Done it as a student - **** up with paddling!
As a normal person a few years later with my old canoe club - **** up but warmer as someone had a caravan as a club hut there.
As a normal person with a mate - bit of a disaster I got there on the satrday morning and discovered I had forgotton my tent. Could picture it on my landing where I put it the night before so I wouldn' forget. Anyway I went off to paddle it leaving the accomodation until afterwards. I had a good saturday paddle which was really good as it was my first time in a kayak after abotu 3 years out of it. I hadn't lost it!!
Then while walking around Hexham filling in time before we went ot the pub for food and to see the fireworks I spotted Argos had a tent for £5!! Well a rather pleased person put it up. Relief as I coudldn't fit in my mated van with him and I wouldn't sleep in the front. I didn't fancy sleeping underneath as it was heavy rain overnight due.
Anyway with the tent up we went up towards the firework display then veered off into aa pub for dinner and a piint or two. We then went to a pub we saw that had live band on that night. We got a really comfortable place to sit near the bar and with a good view of the band without anyone able to block us. We spen the rest of thee night taking turns to guard the seats, go to the bar for another pint of Guiness and take a slash. Anyway. 1 pint of strong, dark ale, a huge pub meal and 10 pints of guiness later We staggered to our homes for the night.
Anyway, the next morning I didn't notice the condensation or the heavy rain we had overnight. I had other things on my mind. Like if I turned over to find my glasses and trousers would I throw up!! not good on guiness as a session beer. Eventually we got up. Looked at each others state and slowly packed our stuff up, had a bacon butty and went home with the feeling we had had a good weekend but were wanting it to end. Very soon!!
It is a good event. I only remember going to the ceilidh the first time around. The second I have no idea what we did other than the first pub where we sat in front of thebar at a few taables. The third was the live music pub.
As far asa the paddling goes. It is good fun the first time but if you are a good standard paddler it is a bit easy doing the usual section through Wardens gorge. A goood river but the last stretch into thee park where your tents are is a flat, hard slog at the end of the paddle IMHO.
