Kayaking on the upper reaches of Solent rivers

[Angele]

I bought an inflatable kayak at the London Boat Show, with the intention of using it to explore areas of the coast and rivers that I cannot take Angele (because of draft, air draft etc). I am only interested in places that can be easily accessed from a sheltered anchorage or harbour (to make launching and recovery easy). 2 man kayak weighing about 25kg - far easier to carry than a dinghy, but I wouldn't want to have to lug it for miles.

So, starting with my local cruising grounds of the Solent, I'm interested to find out how far up the rivers I can get before it starts to become difficult/tiresome (because of weirs or other obstacles). I'm pretty familiar with all the bays, but less sure about some of the rivers, so can we focus on them please? Don't really want to get too muddy launching and recovering. And, if there is a decent pub up the top of the river then all the better. This is my knowledge so far.

Isle of Wight:

Western Yar from Yarmouth. Navigable as far as "The Causeway". Not sure about beyond and not sure how easy to launch from there. Red Lion Pub, Church Place, Freshwater.
Newtown. I know you can land at Shalfleet Quay and, from there, walk to The New Inn. Not sure about the other tributaries.
Medina. From Folly Reach up to Newport. Easy launching/recovery thanks to pontoons.
Wootton Creek. Looks like you can get to Kite Hill where there appears to be a slipway, close to the Sloop Inn.
Bembridge and the (Eastern) Yar. Really looking for more detail on this one. Looks like the river goes a long way - beyond Sandown and at least as far as Alverstone. But I've no idea how much of this is navigable. And nor do I know of any nice inns along the way.

The Northern Island (aka the mainland)

(I'm skipping Poole for the mo, but probably worthy of a whole thread in its own right).
Kayhaven is normally pretty inaccessible for me (draft 2.1m). So I should be able to anchor outside and paddle up to the town. Can you continue upstream from there?
Lymington. I think it would be difficult to land somewhere close to the road that goes to Beaulieu, in order to relaunch on the other side. No idea how far you can go upstream.
Beaulieu River. Must be a lovely paddle from Bucklers Hard up to Beaulieu, and easy to get out there (at the right state of tide). Not sure how much further upstream is possible from the Mill Dam.
Ashlett creek. (Ok, not really a river, I know) I can't get my boat in there, but kayakable as far as the Jolly Sailor pub.
River Test. I've no idea if you can get under the railway bridge and dual carriageway, nor how far up river is navigable.
River Itchen. I know nothing about the river above Saxon Wharf/Kemps.
River Hamble. I'm familiar with this one. Manor Farm Country Park and all the way to the Horse and Jockey at Curbridge.
Think I'll skip Portsmouth Harbour for now. But, how far does the Wallington River go? I'm aware it is possible to circumnavigate Portsea Island, but that is hardly the rural idyll I'm looking for.
Chichester Harbour. At some point I'll consider the Chichester Canal, but I'm aware that there are a couple of places where you need to get out and walk.

Anything in the Solent that I've missed? Also, anyone aware of any good canoe/kayak websites or forums covering this area?

 

[lw395]

Meon?
Langstone Harbour. Paddle to choice of two pubs at Langstone village.

 

[Angele]

Meon?
Langstone Harbour. Paddle to choice of two pubs at Langstone village.

I'd forgotten about the Meon. Thanks for that. Problem for me is Angele is too big for Hill Head, and I wouldn't normally anchor in that part of the Solent.

If you are referring to the Ship Inn and the Royal Oak, then easier for me to moor in Northney Marina (free as I'm a MDL berthholder) and walk over the causeway. Also avoids all that mud....

 

[prv]

River Itchen. I know nothing about the river above Saxon Wharf/Kemps.

It carries on round the corner past various semi-derelict wrecks (albeit some occasionally occupied), berthing for motorboats that can get under Northam bridge, some houseboats by the other bridge whose name I forget, and then you're alongside the park. Above that is the watermill that I assume you'd have to portage round, and from then on it looks like much more of an "inland" river. I don't know how kayakable that part is, but ultimately it reaches up to Winchester...

Pete

 

[Angele]

It carries on round the corner past various semi-derelict wrecks (albeit some occasionally occupied), berthing for motorboats that can get under Northam bridge, some houseboats by the other bridge whose name I forget, and then you're alongside the park. Above that is the watermill that I assume you'd have to portage round, and from then on it looks like much more of an "inland" river. I don't know how kayakable that part is, but ultimately it reaches up to Winchester...

Pete

Thanks for that, Pete. The Itchen is definitely one of the ones I want to "do". So if anyone knows any more about it once it goes rural, I'd be delighted to hear.

 

[{151760}]

All the creeks in Newtown are worth exploring, but landing would involve mud. Landing forbidden in some places. You can land by the shed opposite the entrance to explore Newtown on foot. Lots to see. It was once the busiest port on the island.
Yar not navigable above Freshwater causeway. Mud at low tide. Red Lion good.

 

[Angele]

All the creeks in Newtown are worth exploring, but landing would involve mud. Landing forbidden in some places. You can land by the shed opposite the entrance to explore Newtown on foot. Lots to see. It was once the busiest port on the island.
Yar not navigable above Freshwater causeway. Mud at low tide. Red Lion good.

Thanks for that Norm. :encouragement:

Confirms my understanding about the Yar. I did the walk along the disused railway line on the east bank about 5 years ago.

 

[Angele]

Just discovered from the British Canoeing website that you aren't allowed to paddle upstream of Beaulieu. I assume that is because it belongs to the Beaulieu estate.

 

[AndrewL]

My wife and I got almost as far as The Causeway on the Yar in an inflatable kayak. We had hoped to get all the way up and onto dry land to eat the picnic we had brought, but ended up eating it afloat with oars stuck into the mud as "anchors". About 200 metres from the Causeway we started to ground and although there was water all the way to the causeway it was just not deep enough. It looked like we would have been trudging through mud to get to the banks. Obviously it would depend on the tide but from memory I think we left Yarmouth around high water.

It's a really nice stretch of river thought, I would recommend it.

 

[ashtead]

In Bembridge you would have to carry your vessel over the road near the BHYC but there is a footpath which goes up to Brading where a number of pubs can be found. Sandown is probably best avoided as a destination though for the discerning yachtsman having little to offer by way of watering holes or any eateries of note. I can see no reason why you could not moor up in Bembridge pontoons ( but be careful as you might touch out if too far from the pontoon at 2.1m as we grounded at 1.9m and paddle the canoe down the harbour and then rejoin the river over the road. . You could also of course paddle round from Bembridge to Priory Bay which might be more pleasant destination and visit the Priory Hotel for a meal from the beach.

 

[langstonelayabout]

A circumnavigation of Portsmouth is very doable; the important bit is to get the tide right at the canal (at the top: tide not too high, not too strong. Try around neaps). Portchester SC used to have an annual circumnavigation event where they also took their Toppers, Lasers, Wayfarers, etc. At the bridges they needed to paddle, otherwise I believe it was all good. I expect a Portchester person is around here to advise...

Fareham creek: we've only got as far north as the A27 when in the tender but in a canoe you should be able to get well up the river.

Don't bother if it has been raining recently on on a spring tide as the water level will be too high under the bridges.

Not quiet the Solent, I've always fancied paddling down the river Arun from Pulborough to Littlehampton. I won't be the first to do it but the river passes through some nice looking countryside.

Totally unrelated, I always fancied paddling from Beeston Weir to Trent Lock on the Trent, but have since seen a TV programme where one chap rowed the entire length of the Trent with almost no need to portage the boat. So there is another challenge for you...

 

[Angele]

Thanks to Andrew L and Ashtead for the additional info. Sounds like I need to do the (Western) Yar at HW springs then.

I regularly anchor off Priory Bay for lunch. If landing on the beach from there I currently use the dinghy.

 

[Angele]

A circumnavigation of Portsmouth is very doable....

I'm sure it is possible. Just not sure it is what I want to do. I'm really wanting rural spots - like the Beaulieu and the Yar.

Fareham creek: we've only got as far north as the A27 when in the tender but in a canoe you should be able to get well up the river.

Problem with Fareham for me, with a 2.1m draft, is that I would need to moor up well short of Fareham itself (if staying for a few hours). So it would be quite a long paddle simply to reach the A27.

Not quiet the Solent....

I've already got a number of non-Solent ideas, including the Basingstoke Canal and the Ashby de la Zouch Canal (both have long stretches without locks). Looking into suitably located canalside accommodation is more challenging, though. It would be lovely if loads of canalside pubs had accommodation as well, but they are proving quite difficult to locate.

 

[ashtead]

Angele
We also have an inflatable canoe acquired in Soton by daughter and so interested in your researches and post s here . Are there any guides to the rivers and creeks of the Solent or info in the Solent pilot book? Our trips so far have been quite limited but would be interested in learning more on Beaulieu as it might be the most attractive of the possible routes in terms of where you end up as presumably you can reach the pub in village?

 

[Neil_Y]

Did a few memorable trips from fairthorne manor to the Jolley sailor in my youth....paddling back was always a challenge.

 

[DJE]

Meon above Titchfield Haven is SSSI and National Nature Reserve - strictly no access. Fareham Creek is navigable up to A27 then there is weir and 2 road bridges. Might be possible up to Wallington but it looks very shallow and I've never seen anything bigger than a duck floating on it.
There is an annual dinghy & canoe trip from our club at Hill Head up the Hamble to Fairthorn Manor at Botley.
River Test looks Navigable a long way above Totton but it is one of the most expensive trout fisheries in the country and I seem to remember talk of major rows between fly fishermen and canoeists over right of navigation. Don't know who won.

 

[Angele]

Angele
We also have an inflatable canoe acquired in Soton by daughter and so interested in your researches and post s here . Are there any guides to the rivers and creeks of the Solent or info in the Solent pilot book? Our trips so far have been quite limited but would be interested in learning more on Beaulieu as it might be the most attractive of the possible routes in terms of where you end up as presumably you can reach the pub in village?

I've done most of the way to Beaulieu itself in Angele, on a spring flood tide. Just found it getting a bit shallow for the last half mile or so. Easy to do in a kayak, I think. There are some landing points on the left hand side as you arrive in the "pool" by the village - so easy to disembark at high water. Not sure much of a guide is needed, as it is pretty straightforward all the way up from (say) Gins Farm, passing through Bucklers Hard.

There is a description of the route on the British Canoe website: https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/ ---> go canoeing --> trails and challenges --> trails search.

Starts from Lepe beach (I think they confuse their right and their left at the top of page 2).

 

[Angele]

Did a few memorable trips from fairthorne manor to the Jolley sailor in my youth....paddling back was always a challenge.

Lol.

I've done Hamble to the Jolly Sailor a few times in the tender with o/b. I recall coming back down the lower stretch of the river once when that was rather a challenge. Nothing to do with alcohol consumption, but a lot to do with a stiff southerly, kicking up a bit of a chop and blowing spume into our faces. I'll try to avoid those conditions in a kayak.

 

[Angele]

Meon above Titchfield Haven is SSSI and National Nature Reserve - strictly no access. Fareham Creek is navigable up to A27 then there is weir and 2 road bridges. Might be possible up to Wallington but it looks very shallow and I've never seen anything bigger than a duck floating on it.
There is an annual dinghy & canoe trip from our club at Hill Head up the Hamble to Fairthorn Manor at Botley.
River Test looks Navigable a long way above Totton but it is one of the most expensive trout fisheries in the country and I seem to remember talk of major rows between fly fishermen and canoeists over right of navigation. Don't know who won.

Ok, so that is Meon out. And Fareham too. Not sure I fancy a fight with fishermen either, so I'll avoid the Test for now.

 

[Andibs]

Have a look at the following paddling websites.

Paddle Points - access points and some info
UKRGB - kayaking including river guides
Song of the Paddle - open canoes with lots of trip reports. If you post where you are looking to paddle, somebody local will probably get back to you.

All free to sign up to

Andy