River Lune in Canadian Canoes – 31st January 2022 by Andy Garland
Four intrepid and skilled open-boat canoeists (Nikki, Martin, Keith and Ian), plus a nervous cack-handed sea kayaker (me) met at Devils Bridge on the River Lune with the aim of paddling an 11km grade 1-2 section of the river. Keith had arrived before me and kindly wandered a few meters upstream to take photos of the hardest rapid we would encounter. As he knew that I was a nervous paddler, he explained that this rapid was right at the end of our run and that on a previous trip most of the group had failed to take the correct line and suffered numerous capsizes. This put my mind at rest – all I had to do was fret and worry about the final rapid for 99% of the trip, and then try not to cock it up!
We made a car shuttle and launched at the River Rawthey, at a spot about 100 meters from its confluence with the Lune. We paddled down the Rawthey into the Lune and enjoyed numerous bouncy wave-trains, plus the odd ‘hole’ (that I carefully avoided!). There was plenty of water, and we were carried along at a very fast pace. The scenery was very, err, scenic – clumps of mist hung to the surrounding hills in a scenic manner and the river flowed through numerous sections of scenic woodland.
We took a break for ‘elevenses’, and then got back on the water where we were once again whooshed along on the current through numerous bouncy but easy rapids. However, before too long Devils Bridge came into sight, together with the hardest rapid on the trip – I’d been looking forward to it (NOT!). I followed Keith’s instructions and kept river-right, taking a very easy line with no problems at all. Phew!
A short while later the boats were loaded onto cars and the four intrepid and skilled open-boat canoeists (plus me) adjourned to a post-paddle pub. It was a very fine New Year’s Eve paddle. I daresay that the four intrepid and skilled open-boat canoeists were partying until the early hours, but I was in bed at 11:30pm!
