The River Torridge
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CANOE ACCESS - RIVER TORRIDGE |
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There is a long standing and mutually beneficial access arrangement in force and you are asked to abide by it, the main factors of which are: 1.) All canoes which are used must carry a clearly visible BCU membership number or club identification mark. Canoes not carrying such ID may be deemed to be in breach of the arrangement and ordered off the river by any riparian owner or his authorised agent. Where a breach of the arrangement occurs the riparian owner or his agent should record the number and submit it, with details of the alleged breach, to the British Canoe Union headquarters, or to the Local Access Officer. 2.) Canoeing will take place between 1st October and 28th February . 3.) Except in the case of genuine emergency canoeists will only be permitted access or egress from the river at the following agreed access points: Sheepwash Bridge (high water only) Hele Bridge (Left bank upstream) New Bridge (left bank downstream) Beaford Bridge (left bank upstream) Ford (Little Torrington side) Town Mills (right bank 20 metres downstream) Rothern Bridge (left bank) Beam Aqueduct (left bank upstream) Weare Giffard Water Treatment Works (right bank) (Left and right looking downstream) 4.) There should be a maximum of ten canoes in any group. 5.) Riparian owners and their authorised agents should produce some formal identification when they have due cause to address an individual or group of canoeists.
6.) Any pollution or dead fish to be reported immediately to the appropriate authorities, as well as any evidence of illegal fishing. The river is similar to the Wye in temperament, a touring rather than a white-water stretch. The most scenic stretches are higher on the river, but the harder white-water section is between the ford at Little Torrington and Beam Aqueduct. This has three weirs (the good, the bad and the ugly!) and some gravel rapids and small (6") drops. Only its closest friends would grade it above 1! Icarus Edmonds, Local Access Officer, BCU
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