River Weaver paddle 02/06/18 by John Fay
Over the past few weeks myself and Phil Edwards have been doing a few easy recreational paddles.
We’ve done The Bridgewater canal from Lymm, through Stockton Heath and Walton Hall gardens down to GoKayaking.
We’ve paddle from the Brindley Theatre in Runcorn again on the Bridgewater canal to GoKayaking from the other direction. We’ve met at the Runcorn rowing club for a familiar paddle to the Dutton locks and back on the Weaver Navigation. But on Saturday 2nd of June we headed to The Leigh Arms on Warrington Road where Phil had previously arranged parking with the landlady on the pub car park. From the car park it’s very easy access to the River Weaver next to the road bridge.
So, we launched and went left heading towards the Anderton boat lift. After about half an hour we arrived at a lock which had we portaged around it would have kept us on the main river. Instead we decided to bear right and explore the little used narrow and overgrown sections of the river.
Time and time again we thought we had come to a dead end has trees spread themselves over the water and blocked our view of the river ahead. As the river wound through the countryside we just didn’t know what was around the next bend.
After a couple of hours, we arrived at what looked to me like a mini Niagara Falls. A large curved
structure with water pouring over from the main river above. White foam floated on the surface of the water resembling snow. Unless we climbed over the sluice gate at the left side we could go no further. The banks were far too high and overgrown to attempt going around. So, after a lunch break we slowly drifted back with the assistance of the slight flow of the river.
At about 16:30 we arrived back at the Leigh Arms where after loading boats onto the cars we enjoyed a cool drink and a bowl of chips.
These paddles we do are quiet and very relaxing, but they are full of wildlife and history. At this time of year everything is blooming providing some stunning scenery. You could be anywhere.
Report by John Fay
