I suppose you could say this is the last post in the recent series that seems to have occured.  The series began all those weeks ago with a post about what we students get upto before lectures and this was then followed, almost immedietely, with what we do during lectures.  The unfortunate weather of two weeks ago then allowed us to show you what we do when lectures are cancelled, and then naturally to finish off the series we'll tell you what we do after lectures.

Quite simply we go paddling and I suppose every now and again we do go drinking and attend lectures in classrooms and such like.

However, this afternoon, after some had attended morning lectures in Geomorphology we headed down to Ullswater, which is only 15 minutes away from campus, for a short journey around the northern tip of Ullswater.  It wasn't anything amazing, but it was nice to be out and about, in the beautiful countryside, away from the stuffy classrooms and the hectic student life for an hour or so of kayaking.

Picture courtesy of Nathan Fuller.

With all the rain the region recieved at the end of the working week lectures were cancelled at the Newton Rigg and Ambleside campus.  This meant there was free time for paddling, however you couldn't really travel anywhere and all the rivers were off the scale.  The ever resourceful students' of the NRPC found an alternative and headed for the flooded roads and flooded fields around Penrith and Newton Rigg for a spot of jovial paddling action.

Picture courtesy of Dan Howard.

Our last post was about what we did before lectures and now this post is about what we do during lectures.  The venue is the same, we're back on the Glenderamackin, the crew is different however.  There is Callum Stone (NRPC Chairman), Sim Davis (NRPC Treasurer) and Sean McGrath (Wild River).

Callum and Sim are studying for a degree in Adventure and Media and yesterday was their lecture in Practical Outdoor Activities.  The activity for the day was kayaking and along with Sean McGrath they headed up the Glenderamackin for a quick paddle, whilst the rest of their class took pictures and made films.  The below film is courtesy of Sean McGrath.

Or in some people's case: When lecturers are cancelled or when I've got the day off!!!

Testing out the carry system on the walk through Mungrisdale.

A couple of the NRPC's members got out with a legend of the North Lakes kayaking scene on Wednesday.   Iain didn't have lectures till 1pm and Alex was suppose to have lecturers till midday, but they were cancelled, so the three of us headed off in search of water and we found it surprisingly easly if I was being honest, but then again most of Cumbria is on flood alert.

The river of choice was the Glenderamackin.  Iain had looked at it on several occasions, but always dismissed it as too low, Alex had never done it and wasn't put off by the lack of concrete, and the legend of the North Lakes was biting at the bit to head out on the walk-in so he could test out his new carry system.

On the log flume ride back down to Mungrisdale.

To put it simply: the walk in was brutal and the paddle back out was superb.  Fast. Continuous. Grade 3. No eddies.  Just like a log flume really.  The only dissappointment for the day was the portage around what looked like the most interesting section due to several trees blocking the channel.  I'm sure we'll return and clear it at some point especially as we've been offered money by the landowner to clear it for them.

The final rapid just before going under the bridge in Mungrisdale.

All pictures are courtesy of Iain Robinson.

Sorry about the lack of posts of late.  I could make up countless excuses for why there hasn't been much said on here, but basically the NRPC haven't been getting out and about on the rivers of the Lake District.  I think on the last post it was mentioned that we were off to Llangollen for a weekend of boating, and we did, what follows is a rather poetic account of the first day of this trip from Beki Tatham.

An alarm rings at quarter to 8 in the morning and the air is stale with the breaths of 9 students.  All the kayaks are piled up at one end of the hall, whilst we sleep in a nest of sleeping bags, sheets and roll mats.  It’s chaos, cluttered and dingy.

I’m reluctant to pull myself out of my sleeping bag.  Everyone seems to be rising much quicker than me but I just can’t be bothered to pull on my kayaking gear and go.

“Shall we go get some breakfast?”

Cal chimes above the dreary tone of us getting ready.  We get dressed and we’re on the way to a café recommended by Hari.  A sign overhead reads ‘Café and Books, Books and Photography.’  Perfect it looks slightly run down, weird ambience.  Cal and I order a bacon sandwich and head through an arch way where we find an array of pay as you go internet, children’s’ rides and worn looking sofas.  It was like something out of the early nineties, something very surreal for 10 am on a Saturday morning.

As we finish, a tall blonde lad saunters over our way.  He is on the junior GB squad for slalom and is an FE student at Newton Rigg.  We chat for a while and then leave, Paddle Works and the river are calling.

Boats are piled onto roofs and strapped down in the annoying wet rain.  Carefully stepping around the dog poo spattered pavement I feel like I don’t want to do this anymore.  The windows steam up immediately, the fans are going on full blast whilst the reggae blares out.  It fills my mood with happiness, motivation.  But still something pulls me away from the prospect of the river.

We reach the river having had a brief stop at Paddle Works, boats are unloaded and Gaz, Iain and I complete the shuttle so that we can get underway.  Meeting us there were Callum’s Mum and Dad.  Phil was paddling with us today whilst Debbie played camera woman at the top.

The leaves fell and floated off down the river.  It draws me in, invitingly.  The water is cool and light and the mood compared to the morning is slightly lighter, as if a cloud has risen and is now showing me the way I should be going.

There is no direct instruction from Cal or Iain.  We play, getting used to our boats, smiling, uneasy, smiling.  We move on down the river, nothing sticks in my mind except the river, the dark water.  The first rapid of the day presents no problem.  A hole which is easily punched through, then plenty of eddies.  There was one technical exit but it is quickly resolved.  We practise ferry gliding, my technique being gradually perfected almost so much so it’s effortless.  How it should be.

Next is the main rapid of the day, the Serpent’s Tail.  A grade 4 rapid which people in the group could decide whether they wanted to run it or not, it was not compulsory. I decided I did and prepared myself whilst the others either walked around and met us at the bottom of the rapid or sat in their boats waiting for a decision to be made by Cal.  We organised an order and decided to go one after the other leaving 4 or 5 boat spaces between each other.  It was slightly unnerving, a little wobble half way down nearly cost me a dunking in the dark waters but I managed to stay up right and make it to the bottom.  A sense of elation filled my mind.  I was happy, it was exciting, and the adrenalin pulsed right through me.  The others also managed it fine and we caught up with the people portaging around and we were on our way again.

A section of flat water continued onto the start of the Paddle Works site.  This is a series of drops and waves, nothing too difficult as long as you paddled to ensure they didn’t hold you.  Most of the waves looked fun to play in but I didn’t have the nerve or commitment to enter them, like a lot of people in the group.  I forgot I was in my burn, a more stable boat than my play boat.  I would have been fine but still something held me back.  We watched as Cal, Iain and Chris played in the waves.  Baring in mind Cal paddles a mystic Blisstick, he could still flat spin it in these waves.  Quite impressive.  He chimes “Who needs a play boat when you’ve got a beast like this?”

Past the waves, we move on, we’re all cold now.  Although it’s only Autumn there is certainly a chill in the air.  We reach the top of the slalom section, just before town falls.  This weekend there is a slalom event and we respect the event and decide to get out there and walk back to our accommodation.  A shame as this section is fun and a nice way to end the day apparently.  Never mind, I’m ready to get out and I’m sure the members of the group are too.  Debbie is waiting for us at the bottom with chocolate brownies, chocolate caramel shortcakes and cans of coke.  It’s very much appreciated after the journey on the river.  It begins to rain and so decide it’s about time we get ourselves inside, changed and warmed up.

That evening, we head out into Llangollen.  We need food, having lived off junk food for the past day and a half I feel it’s necessary to try and at least get some proper food down our throats and so I suggest a pub.  First we head out to The Prince of Wales, although nice, we feel it is an extremely local pub and we don’t, well I don’t feel particularly welcome, The second place we head to we’re drawn in and almost pushed to sit down and have some food, again a bit unsettling.  We order food and look forward to it and although it wasn’t great, it was good to get something similar to normal, wholesome food down.

We then head to the Bull, a pub we had experienced the previous night.  It turns out that that night a band is playing called The Drop.  The singer comes and sits with us, talking to us about what we’re doing in the area and he introduces us to his mum.  He then scuttles off to the performance area and the band play.  A mixture of funk and electro fills the atmosphere and makes for a really good vibe.  A woman dances on the table in front of us and the boys get excited.  It turns out she was 37.  We depart once the band finish, saying goodbye to Ed on the way out.  This was an awesome end to a bad start.

All pictures are courtesy of Beki Tatham.