River Wye canoe cruise

Friday 30 April – Monday 3 May 2010

An event open to Scouts and leaders on May bank holiday weekend.

The purpose of the event is to encourage expeditioning by canoe or kayak and provides approximately 35 miles of canoeing between Hoarwithy near Hereford and Monmouth over three days. Different campsites are used each night and the opportunity exists for paddlers to travel as completely selfcontained units carrying all their equipment in their craft thus removing the need for vehicle support. Alternatively, paddlers may be supported by their own road party which can take care of their kit and enable them to paddle lightly loaded boats carrying only the day’s needs. Where drivers wish to paddle, minibus transport is provided to ferry them to or from their vehicles.

All paddlers for this event should be competent on moving water and have sufficient stamina to cope with a daily journey of some 15 miles. All paddlers or groups should provide all their own canoeing and camping equipment. Kayaks and canoes will be checked by qualified coaches prior to being allowed on the water, and should be registered with their scout district or area. Canoeing helmets are needed for Symonds Yat rapids on the Sunday.

Qualified, permit-holding coaches are available if necessary to accompany any group on the water.

Monmouthshire Scout Fellowship provide an excellent lunch on Saturday at ‘The Hole in the Wall’ at no further cost, and in the evening a barbeque is provided for groups to use to cook their own meal upon.

The Welsh Scout Council Canoe Camping Award will be presented to all those paddlers who, during the weekend, paddle the full distance of the Wye Cruise carrying all their kit in their canoe, thus travelling as a completely selfcontained unit. Storing of kit in a vehicle, to be retrieved during the cruise, invalidates the award. Any paddler wishing to attempt the award should make this known to their canoeing leader on the river before setting out on Saturday morning.

Cost:
£18.00 per head per canoeist
£6.00 per head for support crew