12Nov 2019 by Michael Quinn
Cassiobury trip report

Cassiobury trip report

News, Trip, Trip Reports
On Sunday 10th of November nine Nomads led by Matt, assisted by Ian and Martin and including Elisabeth and Debbie on their first trip with the club drove to the bottom of Cassiobury park in Watford to explore the river Gade on it's way to the aquadrome. The weather forecast for drizzle proved wrong and it was nice and sunny and not too cold as we put onto the Gade after the safety briefing. We'd barely passed under the A412 before encountering the first of many argumentative trees that day, which yielded to Ian's manual pruning to let us pass. As we passed along the side of Croxley business park we met a number of central European looking fishermen who greeted us politely, evidently keen to pull something out of…
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02Nov 2019 by Michael Quinn

Ivel trip report

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On Sunday October 20th five Nomads led by Ian, including Rose and Candice on their first trip with the club, traveled to Sandy in Bedfordshire to paddle the river Ivel. Despite the abundance of weirs, no one managed to swim on any of them with the only casualties being on the fast ferry gliding practice and Ian getting out of his boat (apparently)! Congratulations Rose and Candice on your successful first club trip and many thanks to Ian for leading.
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11Sep 2019 by Michael Quinn

Symonds Yat trip report

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On the 7th of September four Nomads and a friend met up at Symonds Yat west campsite for a weekend on the Wye led by Matt Greenshields and Nigel Atkinson. We got an early start and paddled off from Kern Bridge under a cloudy sky which brightened up as we paddled. This 9 mile section was a warm up for Symonds Yat rapids later, so we took things easily and enjoyed the fantastic scenery and wildlife including swans, a kingfisher and some curious cows. On the way down Dan tried out break-outs and break-ins behind the fishermens' groynes in preparation for the faster water to come and we all had a good time observing the comic paddling style of stag parties in rented canadian canoes. We made such good time…
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17Aug 2019 by Michael Quinn

Merchant Taylors’ School tour report

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On the evening of Tuesday 13th August, a day earlier than planned due to the weather forecast, Ian Williams, a friend of Nomads and Bursar of Merchant Taylors' school hosted four Nomads members for a tour of the school's beautiful waterways. Looks like they had a fantastic time. Thank you to Ian for generously sharing Merchant Taylors' school's excellent facilities and for offering to repeat this tour in future for other Nomads members. Watch this space. Thanks to Ian too for the photos.
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02Aug 2019 by Michael Quinn

Thames at Shiplake trip report

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On the 21st of July three Nomads and a friend met at Shiplake lock to enjoy the Thames and backwaters led by Martyn. Details are sketchy at this point apart from the photos. Looks like they had a good time though, apart from the parking difficulty. Thanks to Martyn for leading this trip and the photos.
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16Jun 2019 by Michael Quinn

Medway trip report

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On Sunday the 16th June 7 Nomads led by Matt traveled to Queenborough in Kent to explore the Medway estuary. The weather had been forecast as sunny spells, but was looking ominously grey as we set out from the spit in front of Queenborough yacht club onto the Swale, which separates the Isle of Sheppey from the Kent Mainland. Paddling in waves, albeit small, was a new experience for some of the group, so we took it easy across the Swale pausing at a concrete boat in the centre of the channel, before following the opposite shore in the Medway direction to find the entrance to the creek to the south of Dead Man's island (seriously). It didn't take long to find the creek, looking very muddy indeed, and as…
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26May 2019 by Michael Quinn

St Patrick’s Stream trip report

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On Sunday 26th of May 10 Nomads travelled to picturesque Wargrave to paddle the Thames and St Patrick's stream backwater. It wasn't as sunny as promised, but was very warm and the water cool and inviting as we put on the Thames to paddle a couple of miles upstream against the relatively mild current. Marc on his first trip with the club coped admirably with an unfamiliar boat and against the current and we arrived quite quickly at the pontoon by the first and only portage. After ejecting a couple of swans from the pontoon we took our boats out to portage the lock carefully avoiding the large and fresh piles of swan excrement. After waiting for several floating gin palaces to exit the lock and one to enter we…
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30Apr 2019 by Michael Quinn

North Wales trip report

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Nine Nomads returned to Bala in North Wales on Saturday 27th April aiming to run the Tryweryn.  However, breakfast in the Y Badell Aur Café was interrupted by news that the dam release was cancelled due to high rain forecast, which promised to turn river levels from rags to riches. The destination was switched to the River Dee, which was rising from 2 to 9 on the Mile End Mill gauge.  Two groups formed to match the experience and aspirations of our paddlers.  Ian Williams led an eight mile journey on the highly underestimated stretch from Glyndyfrdwy to Mile End Mill, whilst Anthony Vecchio led a white water skills day between Horseshoe Falls and Llangollen. Storm Hannah brought lower temperatures and moderate winds along with rising water levels, so full…
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17Apr 2019 by Michael Quinn

Ivel trip report

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On Sunday 14th April six Nomads led by Ian traveled up the A1 to the River Ivel put-in near Sandy in Bedfordshire. Eight had booked for the trip, but David Hack & Robert Crowley had to pull out at short notice. Though the weather was bright with not too much breeze, it was a bit nippy for mid-April, so we decided to stick with the standard trip to Tempsford where the Ivel joins the Great Ouse rather than continuing another 3km to the Anchor Inn near Great Barford. Maybe next time we'll have a supper run to the Anchor. The four vehicle shuttle all went well until Annette, having driven back to the put-in with all the others, realised she still had her and Sarah’s dry clothes for the get…
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18Mar 2019 by Michael Quinn

Grove Mill trip report

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On Sunday 17th of March five Nomads set out from Grove Mill near Hunton Bridge to explore the grand union canal and river Gade backwaters back to the aquadrome. After the hurricane the previous day we were glad to start in sunshine with only a light breeze as we set off southward on the canal towards Cassiobury park. After a pretty canal section past Whippendell woods on the right and a portage around two locks, we soon arrived above the lock in Cassiobury park where we turned off left on the river Gade. A selection of weirs presented themselves, but we took the easiest chute to the left into a pool with no obvious exit due to a fallen tree. Undeterred we forged our way through the tree branches continuing…
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