Canoeing for me has been a slow burning love-hate relationship, but it has always impressed me to see people like Penny and Dave throwing boats around moving water like some sort of black art. So having spent time on trips and some coaching sessions the opportunity of the 3* this April was there to be taken with both hands
Phil Riley, Aaron Warnes and Ross Wilkes and Stuart from Manchester were on the course.
Day 1 of Alistair Randall’s course was on the river Dee in Chester, starting on the flat section leading down to the weir in the city centre. Whilst dodging the rowers from the many clubs who were out on the water, there was time to run through the toolbox of canoe strokes before getting to the moving water or the weir for ferry gliding etc. This is just insanely good fun and it is so satisfying putting a massive boat into the top of an eddy just like a WW boat but with the single blade moving from one side to the other.
We overnighted at the very nice hostel in Llangollen and were joined for a meal by Martin Stretton and Nikki and Martin Aldridge, on their way back from open boating on the Lower Tryweryn.
Day 2 was on the River Dee above our normal section, from Glyndyfrdwy, to the horseshoe falls and along the canal to the Eisteddfod car park. What a great section of river this is with riffly rapids and a couple bigger features too. Perfect for a bit moving water in a canoe.
So, having passed the assessment I’m growing to love canoeing, and having spent last weekend on 4* Touring training where we sailed and rafted them, it’s even more so.
HCC members, don’t dismiss canoeing as something that just has to be done to get a 2*. It is brilliant fun and I’m looking forward to doing this trip and similar rivers again.
Richard
You can check out the pictures here: