It’s been a little while since I’ve been out in my kayak for non work purposes, so it was a real treat today to hook up with members from Shrewsbury Canoe Club for a paddle on the River Severn. There were 10 of us in all that met up at Coalbrookdale, near Ironbridge in Telford at about 9am this morning. The plan was to paddle downstream as far as Bridgnorth, so it took a little while to shuttle vehicles to the get out, but we were on the water by about 10.30am.

The group contained a real mix of paddlers and boats. There were river runners and touring boats in the middle, with play boats and a sea kayak at the extremes. Some paddlers were very experienced while others had never been on moving water before. However, the purpose of today’s trip was to offer an introduction to moving water so everyone was more than welcome.

On the whole, the stretch from Coalbrookdale down to Bridgnorth is a placid water trip with the occasional bit of extra interest. However, for those that want a playspot, Jackfield Rapids is the place to go. It’s not a very long section of white water, and has nice big eddies on either side at the bottom making it ideal for beginners. It’s also a good practice venue for the more experienced. We messed about on the bottom wave for about 45 minutes before continuing with the journey.

Other than a few showers along the way, the weather was fantastic and the company a pleasure. We even managed to take the opportunity to visit the pub for a quick half on the way home.