CONTENTS
- Date, Distance & Map of Route
- Water Level & Weather
- The Symonds Yat to Monmouth kayak
- Logistics
- Dangers / Issues
- Kayaks used
- The Wye River
- Summary
1. Date, Distance & Map of Route
20th August 2020.
Launched at 13:00 from near Ye Old Ferrie Inn, Symonds Yat West, paddled half a mile upstream and back, then down to Monmouth where we landed at about 16:30.
About 7.5 miles total paddling (including about an extra 1 mile going upstream and back at the start).
2. Water Level & Weather
The nearest gauging station is the one at Monmouth. On the afternoon of the 20th August 2020, the water level at the Monmouth gauging station was about 1.7 meters. This was above average for that time of the year, although well within the ‘normal’ range for the water level at Monmouth.
It was a dry, mostly sunny day with a high of about 22 Celsius. The wind was about 14 mph and was blowing from the South, namely, upstream.
3. The Symonds Yat to Monmouth kayak
Kiva, Lloyd and I launched from the landing/launching platform just upstream from Ye Old Ferrie Inn at Symonds Yat West at about 13:00.
We paddled about half a mile upstream towards Symonds Yat West before turning around and heading back downstream.
As we paddled back downstream, we passed Ye Old Ferrie Inn at the southern end of Symonds Yat West on the right hand side.
About half a mile downstream from Symonds Yat West, we came to Symonds Yat East over on the left (East) bank on our left.
Symonds Yat West and East (often just known collectively as ‘Symonds Yat’) straddle opposite banks of the Wye and have ‘improvised’ with hand pulled barge ferries to take people back and forth across the river.
About a quarter of a mile downstream from Symonds Yat East, we came to the Symonds Yat Rapids. These are only grade 2 rapids and simply presented us with a rather wavy and fast flowing section of water. This was much to our relief because we are not exactly white water kayakers.
The river was reasonably fast flowing for the most part and assisted us downstream to the tune of about 1mph to 3mph. It would have added even more to our downward progress but for the noticeably stiff breeze which was blowing upstream into our faces at times.
About 1 mile downstream from Symonds Yat East, we decided to have a fairly early lunch break on the river bank. Kayaking is hungry work!
I do enjoy a good lunch break on the riverbank, the canalside or on a beach when kayaking.
Not long after setting off after our lunch stop, we came across the Biblins Bridge, a quite notable wood and cable suspension footbridge over the Wye.
It always reminds me of one of the rickety bridges from an Indiana Jones film. I was half expecting to see Harrison Ford sprinting across it while being chased by some baddies.
After passing the Biblins Bridge, we continued downstream through heavily wooded gorges rammed with trees which were heavily laden with their lush Summer foliage.
It was a relaxing paddle and I think we talked more than we paddled for much of it. One of the best thing about river paddles is that the current is usually taking you towards your destination even if you’re not paddling.
Much of this section of the Wye is so heavily wooded right down to the river that in the Summer you can feel like you are on the Amazon surrounded by rainforest!
About half way between Symonds Yat and Monmouth, we came upon Hadnock Island. You can pass down either side of the island but the left side is less reedy apparently.
We were passed by 2 Canadian canoes. These were no doubt hired from one of the several canoe hire companies which operate on the Wye. You see a lot of them in the Summer months on the sections between Kerne Bridge and Monmouth in particular.
We were about 2.5 miles upstream from Monmouth as we paddled around the long bend in the river before it gradually straightens out for the final run down into Monmouth.
The last 2 miles or so upstream from Monmouth is a long, straight stretch of river. Not surprisingly, this is where you often see rowers from Monmouth Rowing Clubs ploughing up and down the river as they practice.
The long straight upstream from Monmouth was noticeably much more open, with the steep gorges of the sections further up being replaced by more open, rolling landscapes either side of the river.
Our destination of Monmouth Rowing Club gradually loomed into view.
As it approached 16:30, we landed on the steps at Monmouth Rowing Club, which is just upstream from Monmouth Bridge.
We carried our kayaks up to the car park and deflated them up there after another great kayak on the Wye.
4. LOGISTICS
Symonds Yat
At Symonds Yat West, we launched from near Ye Old Ferrie Inn pub. There are launching and landing stages just out the front of the pub and just upstream. You need the permission of the pub to land or launch from there and also to use their car park.
At Symonds Yat East, there is launch point just upstream from the Saracens Head pub. The car park at Symonds Yat East is £5 for 4 hours or £7 all day. There is a fee to launch or land of £2 per craft and this is payable in the machine onsite.
About half a mile upstream from Ye Old Ferrie Inn, at Symonds Yat West there is launch point just down river of the river cruise boat’s mooring jetty at River Wye caravan and camping park. Launch or landing fees of £2 have to be paid at the Ice Cream stall at the camp site. Parking is available @ £6 for whole day or £3 for 3 hours.
Monmouth
At Monmouth, there is a quite large free car park at Monmouth Rowing Club at the end of the route and we left one car there.
No Permission is required to land or launch from the steps below Monmouth Rowing club.
Public Transport
We had 3 inflatable kayaks which packed up small into a backpacks and we left a car at either end of the route.
If you wanted to use public transport then you could get bus 34 from Monmouth to Whitchurch. The bus stop at Whitchurch roundabout is about a third of a mile walk from the launch point at River Wye caravan and camping park.
Bus 34 is operated by Nick Maddy Coaches.
Taxis
Alternatively, there are a number of taxi firms which operate in the area, so you could get a taxi from Monmouth to Symonds Yat and paddle back to the car at Monmouth.
If you have an inflatable kayak then you can just put it in the boot of the taxi.
If you have a hard shell then some taxi firms in the Wye valley can transport both you and your canoe or kayak including Kenny’s Taxis based in Monmouth.
5. DANGERS & ISSUES
This is a relatively safe and straightforward paddle and the only points to mention are the following.
Symonds Yat Rapids
The Symonds Yat Rapids are about a quarter of a mile downstream from Symonds Yat East.
These are Grade 2 Rapids.
Man-made rock walls have been installed on the right side of the river to modify the flow of the water and provide waves and eddies. Stay to the middle or a bit left to avoid the roughest part of the rapids.
We have paddled the Symonds Yat rapids a few times over the years and have only found them to be a fast stretch of wavey water. If the rapids look too challenging, you can always get out and carry your boat around them.
Water Levels
We would suggest that you always check the water level of any non-tidal river before you plan a kayak on it.
We use the website riverlevels.uk which is linked below and which has live readings for gauging stations along most rivers. See below link.
The water levels are generally safe when they are comfortably within the ‘normal’ range which comprises the green part of the gauge graphic.
If the water level is near or in the red zone, it will likely be very dangerous to paddle the river because it of excessive water flows.
At the other end of the spectrum, we have also paddled once on the Wye when the water level was very low, almost in the yellow segment below the usual range and we found ourselves hitting lots of rocks under the water and bottoming out a lot because the river was so shallow.
6. KAYAKS USED
We did this paddle in August 2020 when all of the Kayak Crew were still using Pro Aqua inflatable kayaks.
The Pro Aqua kayaks were sold by Clas Ohlson but they have been discontinued for a while we believe.
They are class 2 inflatable kayaks, being made from vinyl chambers covered with a protective outer layer of nylon.
There is a separate floor chamber for the Pro Aqua kayaks which is inserted at the base of the kayak. By mid 2021 we started to finally progress to drop stitch inflatable kayaks and we are doing a blog post chronicling our progression to better types of inflatable kayaks.
7. THE WYE RIVER
This journey was part of the Kayak Crew’s undertaking to paddle every section of the Wye River between Glasbury all the way down to Chepstow.
This map shows how we broke the Wye River up into sections for our paddles.
The Wye is one of the best kayaking rivers in Europe if not the world. The total distance between Boughtood and Chepstow is about 110 miles.
There is a public right of navigation all the way from the bridge at Hay-on-Wye down to Bigsweir Bridge. From Bigsweir Bridge down to Chepstow, the Wye is tidal so there is a right of navigation on that lower section too.
We have split the river up into sections between about 7 miles to 12 miles during our undertaking to kayak the entire river from Glasbury down to Chepstow.
I am uploading my blogs of my exploration of the Wye River by kayak to the Wye River blog page.
I am also uploading videos of each of my trips along the Wye River Playlist of my Youtube channel.
8. SUMMARY
This was a great kayak on a lovely section of the Wye River.
The area around Symonds Yat is one of the most popular due to it’s stunning scenery, with the dramatic outcrops of Symonds Yat Rock and Gorge towering over the quaint riverside villages of Symonds Yat East and Symonds Yat West.
As you paddle downstream, the first half of the route is dominated by the steep, heavily wooded valley sides which give the Wye an almost ‘Amazonian’ feel during the Spring and Summer, while in the Autumn you are treated to incredible gold and brown foliage.
The terrain gradually opens out on the second half of the route and it changes to a more open terrain for the last few miles down to Monmouth.
Monmouth is arguably the nicest town in the Wye Valley, being blessed with some lovely Georgian architecture, a myriad of stores and some cracking pubs and restaurants.
Click below to watch out Youtube video of this incredible paddle on the Wye.