River trips

1.8 metres ........ 25 February 2007

Good at the Linn, would have been good below Thistlebrig with a shorter boat, mine was too long. Most of the usual playspots are washing through a bit too much. It is worth spending a bit of time up at the Linn.

Linn

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

Channel one is quite meaty, with the big wave on your right, and quite a lot of white stuff on your left. It was quite fun picking the narrow line down between the two, with a strong diagonal current trying to push you into the wave on your right. However it went well.

Channel two had at least two ways down - I ran it hard right with a diagonal right to left path, and followed the fast current down the rock wall to the right. I also tried to run it very hard left, over the overhanging rock shelf, it was okay, but a bit rocky. Another route would have been further right, over the edge and the pourover, dropping into the very aerated water below, which is washing hard right. I didn`t do this one.

The third channel had a nice route down on the left.

The fourth channel had several possible routes down it. I ran right through the hole on the left, which was surprisingly easy, and also did a chute very hard right, which was a bit rocky, but ok. Another two possible routes would be over the shoulders on each side of the hole.

Linn bypass

The Linn bypass would be okay, I didn`t run it. I think you could have got down either exit, but I`m not sure if they would really be worth doing.

Wall

The wall has a bit of water coming over it, taillies were possible, but not the best.

Wave right hand side of wall

It was surfable, but a bit of a struggle.

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, the main chute doesn`t present any surprises at this level - there is the usual green tapered wedge, which led into some quite rough waves.

The stoppers are forming, and would be quite hard to escape from. However rescues by boat might be possible.

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 if you can catch them on the way down - they tend to be washing through.

Hell Hole corner

The chicken run hard river right is too rocky. Best route is to approach Hell Hole corner well left of centre until you are past the two rock shelves that jut out from each bank, then head across to the right and round the corner.

Hell Hole corner to Thistlebrig

As usual, nothing much in this section. The hole above the mill isn`t really there.

Thistlebrig

Thistlebrig has its characteristic left to right diagonal current, although the rocks in the middle are covered, but causing a disturbance in the water. 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.

Wave below Thistlebrig

The wave here was more like a hole - and it was really a bit too short for my boat. Surfing was difficult. The holes would have been good in a shorter playboat.

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