On days like these we go paddling. The Sesia river Italy. We’ve been looking forward to this trip since Autumn of last year, the day is bright and sunny, people are excited and keen to get onto the water. Levels are good in the Alps, a late snowfall in February put down three to four …
The self preservation aspect of paddling is dealing with your brains decision to throw yourself down whichever river happens to be in condition and agreed upon. This particular day, day two of our Italy trip we find ourselves on the road heading up the valley alongside the Mastallone, a river a few of us had …
I love my kayaking, I celebrate it on and off the river. Days with friends old and new, experiences shared. Those experiences downloaded at the end of every day or river, verbally, descriptively, pictorially, over a brew or a beer, this happened, that happened, I nailed it, I got my ass handed to me. Often …
My mate Pete is very much a ‘let’s see what happens’ person, some of you know him, you know what I mean. Traditionally, I am not, I like organised, it’s the way I had to work, to keep on top of things. This trip, I aimed to be more like Pete and I have to …
Hands up who’s heard of the Piatua, not many I would surmise. Joe Public will have heard of rivers such as the Zambezi and the Nile. Boaters will have heard of the Futalafeu and the Marsyandi, but I wager there’s not many people who have heard of the Piatua, unless you are Ecuadorian or have …
Ahh, Scotland, it was probably winter 03 or o4 I first ventured north of the border to do some paddling, I remember doing the Gary and the Meig, the Meig is one of those rivers you do not forget doing, just like the Chaoruinn, you don’t forget the WTF am I doing here moments, or …
Is a question I am asking myself. Italy, pretty much my favourite boating trip, its always a toss up between this and the Zambezi. It’s winter 22/23 and I am pondering. I’ve just done a week in Scotland with Andy Holt, a great trip, good people and more water than we knew what to do …
It comes from the French, to pleut. A week in Scotland, boating, in October, sounds good and it was! I’ve not been boating much in recent times so I book myself onto a week with Andy Holt of Escape to Adventure. Kayak courses & guided trips. The forecast is great for our week, rain, rain …
When I’m 64, I hope I am paddling rivers like this, the Kiachnish, just outside Fort William. It’s Simon’s birthday today, and this is how he spent it. The write up in the guide doesn’t really do the river justice, this is an adventure, at 7k it’s a fair stretch of water for the UK, …
Tsarap Chu, Ladakh, India The peace and quiet of the high Himalaya, our put in manages to be in the exact same place as two JCBs, working the roadside verge George Younger, Spade kayaks. a short carry from roadside to river is mind bendingly difficult, laden boats, altitude, shortness of breath, steep banks, dodging the …