River trips

1.68 metres ........ 28 January 2007

The SEPA website wasn`t producing any river data on the following day, so I couldn`t get an actual level. So this value is an estimate based on the reading on the gauge at Burnmouth.

The Tay is getting back to the Tay we know and love - actually it is a sort of non-level. Spend a good chunk of time up at the Linn, because it is probably the best bit of the river at this level.

Linn

Channel one and two are completely seperate, with a good chunk of rocks between them, which provides a good landing place.

Each channel has a route down it - on channel one, there is the usual run down hard left, past the big diagonal wave. This is the only route I didn`t run. There is of course the usual boils and whirlpools to satisfy your need to go diving.

The second channel is a bit messy below the drop, except at the river right end, where there is a fast green chute leading down, then running down against the rock wall below the drop. A diagonal line from right to left worked well, and I ended up punching out of the end of the green chute into the calmer water to the left of the strong current against the wall.

The third channel has a nice run down on the left side, but it proved to be a wee bit rocky.

The fourth channel has a big hole on the left, and a slightly rocky run down on the right. If you can get it, there is a narrow chute which will take you past the rocky bit, but I was just too far left - another 500 mm to the right would have been a cleaner line.

All in all, at this level, the Linn is worth spending time at.

Linn bypass

The Linn bypass is running, but probably not worth the effort, the first exit is quite bony at the bottom end, and the second exit is definitely not worth trying the fight with the trees.

Wall

The wall is certainly showing at this level, but the river is still a bit too high for good taillies.

Wave right hand side of wall

Although there is a wave or two, they are a bit disjointed, and like the wall, there is still a bit too much water.

Weir

Nearly all of the weir has water coming over it, the only bare bit being the concrete ramp hard river left. The chicken run hard river left is gone, but the main chute doesn`t present any surprises at this level.

Rapid down to Hell Hole corner

Coming down the centre presented few problems. There are some odd bits and pieces river left which may be playable.

Hell Hole corner

The chicken run hard river right has gone at this level. The green shoot down the drop at the start of the run is too rocky. I didn`t run this route because I was roaming round a bit looking at different bits, but I think the easiest route down through Hell Hole corner at this level is probably to start more or less by coming down the centre, and as you go round the corner, head a bit over to the right.

Over on the left, the green wave just above the drop was just a bit too washed out to surf, but you can get a bit of a play in the various bits of the wave / stopper below the drop.

Hell Hole corner to Thistlebrig

As usual, nothing much in this section. However there are a couple of waves river right - round about the Mill area, which are worth looking at.

Thistlebrig

Thistlebrig has its characteristic left to right diagonal current, and the rocks in the middle are almost beginning to show. As before, the easiest run down is to stay right of centre past all the scary stuff on your left, then whenever you feel it is safe to do so, cut out right into the giant eddy on your right.

I went across river left to look at the wave on the left, there are various disjointed bits of stopper which provide play potential.

Wave below Thistlebrig

I looked at this before I ran the river, and wasn`t sure if it was going to be any good.

It wasn`t, and not worth the extra walk back up the river bank.

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