PADDLER 44
Low Force ! Photo : Kristina Erzunova
2 . River Tees
3 . River Swale
PADDLER 44
Dog Leg on the Tees . Photo : Kristina Erzunova
Low Force ! Photo : Kristina Erzunova
2 . River Tees
Since moving back to Nottingham , the Tees has been one of my most common paddling day trips out . The Tees is one of those rivers that has something for everyone ! I first paddled the Tees on what many consider the classic section – High force to Low force . It ’ s a fun little stretch of river with plenty of smaller grade 2 rapids and two larger , more distinct rapids ( Dog Leg + Low Force ) that you can lap as many times to your heart ’ s content . Low Force waterfall was my first ever waterfall , as I am sure it was for many people – a good day out with plenty to challenge yourself on .
My other favourite section of the Tees is Barnard Castle to Winston Bridge . I love to paddle this section of the Tees in autumn as it is one of the most beautiful sections of the river to paddle when the leaves change their colours . There are plenty of little rapids , surf waves , and eddy lines to keep you going , as well as a couple of larger rapids .
Many people get nervous at Abbey Rapids – but this rapid is easy to scout and relatively straightforward . I suggest the rapids above Winston Bridge and around the Lido require more care , as both can become dangerous when the river gets very high . I ’ ve paddled this section low and on huge and many levels in between , always having a good time . There are many other sections of the Tees worth paddling as well – from grade 1 to grade 5 . It is a river that has something for everyone and is quite reliable .
One of the smaller drops on the Upper Swale . Photo : Tom Clare
My friend Jack on Lower Kisdon . Photo : Tom Clare
3 . River Swale
The Swale is another northern classic and , like the Tees , has plenty of fun sections to paddle . The most well-known section of the Swale is the Upper Swale , which is the waterfall section . If you want to avoid paddling waterfalls , it is still worth walking along this section because it is pretty impressive !
The nice thing about this section is the waterfalls are all very distinct . This is not a river for beginners ; if you mess up your lineup , it has potentially quite unpleasant consequences .
A couple of other sections of the Swale are also worth paddling . Whilst these sections don ’ t have the waterfalls , they are beautiful and still some good grade 2 fun . The Richmond to Catterick section is a classic section , which is excellent for intermediate paddlers to work on their river running skills .