As ye may know, last semester we looked into the feasibility of going to Uganda in Summer 2015. If we were to do this, both cost and difficulty of logistics would be huge so as of now there is a clean slate for next years summer trip.
The 2014 Alps trip will go down as one of the best ever...but next year we want to improve it. There are a couple of options on the table:
1. Stay in Italy/Slovenia and try and paddle new rivers and have relatively the same format as last years trip. 1 advanced week and then 2 subsequent weeks for intermediate paddlers.
2. France. Nearly all English universities go there every summer and ULKC hasn't paddled there in an age! Really good rivers to suit everyone!
3. Austria. A lot of uncharted territory for us as a club but having had a few members paddle there in recent years, it could work out brilliantly.
4. Some random ass country in Europe that you think has great paddling possibilities.
I'm open to any suggestions, no matter how wacky as long as the destination is somewhere in Europe. I'll leave this thread open until early next week so you have loads of time to have an input.
And new members: I WANT YOUR INPUT TOO. This will be your first summer trip with the club and you have the chance to decide where we go!
SUMMER TRIP 2015
Moderator: Rian O Connell
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GavinSheehan
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- Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 5:36 pm
Sheep, like all wool-bearing animals, instinctively travel north, where it's colder, and they won't be so stuffy.
087 751 4733
087 751 4733
For anyone who's disappointed about Uganda being taken off the table and wants more information:
Basically the river out there is far easier than you would think. Bar three big rapids, the rest is well doable by anyone with a decent roll or who is comfortable with spending 15-20 seconds underwater when they swim.
There's not a lot of river there. There are only really 6 rapids. Some of them have multiple channels but they're spread over 30km of river. So paddling the river involves a hell of a lot of flatwater paddling/floating.
The logistics of running the river are complicated, and expensive. It's a 30km shuttle, on African roads, which takes a long time and the cost of doing it regularly quickly adds up.
The freestyle over there is awesome, but difficult. Nile special and Club waves are the ones paddled most often, they're both big, bouncy and awesome craic but hard to control a boat on and quite hard to throw moves on. Definatly better suited to people who have already done a lot of wave freestyle than someone who's done none.
So for all those reasons, we have decided not to run a club trip to Uganda. That said, it is a feckin awesome place! There is a reason why it has been a Mecca for European and American paddlers over the last 10 years or so, the weather is perfect, the water is warm, the river is really fun and Nile Special will give you some of the biggest air of anywhere in the world if you time a bounce right. Also, it's safe, the locals are friendly, the mosquitos aren't bad and there are no big animals like crocs or hippos that will eat you. Getting there is ridiculusly easy to organise. Buy a flight(expensive
but changes depending on the time of year), get someone to organise a taxi from the airport for you (ask me for details if you're interested) and you're there, and you'll have the time of you're life.
It's not really the best destination for a club trip, but if three or four people who can roll decide they want to go and experience it before it's destroyed ( ~3 years time!) DO IT! YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT! If you want to know anything else about it just ask me, but if it sounds like something you would be interested in then make it happen!
Basically the river out there is far easier than you would think. Bar three big rapids, the rest is well doable by anyone with a decent roll or who is comfortable with spending 15-20 seconds underwater when they swim.
There's not a lot of river there. There are only really 6 rapids. Some of them have multiple channels but they're spread over 30km of river. So paddling the river involves a hell of a lot of flatwater paddling/floating.
The logistics of running the river are complicated, and expensive. It's a 30km shuttle, on African roads, which takes a long time and the cost of doing it regularly quickly adds up.
The freestyle over there is awesome, but difficult. Nile special and Club waves are the ones paddled most often, they're both big, bouncy and awesome craic but hard to control a boat on and quite hard to throw moves on. Definatly better suited to people who have already done a lot of wave freestyle than someone who's done none.
So for all those reasons, we have decided not to run a club trip to Uganda. That said, it is a feckin awesome place! There is a reason why it has been a Mecca for European and American paddlers over the last 10 years or so, the weather is perfect, the water is warm, the river is really fun and Nile Special will give you some of the biggest air of anywhere in the world if you time a bounce right. Also, it's safe, the locals are friendly, the mosquitos aren't bad and there are no big animals like crocs or hippos that will eat you. Getting there is ridiculusly easy to organise. Buy a flight(expensive
but changes depending on the time of year), get someone to organise a taxi from the airport for you (ask me for details if you're interested) and you're there, and you'll have the time of you're life. It's not really the best destination for a club trip, but if three or four people who can roll decide they want to go and experience it before it's destroyed ( ~3 years time!) DO IT! YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT! If you want to know anything else about it just ask me, but if it sounds like something you would be interested in then make it happen!
Phone: 0876637836. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/eoin.keyes.3
Loadsa kayakin videos, mostly of ULKC people: http://www.youtube.com/user/kayakincheese
Kayaking blog: http://eoinkeyes.blogspot.ie/
Loadsa kayakin videos, mostly of ULKC people: http://www.youtube.com/user/kayakincheese
Kayaking blog: http://eoinkeyes.blogspot.ie/
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Cathal
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France is fantastic, though it tends to be more sensitive to river levels, having been too high in late may in recent years to be suitable for a college group. Most of the UK uni groups end up going in July when it's running at the more standard summer levels - though that means that some of the best runs are too low to do. I'd love to get back to Briancon, to get the Lower Guisane, the Guil, Chateau Queyras finally, the Ubaye Racecourse, and the Durance Gorge. Some bucket list rivers there for sure. I've been in the France region about 6 or 7 times so far and I've really enjoyed it each time. I did however miss the two flooded out ULKC trips but had a flooded private trip 4 years ago so I've got a slightly skewed view of the place.
One of the nice things about the French area as a target, there are usually a really good range of rivers available for all of the ability levels, plus because it's that little bit closer to the ferry, we often got an extra day's paddling as a result.
Uganda is on my own agenda in 2016, all going to plan.
One of the nice things about the French area as a target, there are usually a really good range of rivers available for all of the ability levels, plus because it's that little bit closer to the ferry, we often got an extra day's paddling as a result.
Uganda is on my own agenda in 2016, all going to plan.
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My Madness is all that keeps me Sane..
Contact on +353876438725 - [email protected] (not on Facebook much/ever anymore)
My Madness is all that keeps me Sane..
Contact on +353876438725 - [email protected] (not on Facebook much/ever anymore)
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GavinSheehan
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BUMP
Any more suggestions?
Any more suggestions?
Sheep, like all wool-bearing animals, instinctively travel north, where it's colder, and they won't be so stuffy.
087 751 4733
087 751 4733
The Pyrenees. Spain is meant to be awesome!
Phone: 0876637836. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/eoin.keyes.3
Loadsa kayakin videos, mostly of ULKC people: http://www.youtube.com/user/kayakincheese
Kayaking blog: http://eoinkeyes.blogspot.ie/
Loadsa kayakin videos, mostly of ULKC people: http://www.youtube.com/user/kayakincheese
Kayaking blog: http://eoinkeyes.blogspot.ie/
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AndrewRegan
- Na na na na na na Nash Nash
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While you being right about the rivers being sensitive to change in Briancon, the prime time to be there is around the 2nd week of June, that is when all the British Universities go there and when the student boater cross is. I got all those rivers on your bucket list done in the first 4 days there (The Guil is UNREAL) and had perfect levels throughout. Western Austria is generally pretty huge and unsuitable in May&June.
I reckon plan to do Italy and France this year. Slovenia is great but it offers far less paddling-wise. There are several perfect beginner runs in and around Briancon.
I reckon plan to do Italy and France this year. Slovenia is great but it offers far less paddling-wise. There are several perfect beginner runs in and around Briancon.
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Cathal
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- Location: Castletroy, Limerick
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If in Briancon region - definitely stay in the Les Isicles campsite (http://www.iscles.com/) where the club used to stay before. Big enough that we have no problems with noise/space etc.
The Argentiere campsite had a reputation for theft and misbehaviour, but had the advantage of being beside the slalom course.
I'd like to get the Durance Gorge done as well as Chateau Queyras... I've also yet to do the triple step on the Middle Guil.
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The Pyrenees are great, but they tend to have grade 2+ then a jump to 4+/5 with not a lot of 3/3+. Certainly true of the area around St. Girons. The slalom course at Foix is a bit of fun but not too hard. The Alet is a scary steep boulder garden, the Salat is a nice 2/3 river with a weir or two. Over the border at Sort, the Noguera Palleresa makes for a good run. The last time I paddled it, it was about 2m higher than normal and at full floodstage and we had to get off due to one of our three paddlers getting concussion after a capsize. The Sort slalom course is fun as long as you avoid the slalom pole wires that are below water level.. Nice playspot at the end of town that held some of the worlds freestyle over the years (clip) Add to that, the lovely park and huck waterfall not far from the France/Spain border (name of it to be confirmed once I find it again)
The club trip back in 1999 with 10 paddlers, and we started out in Biarritz doing the Nive as a warmup, then transferring to a campsite in Siex near St. Giron. (I found a better campsite in St. Giron later on) Then we went over the border to Sort and did some decent paddling over on that side of the valley. It was a pretty good trip to be honest with some of the most nailbiting paddling I've ever done on that descent of the Alet from the source down. Such good memories of that trip!
The Argentiere campsite had a reputation for theft and misbehaviour, but had the advantage of being beside the slalom course.
I'd like to get the Durance Gorge done as well as Chateau Queyras... I've also yet to do the triple step on the Middle Guil.
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The Pyrenees are great, but they tend to have grade 2+ then a jump to 4+/5 with not a lot of 3/3+. Certainly true of the area around St. Girons. The slalom course at Foix is a bit of fun but not too hard. The Alet is a scary steep boulder garden, the Salat is a nice 2/3 river with a weir or two. Over the border at Sort, the Noguera Palleresa makes for a good run. The last time I paddled it, it was about 2m higher than normal and at full floodstage and we had to get off due to one of our three paddlers getting concussion after a capsize. The Sort slalom course is fun as long as you avoid the slalom pole wires that are below water level.. Nice playspot at the end of town that held some of the worlds freestyle over the years (clip) Add to that, the lovely park and huck waterfall not far from the France/Spain border (name of it to be confirmed once I find it again)
The club trip back in 1999 with 10 paddlers, and we started out in Biarritz doing the Nive as a warmup, then transferring to a campsite in Siex near St. Giron. (I found a better campsite in St. Giron later on) Then we went over the border to Sort and did some decent paddling over on that side of the valley. It was a pretty good trip to be honest with some of the most nailbiting paddling I've ever done on that descent of the Alet from the source down. Such good memories of that trip!
--
My Madness is all that keeps me Sane..
Contact on +353876438725 - [email protected] (not on Facebook much/ever anymore)
My Madness is all that keeps me Sane..
Contact on +353876438725 - [email protected] (not on Facebook much/ever anymore)
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AndrewRegan
- Na na na na na na Nash Nash
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- Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 3:13 am
L'argentiere does have a reputation but there is no need to worry as long as boats are locked in the van or locked to the roof. There have been theft issues in every campsite in the region in recent years, its unfortunate but manageable as long as we are careful with equipment.
Durance Gorge is easy peazy you just need to know where the get out is for the long portage. I sessioned triple step one day did 6 laps while shuttle was run! Such a fun rapid! Chateau Q is also deadly craic. Yeeeeeah I think you guys will love France
Durance Gorge is easy peazy you just need to know where the get out is for the long portage. I sessioned triple step one day did 6 laps while shuttle was run! Such a fun rapid! Chateau Q is also deadly craic. Yeeeeeah I think you guys will love France