Jon
15-02-2007, 05:59 PM
The River Leven
If your looking to paddle and it's not been raining for a little while, chances are if nothing else is paddleable, the Leven will be okay. It is fed by Lake Windermere which in itself has a huge catchment area. The only slight problem is that there is a very limited access agreement allowing paddling on about a dozzen days throughout the season, organised through Lakes Canoe Club. This access agreement only covers the top part of the Leven missing some of the most interesting features of the river lower down.
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The upper section starts with the brick shoot, an entertaining man made feature providing good play although the side weirs can be very retentive at most levels. Directly below is Mill Force, a 2m drop through a stopper. If you don't fancy this there's a chicken run down the right of the island although I find Mill Force the easier due to encroachment of trees. Further downstream there are a few small drops before the Graveyard, a grade 3 technical rapid which is taken center then left of a large bolder which splits the flow at low water. 400m down stream the access agreement section ends with egress along the side of Barkers Wood Yard. If your up to grade 4 and above the Leven can provide it from here down!!
If your looking to paddle and it's not been raining for a little while, chances are if nothing else is paddleable, the Leven will be okay. It is fed by Lake Windermere which in itself has a huge catchment area. The only slight problem is that there is a very limited access agreement allowing paddling on about a dozzen days throughout the season, organised through Lakes Canoe Club. This access agreement only covers the top part of the Leven missing some of the most interesting features of the river lower down.
qgvp2KqEgC8
The upper section starts with the brick shoot, an entertaining man made feature providing good play although the side weirs can be very retentive at most levels. Directly below is Mill Force, a 2m drop through a stopper. If you don't fancy this there's a chicken run down the right of the island although I find Mill Force the easier due to encroachment of trees. Further downstream there are a few small drops before the Graveyard, a grade 3 technical rapid which is taken center then left of a large bolder which splits the flow at low water. 400m down stream the access agreement section ends with egress along the side of Barkers Wood Yard. If your up to grade 4 and above the Leven can provide it from here down!!