you want is more exciting water and fewer people you'll probably have to head up into Scotland. Even then you'll have to be selective - the Spey is a great river for the water but you never really get away from civilisation.
 

birchwood

Nomad
Sep 6, 2011
440
99
Kent
Hi, the Medway (has canoe chutes), Severn and the Avon in Wiltshire / Hampshire are fairly quiet. The Wye has more campsites but tends to be busy with hire groups.
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,353
2,363
Bedfordshire
Stupid question, but with one car, doesn't that limit one to putting in and taking out at the same place on the river? I suppose one could drop off the canoe and one person, drive to a take out point, then catch a bus back, but not sure how that would work in some areas, and certainly more complicated for a multi-day downstream paddle.
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
7,975
7,755
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
Stupid question, but with one car, doesn't that limit one to putting in and taking out at the same place on the river? I suppose one could drop off the canoe and one person, drive to a take out point, then catch a bus back, but not sure how that would work in some areas, and certainly more complicated for a multi-day downstream paddle.

That's typically how it's done. However, a taxi is more reliable and it usually only takes and hour or so to get back to the starting point that you've spent days canoeing from :). When you do it with a hire company they can pick you up from the end point. If you're doing a solo trip the real issue is leaving you canoe unattended while you go back for your car; you have to finish somewhere that you can secure it or it can be looked after by someone else (like a campsite owner). Of course, the less hassle solution is to take your car to the end and get a taxi back to the start, then you're not trying to organise transport when you're tired and possibly wet:)
 
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Ruud

Full Member
Jun 29, 2012
670
176
Belgium
www.rudecheers.wordpress.com
Thank you Broch. The river Wye comes up a lot too when searching on Youtube. Looks very good. With peaceful I ment not having to fight my way through whitewater.

Thanks Birchwood, looking in to the ones you mentioned.

@Claycomb: We have managed to take trains with the Ally all packed up in the past (for those who don't know Ally, they're folding canoes). I carry the canoe and paddles and my girlfriend carries our kit. So we would plan to start or stop near a trainstation.
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,353
2,363
Bedfordshire
I was forgetting all about Uber!! Have never used one, shows what a technical luddite I can be! The Wye should be fine. I was thinking more about the multi day trip from Newtonmore to Spey Bay. Looked it up and 12 years ago that was a £60-£85 journey by taxi.
 

Erbswurst

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 5, 2018
4,079
1,766
Berlin
Or you just go to Mecklenburg, where you can in a few places paddle a circle.

What they talk there sounds in my ears like Dutch but doesn't matter anyway, and how to split kindling and a few knots I easily can show you here too, and for free.

We don't have monsters in the lakes like they seem to have it in Scotland though,
what is a pity of course. But from the point of view of a West Berliner the whole GDR is still the pure horror anyway.

:aarghh:
 

Tengu

Full Member
Jan 10, 2006
12,776
1,510
51
Wiltshire
Norfolk Broads?

Or explore an estuary like the Medway or Plymouth sound. (a whole series in S Devon which is a nice place.)
 
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massa

Tenderfoot
Feb 1, 2021
54
11
55
Wales
Hi all

I'm doing a bushcraft-course in August 2021 in the beautiful UK and I'm taking my Ally canoe with me to travel for another week through the country. I'm doing the course in the south of the UK. After the course I'm picking up my girlfriend in London.

As a Belgian I have been looking all over the web for nice streams, rivers and lakes, but there is so much choice that I'm hoping that some people in here can point me in the right direction. We love road trips so doing some distance is not a problem really.

Important to know:
- We'll do the trip with two
- We are taking a car, a canoe and a tipi
- A nice, peaceful river would be great

Many thanks!

Ruud
Hi Ruud
I suggest Wales fella :) it’s the most beautiful and peaceful part of the country, you can search google for such places and they are a lot in Wales (The land of Dragon :) ) and you will NOT disappointed , BUT there is only ONE important thing to consider!!! Does the Pandemic of COVID-19 finished by August????? If not all your plan gone with the wind I am afraid to say so unfortunately,...because we can’t even travel for few miles from home without a good reason! Mainly for shopping or essentials needs,...other activities will rise the eyebrow for sure....

Good luck with your plan buddy...
:canoe:
 
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Ruud

Full Member
Jun 29, 2012
670
176
Belgium
www.rudecheers.wordpress.com
Hi Ruud
I suggest Wales fella :) it’s the most beautiful and peaceful part of the country, you can search google for such places and they are a lot in Wales (The land of Dragon :) ) and you will NOT disappointed , BUT there is only ONE important thing to consider!!! Does the Pandemic of COVID-19 finished by August????? If not all your plan gone with the wind I am afraid to say so unfortunately,...because we can’t even travel for few miles from home without a good reason! Mainly for shopping or essentials needs,...other activities will rise the eyebrow for sure....

Good luck with your plan buddy...
:canoe:
Hi Massa

Yes, there is a very big chance that none of my plans, the course or the paddling, will be even possible at all, but that doesn't stop me from planning it anyway. Once this pandemic is over I'll have a list of planned trips to choose from.

If I have to stay in Belgium I still have the rivers in the Belgian Ardennes to conquer.

Thanks for the suggestion, Wales is noted.
 

birchwood

Nomad
Sep 6, 2011
440
99
Kent
Further thoughts, the Environment Agency do a guide to the Medway. Map (semi waterproof) free or PDF . The Gloucester and Sharpness canal is worth doing, loads of history, ships graveyard etc, map from Darien Jones publishing . www.darien-jones.co.uk.
Tudor Arms campsite at Shepherds Patch. Also supply maps. No convenient trains though.
I am in Kent if you need a hand while you are here. Local rivers the Stour and the Medway.
 
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henchy3rd

Settler
Apr 16, 2012
611
423
Derby
Hi all

I'm doing a bushcraft-course in August 2021 in the beautiful UK and I'm taking my Ally canoe with me to travel for another week through the country. I'm doing the course in the south of the UK. After the course I'm picking up my girlfriend in London.

As a Belgian I have been looking all over the web for nice streams, rivers and lakes, but there is so much choice that I'm hoping that some people in here can point me in the right direction. We love road trips so doing some distance is not a problem really.

Important to know:
- We'll do the trip with two
- We are taking a car, a canoe and a tipi
- A nice, peaceful river would be great

Many thanks!

Ruud
Is it a Grumman canoeJust pad lock it up or it’ll get nicked & weighed in for scrap.
Welcome to England
The river Wye is an excellent river to explore.
 
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