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There is a long standing and mutually beneficial access
agreement in force and you are asked to abide by it, the main factors of which
are:
1.) The agreement applies to members of the British Canoe
Union and its various affiliated organisations. 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 agreement and
ordered off the river by any riparian owner or his authorised agent. Where a
breach of the agreement 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.) Permission is
requested from the Local BCU Access Officer by groups using the agreement so
that a suitable record is kept of river use.
7.) Permission to
be withdrawn from any group abusing this agreement or the "Canoeists Code of
Conduct".
8.) 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 |