28May 2023 by Chris Harper 2 Comments

Nomad’s Latest Contribution to ‘The Big Paddle Clean Up’ Campaign

News, Reports, Website
As part of British Canoeing’s Clear Access Clear Waters, ‘Big Paddle Clean-up’ Campaign (running 27th May to 11th June 2023), Nomad Kayak Club members paddled the River Colne in Rickmansworth on Sunday 28th May. Lead by Ian Walker in a Canoe, four kayakers (Nigel, Dan, Hannah and Chris) set off from the club house at 1015 to join the canal at Stockers Lock. As we travelled down the canal we were joined by Phillip, without the two ‘girls’ ( who were allowed a lay in) to make up our team. It was a beautiful sunny morning for a paddle. Turning onto the Colne near Tesco we headed to the first weir where we portaged most of the craft. Paddling onwards we scoured the banks seeking rubbish. It was remarkable how there was much…
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12Feb 2023 by Chris Harper No Comments

River Stort (Canalised) – Sawbridgeworth to Harlow – or Vice Versa!

Event, News, Trip, Trip Reports
Sunday 12th Februrary This Trip is no 16 In the “Pub Paddles book – The best Short Canoe Trips in the South of England” by Peter Knowles. We had to change the start. Fortunately, Dave had done his normal excellent checks the previous day and discovered that there was no available parking at the proposed Sawbridgeworth start. Therefore, the round-trip journey had to be started at the other end, Harlow Station. This was in a large pub car park, adjacent to the river, so at least it provided good free parking and a location for a finishing debrief over a beer. This trip was a bit like an Agatha Christie novel as the six expected paddlers reduced steadily down to three in the last few days. But no murders, just…
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24Dec 2022 by Chris Harper No Comments

River Thames Section 9b – Wargrave to Aston – Trip Report & Video

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Saturday 24th December 2022 5.9 miles/9.5 km downstream, Wargrave to Aston. The reduced daylight hours resulted in the Section 9 trip, Reading to Aston (Paddle the Thames, Mark Rainsley), into two and this is the second part. Paddlers: Dave Hillier (Trip Leader), Pierre Leon, Chris Harper, John Murray, Phill Gent (with doggie guests Fifi and Coco), Jai, Sue Leon (Report Writer) We gathered at the St George and Dragon pub which has a kayak-friendly platform onto the river. Dave had previously sent out the lock status report as shown below (we were to traverse Marsh and Hambledon locks) and so we were expecting a faster flow and this was immediately obvious on looking at the river. We were travelling downstream although a few tandem kayakers seemed to be coping easily with upstream…
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11Dec 2022 by Chris Harper No Comments

St Patrick’s Stream Trip Report & Video

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On Sunday 11th December, 8 slightly insane Nomads arrived at the St George and Dragon Pub in Wargrave on a frosty & foggy morning, with Pierre having negotiated the use of their car park and launch area.  The air temperature was around -2°C and the water temperature approx. 0.000001°C above freezing.  Participants were Dave Hillier, Chris Harper, Nigel Atkinson, Graham Summers, Sue & Pierre Leon, Hannah Smith (aka Santa) and Nathan Ashford. After everyone kitting up in as many layers as possible Dave provided the safety briefing and Graham a brisk warm-up on the bank.  We then keenly got on the water to start our journey, heading upstream along the Thames in the direction of Reading.  Santa had a few “glove issues” but after a few rounds of glove swapping…
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25Nov 2022 by Chris Harper No Comments

River Thames Section 9a – Reading to Wargrave – Trip Report & Video

Event, News, Trip, Trip Reports
Thames Section 9a Trip Report - Friday 25th November 2022 6.2 miles/10 km downstream, Reading to Wargrave with a side paddle along St. Patrick’s stream. Because of the reduced daylight it was decided to split the Section 9 trip Reading to Aston (Paddle the Thames, Mark Rainsley) into two trips with a break at Wargrave. We also took the option to paddle St. Patrick’s Stream.Paddlers: Dave Hillier (Trip Leader), Pierre Leon (Route Planner), Chris Harper (Consultant), John Murray, Phill Gent (with doggie guests FiFi and Coco), Nigel Atkinson, Dean Edwards, Conrad, Sue Leon (Report Writer)We gathered and unloaded on the road outside the Wokingham Waterside Centre (RG6 1PQ) which had been the get-out point of our Section 8 trip. Although there are restrictions for parking here before 10 am we…
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13Nov 2022 by Chris Harper No Comments

Basingstoke Canal Trip Report & Video

Event, News, Trip, Trip Reports
Basingstoke Canal 13-11-22This was a round trip, 7km each way, starting at the Mytchett Canal Centre and turning around at Ash Lock. Paddlers Dave Hillier (Leader), Pierre and Sue Leon, Nathan, Jai, John Murray, Phill Gent and Coco and Fifi. This stretch of the Basingstoke Canal is more like a river than a canal; as it morphs into lakes and slowly meanders its way through the Surrey and Hampshire countryside. It was a most picturesque paddle especially with the autumnal colours, as leaves of yellow, red, brown and black fell from the trees onto the water like rain. The put in point was the Mytchett Canal Centre where Dave did his safety talk and we all limbered up by mimicking chickens; fortunately, we were more or less alone. The weather…
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