River Mersey Trail – Grade 1–2

Sunday 25th January 2026

Seven open canoes took to the River Mersey Trail for an enjoyable Grade 1–2 paddle, starting with a short portage at Burnage past the rugby fields to access the river. There was still some water left in the river, and it was 0.55m on the Northenden Gauge,

Despite being firmly in an urban setting, the paddle felt surprisingly rural. The river flows through a deep valley with tall embankments on either side, giving a real sense of escape from the city. We joked about the famous shopping trolleys creating useful “cushion waves” and features — although in reality, there was only one trolley!

About halfway down, we reached Northenden Weir, which has been repaired since last year. Some of the group ran the weir on the extreme river left, while others chose to portage.

After lunch, we continued downstream, enjoying several interesting rapids. Jackson Rapid proved to be the largest and most exciting of the day, providing a fun highlight before the final stretch to the take-out.

Overall, it was a great day on a surprisingly scenic stretch of river, with good company, steady water, and plenty of smiles.