CONTENTS
- Date, Distance & Duration
- Map of Route
- Tide Times & Weather
- Carew and Cresswell River kayak
- Logistics
- Pubs & Restuarants
- Dangers & Issues
- Kayak used
- Kayaking the Cleddau
- Summary
1. DATE, DISTANCE & DURATION
20 October 2022.
6 miles circular kayak.
Launched from Lawrenny Quay at 13:15. Landed back at Lawrenny Quay at 17:15. Pub stop at the Cresselly Arms for 45 minutes. 3 hours 15 minutes paddling.
2. MAP OF THE ROUTE
3. TIDE TIMES & WEATHER
It was a sunny and warm for late October with a high of about 17 Celsius and lightish winds of about 8mph from the South.
4. CAREW RIVER AND CRESSWELL RIVER KAYAK
I went solo on this circular kayak from Lawrenny Quay to Cresswell Quay. I launched from the pontoon at the Lawrenny Arms at about 13:15 and headed up the Carew River on the incoming tide.
The first half a mile or so upstream from Lawrenny Quay was on the Carew River.
The Carew is a tributary of the Cleddau River and runs for about 3.5 miles from Lawrenny Quay up to Carew Tidal Mill and Carew Castle.
Black Mixen Pool at the junction between the Carew and Cresswell Rivers was shown on historic charts of the Cleddau as an anchorage for vessels waiting to enter the Cresswell or Carew Rivers.
Half a mile upstream from Lawrenny Quay, I left the Carew River and forked off to the left into the Cresswell River.
The Cresswell Rivers runs for almost 3 miles from where it joins the Carew River up to my planned destination at Cresswell Quay, although it continues upstream for maybe about 3/4 of a mile or so past there.
This was my first paddle on the Cresswell River and the scenery was enchanting. Flocks of ducks and waders swarmed around like gnats.
The lilting calls of Oystercatchers, Curlew and other waders hung over the river.
Looking back downstream, Lawrenny Quay was blurred by distance already over a mile away.
The river gradually narrowed as I paddled upstream and wooded bluffs rose up on the left bank.
I was now just over 2 miles along the route and about a mile downstream from my destination of Cresswell Quay.
I managed to narrowly avoid grounding on a sandbank which suddenly loomed up on the right.
The buildings of Cresswell Quay loomed into view as I rounded a bend in the river.
I paddled around the old wharf at Cresswell Quay, looking for a place to land and get out.
I decided to land just upstream of the pub where I pulled my kayak up onto the bank before going into the historic Cresselly Arms for a drink.
The interior of the Cresselly Arms oozes tradition and history, being adorned with old photos and other country paraphernalia.
The Cresselly Arms is a traditional riverside country pub.
I had a drink in the beer garden overlooking the river, enjoying the late October sun.
After a break of about 45 minutes enjoying the lovely riverside beer garden of the Cresselly Arms, I set off again downstream with the tide which was now starting to turn and go out.
I passed a large flock of about 50 Canada Geese who seemed totally un-interested in my kayak as I paddled past other than the odd disapproving honk.
The outgoing tide coupled with the wind were assisting me downstream and Lawrenny Quay started to come into view.
As I reached where the Creswell River flows into the Carew River on the return journey, I looked back upstream the Carew River, recalling a great paddle I had done up there to the magnificent Carew castle a few months before.
I landed back on the pontoon at the Lawrenny Arms at about 17:15 after a memorable paddle on the Carew River and Cresswell River in a beautiful part of Pembrokeshire.
5. LOGISTICS
Since this was a circular kayak, the logistics are quite straightforward.
Lawrenny Quay
At Lawrenny Quay, the best option is to park at the Lawrenny Arms like I did one the day of this kayak.
They are happy for people to use their car park and pontoon subject to them actually using the pub for food and/or drinks as well of course.
I have read that you can also park near to the adjoining boatyard use the slipway which is just downstream from the pontoon at the Lawrenny Arms subject to you letting the owners of the boatyard know and pay a donation to the RNLI. The post on the Pembrokeshire Kayak Facebook Group below explains.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/947663238635698/search/?q=lawrenny%20
Cresswell Quay
At Cresswell Quay, I would suggest landing on the bank about 40 meters upstream from the Cresselly Arms.
If you use the beer garden of the pub then you can keep an eye on your kayak from there. It’s a very quiet spot and doubt very much if anyone would try and steal your kayak while you were using the pub anyhow!
6. PUBS & RESTAURANTS
Lawrenny Arms, Lawrenny Quay
I have been to the Lawrenny Arms several times including twice when having launched from there on kayaking trips.
We had food at the Lawrenny Arms prior to a subsequent kayak trip on the Cleddau on a later date and it was excellent.
Being able to park by and use the pontoon at the Lawrenny Arms is a huge bonus because you can launch/land at the pontoon even if the tide has gone out a fair way.
The Cresselly Arms, Cresswell Quay
The Cresselly Arms is a great stop off for a break at the turn around point on this circular kayak.
The drinks were very reasonable priced at the Cresselly Arms, the least I’d paid for a cider for many years!
7. DANGERS & ISSUES
This route on the Carew and Cresswell rivers is generally a safe and sheltered route involving flat water padding on tidal rivers. I would though highlight the following.
Tide times
Almost the entire Cleddau river system including its tributaries such as the Carew and Cresswell rivers are tidal. This creates 2 issues.
You should do the upstream leg of the route from Lawrenny to Cresswell Quay with the incoming tide, since the tide can run between 1mph to 3mph depending on the height of the tide on the day in question and the period from the previous low/high tide.
Ideally, you should launch from Lawrenny Quay about 2-3 hours before high tide. This should result in you getting to Cresswell Quay about an 45-60 minutes before high tide, giving you time for a stop at the Cresselly Inn before you head back downstream as the tide turns and starts to go out.
The below photos illustrate how tidal the Carew and Cresswell rivers are, the first showing a view of the Carew River at high tide and the second showing the exact same view at low tide.
Since these rivers largely drain of water about 1-2 hours either side of low tide, you want to be paddling them within 3 hours either side of high tide.
8. KAYAK USED
On this trip I used an Aquatec Ottowa full drop stitch inflatable kayak.
The drop stitch construction means that it can be inflated to very high pressure of about 10PSI to 12PSI so the hull, decks and floor are all much firmer so that it appears and behaves similar to a hard shell kayak.
We have done a full review of the Aquatec Ottowa on our website. We have also done a video review on our Youtube channel.
It also comes in a tandem version which is longer with a larger cockpit.
9. KAYAKING THE CLEDDAU
As I said, the Carew and Cresswell Rivers are tributaries of the much larger Cleddau River which runs through South Pembrokeshire like a big artery.
The Cleddau and its tributaries offer excellent padding opportunities over a dozen or more routes.
The lower half from Pembroke Dock down to the sea is quite wide and has a semi industrial feel due to the oil refineries and terminals dotted along it, but it’s still retains a natural beauty.
The upper half upstream of Pembroke Dock has a more rural character.
At the time of doing this blog post, the Kayak Crew have paddled almost all of the Cleddau and it’s tributaries. We have a blog page on our website regarding the Cleddau River and its tributaries and also a playlist on our Youtube channel regarding our Cleddau paddles.
10. SUMMARY
This was a very peaceful, easy paddle past the gentle scenery alongside the Carew and Cresswell Rivers.
When I watch video footage of this trip, it takes me back to gliding along the silky waters of these 2 wonderful rivers with flocks of of ducks, geese and waders swarming all around.
Having the 2 great riverside pubs of the Lawrenny Arms and the Cresselly Arms on the route was the icing on the cake.
As long as you get launch about 2-3 hours before high tide from Lawrenny Quay, then I can almost guarantee that you’ll also enjoy this paddle if you get the chance to do it.
Hi, just found your site by chance. I live in Landshipping and often Kayak from our slipway to the Canaston Weir and back. This is a splendid trip of about 8 miles round. Leave 1.5 hours before high water and have tide with you both ways. You need at least a 6.2 metre tide to get to the weir, use the Black Tar tidal station on Easytide. Times are also posted in the LFBOA noticeboard.
Diolch
Tim
We did paddle up to Canaston Weir last year. We launched at Lawrenny Quay. It was a great stretch of the Cleddau but the wind was howling down the valley against us which made it very hard going. Would like to do that section again, but as a circular route from Landshipping as you suggest. We got out near Blackpool Mill when we did it previously.
Had a good day canoeing from Lawrence up to Cresswell Quay and back. With a 15-20 mph wind behind us, the paddle upstream was quick…about 45 minutes. However, the return journey was very hard work and the last section across Black Mixen Pool was difficult with waves whipped up by the wind. In our Canadian open canoe we had to be careful to keep head on to the wind and waves to avoid being rolled over and ferry glided gradually back across th3 river to the Yacht Club slipway. They were very good letting us use it, asking onl6 for a donation to the RNLI and for us to leave some basic details. Recommended trip, but mayb3 postpone if the wind is more than 10 mph?
It’s a nice route on the Carew and Cresswell rivers. While the more open area around Black Mixen Pool can be prone to strong winds, the upper reaches of the Cresswell and Carew Rivers are much more sheltered than the main channel of the Cleddau. I subsequently did a paddle from Lawrenny Quay up to Carew castle and back which is another nice route if your are down that way. I’ve done a video of that on my Youtube channel but not yet done the blog post of it. I agree that the wind limit for the Cleddau and its tributaries is probably around 10-15mph because they are quite open stretches of water.