CARNAGE ON THE LEVEN
Last weekend saw a huge crowd of us hunting for water up the west coast of Scotland, surprising given all the rain. We ended up at the Leven, which was running at a medium level when we looked from the bottom...
As usual, it rained whilst we got changed. However, it kept raining all the way up the walk-in and whilst we were on the river. The first set of falls, "Three falls to Agrippa" were great: really clean and fast with only a couple of shoddy lines.
The drops continued thick and fast, with a slight carnage moment as our "fashion guru" Mark swam in one big hole, then dropped his boat and watched it style the next drop, the gutter. This was a brilliant rapid, and me and Dave ran this several times.
Next up was End of the World. The levels had now risen, and it was slightly higher than in this video. We all had a careful look and Dave and myself were convinced it would go. First up was Dave. He cleaned the top two falls, and was looking good. The third and fourth falls proved his undoing though, as he pencilled into the hole at the bottom and popped up sidewards in the hole. After a few seconds, I chucked him a line (and was ready with another) but to no avail and he continued to get a caning for another twenty seconds, before bailing, recirculating and swimming through a very nasty hole at the bottom. Needless to say, I was put off and walked!
(Video to come)......
Luckily, we found all his kit on the paddle down to McKays falls, but the carnage wasn't over. Mark slipped on a rock chasing Dave's boat and broke several bones in his hand. However, being a hardened borders lad, he paddled the rest of the river! With his teeth!
An awesome day; a bit carnage filled but great all the same. I love the Leven!
Last weekend saw a huge crowd of us hunting for water up the west coast of Scotland, surprising given all the rain. We ended up at the Leven, which was running at a medium level when we looked from the bottom...
As usual, it rained whilst we got changed. However, it kept raining all the way up the walk-in and whilst we were on the river. The first set of falls, "Three falls to Agrippa" were great: really clean and fast with only a couple of shoddy lines.
The drops continued thick and fast, with a slight carnage moment as our "fashion guru" Mark swam in one big hole, then dropped his boat and watched it style the next drop, the gutter. This was a brilliant rapid, and me and Dave ran this several times.
Next up was End of the World. The levels had now risen, and it was slightly higher than in this video. We all had a careful look and Dave and myself were convinced it would go. First up was Dave. He cleaned the top two falls, and was looking good. The third and fourth falls proved his undoing though, as he pencilled into the hole at the bottom and popped up sidewards in the hole. After a few seconds, I chucked him a line (and was ready with another) but to no avail and he continued to get a caning for another twenty seconds, before bailing, recirculating and swimming through a very nasty hole at the bottom. Needless to say, I was put off and walked!
(Video to come)......
Luckily, we found all his kit on the paddle down to McKays falls, but the carnage wasn't over. Mark slipped on a rock chasing Dave's boat and broke several bones in his hand. However, being a hardened borders lad, he paddled the rest of the river! With his teeth!
An awesome day; a bit carnage filled but great all the same. I love the Leven!
posted by Marv at 9:47 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home