callwild
17-09-2007, 01:08 PM
Noticed at 4pm yesterday that the heavy downpour had suddenly brought my guage beck up at the back of the house. time therefore to check out Aira Beck which some know I've been planning for a while.
Got there at 5.30 with it looking just runnable. No time to do the whole thing so started at Dockray for the lower half past Aira Force. Once we got on it turned out just the right amount for a first run. Any more and some of it would be quite gnarly.
As expected it was brilliant. Fun continuous falls and slides amongst great scenery. As it started to get dark things took on a more serious air!
First the daunting set of steps where I had cleared out trees proved to be as difficult as imagined. 4 awkward falls lead deep into a cave like undercut cliff with a twisting final boof to miss a recirculating undercut eddy. Things went (wrong) just as imagined and I ended up upside down in the eddy and sucked backwards through a narrow slot with face scraping the rocks. Luckily they were rounded and smooth!. Now named Airexctasy!
The Teddy Bear decided to walk for self preservation only to put back on and almost immediately dislocated his shoulder on a flat bit of water as he tried to scout a 10' fall. He then ran the fall backwards (now named The Dislocator) and was still sitting in the stopper as I followed. Fortunately missed him but then had to get him out and to hospital. So glad the access was easy down to the car park. The most distressing sight was the nurse cutting through buoancy aid and dry cag although by this time Tim was full of entenox and did care a toss. He finally got it repositioned about midnight in Carlisle and is all Ok this morning although will not be in a boat for a while. Make you think how horrible this would be in a remote area !!
So its still waiting for a full descent but will be a brilliant run. I'd almost say it will be one of the best in the Lakes. Up there with The Upper Esk and Langstrath Beck in quality only with no walk in and dramatic scenery.
High Force drops into a small boiling pot and was a portage for us but would go with a alotta bottle.
Anybody want a go give me a call as I'd do this anytime.
Why has it been missed so long, and almost on my doorstep too!!
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff203/callwild/IMGP2723.jpg
Start of The Seven Sisters set of falls.
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff203/callwild/IMGP2725adjust1.jpg
The Main fall of The Seven Sisters
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff203/callwild/IMGP2729adjusted1.jpg
High Force
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff203/callwild/IMGP2704.jpg
Bridge Falls below Aira Force on low water recce
There are 3 portages on this section, High Force,a narrow defile and then Aira Force.Go for it.
Stuart
Got there at 5.30 with it looking just runnable. No time to do the whole thing so started at Dockray for the lower half past Aira Force. Once we got on it turned out just the right amount for a first run. Any more and some of it would be quite gnarly.
As expected it was brilliant. Fun continuous falls and slides amongst great scenery. As it started to get dark things took on a more serious air!
First the daunting set of steps where I had cleared out trees proved to be as difficult as imagined. 4 awkward falls lead deep into a cave like undercut cliff with a twisting final boof to miss a recirculating undercut eddy. Things went (wrong) just as imagined and I ended up upside down in the eddy and sucked backwards through a narrow slot with face scraping the rocks. Luckily they were rounded and smooth!. Now named Airexctasy!
The Teddy Bear decided to walk for self preservation only to put back on and almost immediately dislocated his shoulder on a flat bit of water as he tried to scout a 10' fall. He then ran the fall backwards (now named The Dislocator) and was still sitting in the stopper as I followed. Fortunately missed him but then had to get him out and to hospital. So glad the access was easy down to the car park. The most distressing sight was the nurse cutting through buoancy aid and dry cag although by this time Tim was full of entenox and did care a toss. He finally got it repositioned about midnight in Carlisle and is all Ok this morning although will not be in a boat for a while. Make you think how horrible this would be in a remote area !!
So its still waiting for a full descent but will be a brilliant run. I'd almost say it will be one of the best in the Lakes. Up there with The Upper Esk and Langstrath Beck in quality only with no walk in and dramatic scenery.
High Force drops into a small boiling pot and was a portage for us but would go with a alotta bottle.
Anybody want a go give me a call as I'd do this anytime.
Why has it been missed so long, and almost on my doorstep too!!
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff203/callwild/IMGP2723.jpg
Start of The Seven Sisters set of falls.
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff203/callwild/IMGP2725adjust1.jpg
The Main fall of The Seven Sisters
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff203/callwild/IMGP2729adjusted1.jpg
High Force
http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff203/callwild/IMGP2704.jpg
Bridge Falls below Aira Force on low water recce
There are 3 portages on this section, High Force,a narrow defile and then Aira Force.Go for it.
Stuart