Paddling and Wild Camping the River Wey Navigation
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- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2024
- In this video I explore the Wey and Godalming Navigations, which are the mostly man-made sections of the River Wey in Surrey. Blurring the lines between river and canal and with an engineering history going back over 450 years, there is something really unique about this historic trail. Roughly twenty miles long, it comprised a two day paddling trip with an overnight camp at Papercourt Lock. Like a miniature Thames, it offers that classic contrast of town and country, with a variety of historic sights along the way from Victorian Industrial Wharfeside architecture to a ruined 12th century priory at Newark. There is also a wild section of the River Wey, but that will be for another video…
I hope you enjoy watching this video as much as I enjoyed filming and editing it.
I plan on doing more videos like this so please consider subscribing to my channel, give me a thumbs up (or down if that’s how you feel!), and say hello in the comments :)
Stevie
/ mrsteviewyatt
#kayaking #wildcampinguk #kayakcamping
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Equipment Used In This Video:
Kayaking Equipment:
Kayak: Islander Jive bit.ly/36fKxYF
Paddle: X500 (sold separately) tidd.ly/3HMatZF
Pump (sold separately) tidd.ly/3GNg1S8
PFD (life jacket) tidd.ly/364EOo9
Dry bag 30l tidd.ly/3oLmuaf
Emergency bilge pump geni.us/jmdtOIp
The best kayak trolley around geni.us/wUhyCGR
Camping Equipment:
Cooking: Odoland Camp Cook Set geni.us/m6JKPPM
Wind shield: H&S 10 plate Foldable Wind Shield geni.us/0KB6c
Tarp: DD 3m x 3m geni.us/AI8f
Hammock: SONGMICS Ultra-Light Hammock geni.us/hqF2Hx
Sleep pad: Therm-a-Rest Z-Lite geni.us/IRtprA
Solar Power Bank: Miady Solar Charger 25000mAh geni.us/5MNc
Filming Equipment:
Main Camera: Sony a6400 geni.us/Ajfay5Z
Camera 2: GoPro Hero 7 Black geni.us/Dq1xr4
// Some of these links are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission off sales at no extra cost to you. Thank you very much for supporting the channel //
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A write up of the Wey is also available on my blig; steviewyatt.co...
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Music (in order of appearance):
“Love Aside” Patrik Patrikios / @patrikiospatrick
“Puppy Love Bad Snacks”
“Fender Bender” Bad Snacks / @badsnacks
“Pink Sunrise” The Great North Sound Company / @thegreatnorthsoundsoc...
“Mind Stream” Chris Haugen / @chrishaugenchannel
“Sunny Days” Anno Domini / @annodominibeats
Hope you enjoy this video. This section of the Wey is gentle, easy on the paddle, takes in some wonderful scenery and is rich with fascinating history. Let me know in the comments suggestions of other waterways you think I should do 🚣♂
Arun from Pulborough to Arundel. I've been wanting to do it since 2022 season. Hopefully this summer... 😊
Wey is a very nice river. It also brings back good memories.
I just rode this route on m mountain bike and must say that it's a glorious route. Now gotta do it in m kayak.
New subscriber Steve,I've been to England About 11 years ago and since then I've lost a leg but it's great to live vicariously through you ! Thanks again for the entertaining videos !
Thanks so much Keith 🙏
I tried kayaking for the first time this past weekend on a short trip near the Cinque Terre. I enjoyed it so much that I asked myself why I didn't start when I used to live in Guildford and I had the beautiful Wey navigation at my doorstep. Anyway, you stopped at some specific points where I used to walk through. I did that route many times on foot and by bike. Great video mate!
Thanks very much 🙏
U should get a waterproof barrowl,, ,those Blue ones, u got way to much stuff, 😅💪, still love your videos ❤️🙏🇩🇰
Thank you for that Stevie, very enjoyable to see the Navigation again - it holds many memories for me.
The “decommissioned” lock with both gates open, (if you haven’t found out by now) is Worsfold Gates, only used to control levels in times of flood.
On your long final walk I couldn’t help thinking of the extra mileage you must have put in to retrieve your camera from the “me walking home” shots.
Cheers!
Again, such beautiful views. Looks amazing to see it by kayak. Got to try this.
Thanks!
Now that is a treat I only ever see they journey from Godalming to Guildford by trail that was lovely to see
Thanks for watching :)
do around isle sheppey be interesting to see great video as always
I went for a walk along the Wey in Godalming yesterday. It's stunning at the moment. Definitely bringing my Kayak there soon. Great video.
Thanks, I've just made a new video about a great route I love on the Wey near Ripley. It's such a nice river
Absolutely delightful. I very much enjoy seeing your country from the perspective of a kayak. Just fascinating the amount of navigable canals ya all have. Thanks for sharing. Keep the faith…
Thanks so much 🙏
Thank you, Stevie. Very enjoyable.
Thanks for watching Maurice 🙏
Another video!!
Amazing work bud, this is making exceptional supper watching ;-)
Thanks so much :)
Love it Stevie. What an epic journey!
Thanks so much Adam 🙏
Really enjoyed the picturesque scenery! Glad to see you made it without any pain killers. 11:08 soundtrack went really well with the scenery.
Thanks!
Yes, Trolly - G its On, and cool . !!!
Love the videos mate! Watch them on a weekend morning for abit of inspiration, live on a narrowboat on the grand Union near London so getting lots of ideas for local waterways!
Thanks so much Alex. I've got a winter video planned for the GU in London so stay tuned 🙂
Great video Stevie. I live in Godalming so I’m often kayaking down the canal. Maybe see you on the river at some point.
Thanks so much Will, see you on the water 🛶
Great video Stevie! Looking forward to more! 👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks so much!
Wonderful Steve. I'd like to do this in September. Do you know if it's possible to park for two days at Godalming Wharf, or somewhere near?
3:55 breaking the speed limit.
I've done this by bicycle from Hampton Court to Godalming via Weybridge and Guildford. Thought about canoeing it next time, as you did. Looks great. I did recal that the noisy road section seemed to go on for a long time (miles) and was annoying after a while. I could wear earplugs though ha. Looks like a few good wild camp spots too.
Cheers.
Have you done the Basingstoke Canal yet? It was a cyclist on the Wey & Godalming Navigations who first told me about the Basingstoke, it's a gem
For a day trip you should try the Long Pound on the Kennet and Avon, 16 miles without a lock between Wooton Rivers and Devizes -- a contour canal that winds like a river through Pewsey Vale (think The Shire). Very off the beaten track, much wildlife. I'm only half an hour from Devizes so parking and logistics are easy.
Perfect! 🙂
So on my first ever kayak as 1) an adult and 2) consciously wanting to make a hobby out of it instead of the afternoon trip I took with my parents as a child; I left my phone back at the club.
Day 2 the next week, I had ordered a waterproof back.
Day 3, a little over a week later, the instructor helped me bolt everything down to be (i.e. found a loop on my kayaking jacket and used a line with carabiners on both ends to secure the glasses (floating? haven't tested it yet) cord, as well as my water proof phone bag to my person.
Day 4 is upcoming after a skipped week due to it being a holiday tomorrow and that being inconvenient for the instructor and one of my co-instructees, but I should have bunch of accessory carabiners (i.e. small ones) as well as some cheap camping rope by tomorrow or the day after. That way nothing should fall in the water as we practice wet exits and I'll officially join the club!
I put mine on airplane mode the moment I leave the house. I only use it for OS maps, operating the GoPro and (hopefully) calling my lift :)
Do the river Avon in Wiltshire next. I grew up fishing on it 👍
It's going on the list, thanks
Step one. Wait for Steve to do it. Step two. Wait for Steve to post the vid on it. Step three. Copy what he did....! 😂🤣
Hi stevie, love the video. This is around my neck of the woods. Will add it to my list! In another comment you mentioned a law that said you could camp for a night, I’m unable to Google it. Do you know the specific one you’re thinking of? When I camp I’d like to start of polite and discuss the way out of it, but if they are unreasonable it would be nice to have a law to back up.
Thanks so much Ian.
I highly recommend the book 'Wild Camping' by Stephen Neale. He has a chapter about the legalities including for kayakers and canoeists, and various loopholes etc (such as using a fisherman's bivvy and rod for 'night fishing'!). He explains things a lot clearer than I probably will. It's a great guide for spots around the country too.
I follow the general principles of wild-camping; arrive late/ leave early. Avoid private land. No noise or bright lights. If someone asks you to move on, then politely do so (if safe to). And most importantly - leave no trace.
If someone was being unreasonable or aggressive, I would ask them specifically which law they thought I was breaking, and point out that if they are aggressive and touched you or your stuff then it is them that could get into trouble, so it is in everybody's interest in these kind of situations to remain civil.
Excellent advice Steve.
Can you kayak upstream in this river? And go back to the starting point where you parked?
You certainly can. I started at Godalming Wharf, but I did have a walk upstream. It's faster flowing and shallower, but you can paddle up there.
@@StevieWyatt thanks Steve! We are going tomorrow for the first time and we are just looking for an easy route and a good starting point. We were thinking Guildford. I just paid for the canoeing waterway membership which I hope should be enough. Any advice will be much appreciated 😉
I you set your wheels at the pivot point of your kayak you won't have to lift it. It will be balanced and much easier to walk with.
Are there any campsites on this stretch of the canal?
Great vid m8 but just a warning to anyone wanting to try this. Do not camp at Papercourt lock (the one in the video) Me and my two sons tried last weekend and got politely but firmly moved on 🙄. He mentioned this actual video and wasn’t happy about you “plastering it all over the internet” He was way in the Cotswolds at the time so you got lucky 😀 we found a place to camp further down but it was dark by then and not something I’d like to repeat with my 9 year old in tow 🙁 if you want to camp on national trust land stealth is the name of the game 😀👍🏼
Ah that's a shame. I was going by the common law rule that a canoeist in transit is permitted to camp for one night on towpaths, lock islands etc. It's not like I pitched up in someone's private garden or anything.
But I don't want to pee off any locals either, so I won't camp at Papercourt Lock in the future and would advise other people not to either.
Thanks for the heads up 🙂
Did you enjoy the Wey though?
@@StevieWyatt yeah a shame and I don’t think you did anything wrong We still had a great time! The guy was ok and we didn’t put up a fight so we parted on good terms 👍🏼 in truth I didn’t realise it was the same lock you camped on until he mentioned your vid.
I have done a bit on the Wey up from Weybridge but always turned around at Pryford lock......I now know that it’s prettier after it 🙄 we came up from town lock in Addlestone up to Papercourt lock with a one night camp and back again. It was a slow one because I used my canoe this time as we had my 9 year old with us and he can sit back and relax when he gets tired.
Keep up the great vids m8. I love that you are local and do stuff that I can get inspiration from. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Loving the videos! Would you consider a trip with your subscribers? I have all the kit to do a paddle camp.