River
Crake
Sunday 11th December 2005
Although not a totally new trip to the club, we
haven’t paddled the Crake for quite a few years, so it was new to all of us
paddling - and what a gem!
The Crake flow out of the Southern end of
Coniston in the Lakes and flows out into Morecambe Bay at Greenodd about 5 miles
later! It’s not often you get the chance to paddle a river from source to sea,
and in just a couple of hours. (A concept that got our Chair quite excited).
After a 20 minute paddle down the lake, the reeds
close in and rippling grade 1 water ‘sweeps’ you down the first 1/2 mile of
river - leaving most people wondering why we had come here!
But then the river picks up eventually delivering
you to a grade 3 rapid with a twisting line but no real problems.
For the rest of the river the rapids are fairly
continuous, with a good assortment of smaller playspot on the way. And the tight
tree-lined banks mean there’s a sort of wilderness experience to it - even
though you are only a few hundred yards from the road all the way. At Spark
bridge there is another tricky grade 3 on a bend - made more difficult by the
fact that you can’t get out and have a look!
Below there thing start to ease off, although
there scope to loose your paddle in passing trees! (Rob – we’ve told you the
rescuer comes off worse - just leave Les to get his own paddle back!)
An another flat stretch to the get off at
Greenodd - although we just had to paddle 200m past the get off (& back)
just to go to the sea!
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