The stage was set, the tickets bought and the T-Shirts printed by the time a dedicated group consisting of Richard, Steen, James, Ron and son Chris, Andy and Ian gathered up at Hexham Green for what promised to be an interesting weekend on the Tyne with heavy rains and gale force winds forecast. Also there was Tom Allen with a group of friends from Liverpool University.
Things got off to a good start on Friday night with a few beers in the town, followed by a couple of cans, huddled around a charcoal fire in Ron's Tipi. The following morning, we all got up bright and bleary which meant that we were on the water at Wark well before mid-day at about 11:50. However, the waterflow was good and we made rapid progress down the river, arriving at our intended pull out point at Barrasford in time for a late lunch within a couple of hours.
Having made good progress without any swimming, we determined to carry on and head down the river, skirting the Serpents Tail and heading down to the much anticipated Warden's Gorge and on to the campsite at Hexham.
Wardens Gorge was an area of several rapids, great drops and total carnage, proving to be the nemesis of many a paddler. In our own group, the only casualties were Steen who took a swim on the last section, and Ron and Chris whose open canoe became swamped pushing through the wave at the last drop. The area was crowded with peope capsizing, playing on the waves, and a crowd gathered on the side to watch it all. And so we regrouped and paddled on along the last stretch, back to camp where we pulled the boats out.
It had proved to be an excelent paddle, we had covered twice the intended distance, helped by the strong currents, and the rain had held off; at times it had even seemed too bright as the Sun was sinking and shining directly in our faces.
Back at camp, Tom had come off worse sporting a splendid shiner having bashed his head on a rock whilst tackling the Serpent's Tail.
After drying off, eating supper and watching the Hexham firework display from the camp, we headed off to the Tyne Tour Ceilidh for a few well deserved drinks, before Richard, Scott and Ian headed into town for even more drinks and a fiery kebab (we don't get out much and so had to make the most of it!).
The early morning sunshine on Sunday soon dissolved into wind and rain, so we sat in Richard's caravan, enjoying the comfort and almost decided to call it a day, until the rain cleared and the Sun shone, so we decided to put in again at Wark and do the stretch to Barrasford. The rain in the night had raised the water level by a couple of feet and so we raced along with hardly a rock in sight, reaching Barrasford within about an hour and a half. Calling it a day, we got the boats out, did the boat ferrying thing and called it a day.
All in all it was an excellent weekend, giving some of the less experienced club members an opportunity to test themselves on some Grade III - IV water, as well as having a great atmosphere with so many paddlers gathered together for the weekend, and Richard did a great job of organisation and leading! Can't wait 'til next year.
Ian
