06 Lower RIver Swale Whitewater Guide - Canoe & Kayak UK

WHEREVER
THERE’S
WATER
sponsored by
Pesda Whitewater Mini-Guide
LOWER SWALE #06
INTRODUCTION Nice scenic paddle. Easy rocky rapids.
Tree Rapid, during the 2004 Swale Charity Paddle | Andy Waddington
WATER LEVEL Rock bash when low, the more the better.
ACCESS Put in at Reeth, on the the Arkle Beck (043 992,
OS sheet 98); within 500m it joins the Swale, alternately at
Grinton (046 985). Take out at Richmond town centre.
DESCRIPTION Inspect Richmond town falls, best run on
far right for pool drop. Good rapids below in high water.
The section plays host to the annual Swaledale Outdoor Club
charity paddle (www.tinyurl.com/2fg4vc) in aid of Swaledale
Mountain Rescue and the Great North Air Ambulance.
OTHER IMPORTANT POINTS The Arkle Beck is paddleable
at grade 2/3. Access is from Whaw bridge or Langthwaite.
The water level needs to be very high as the levels drop
quickly. It provides a quickly descending, narrow, rocky run
down to Reeth where it joins the River Swale.
Easby Abbey has a good playspot in high water, although
access is not ideal. There is also a good medium water playspot
just east of Richmond at Catterick bridge (228 995),
with a wave and eddies.
Contributor: Russ Smithy
WWW.CANOEKAYAK.CO.UK
Excerpt adapted from English White Water, the BCU Guidebook
ISBN 0953195678, published by Pesda Press, Caernarfon. For
details of this and other books, as well as downloads of mini-guides and
route cards in this series, visit:
W W W . P E S D A P R E S S . C O M

sponsored by
PESDA WHITEWATER MINI-GUIDE #06
LOWER SWALE
LENGTH 19 km
OS SHEET 98/99
GRADE 2 (3)
0
1km
OS map data reproduced with the kind
permission of the Ordnance Survey
Design & text adapted from the BCU guide to English
White Water, published by Pesda Press, Caernarfon.