Saturday, May 12, 2012

Canoeing the R.Esk

The River Esk flowing into Whitby is my 'local' river.  Plenty of grade i/ii/iii/iv water.  But today it's the Grosmont to Sleights section grade ii.  A couple of hours easy paddling on my own (not counting the dog!)

Drop the canoe off at the bridge in Grosmont. Drive back to Sleights.  Jog with dog  back to canoe (45 minutes along the old trod)


 The ford at Grosmont shows just under two foot of water.  A good depth
 And here at the launch point you can clearly see the dark peat coloured water from the Murk Esk joing the main river
 There's plenty of smallish rapids all relatively easy to paddle
 The wildlife includes lizards sunbathing on rocks, dippers and the odd otter
 Jilly looks for rabbits and squirrels on the banks
 The Environment Agency has done put small stone weirs in place and they make excellent sport and probably a bit of surfing too.
And this is Sleights weir showing a good curtain of water.  Don't canoe over this. You never know what's stuck in the bottom.  This was where I got out!