Anyone here into canoe camping?

djk1000 · 31-01-2014 2:52pm #1

Hey, first post in this forum, hello!

I've been camping for years and have a good list of spots around Wicklow mainly. For the first time last summer some friends and I went on a river trip down the Shannon and camped out as we went. It was fantastic, so many good campsites which seemed to be inaccessible by any means other than canoe/small boat, incredible peace and quiet.

Has anyone else done this? I'm already planning my first trip for this year in March/April.

D

Tabnabs · 31-01-2014 4:41pm

When you say campsites, I assume a grassy pitch beside the river? Did you have any trouble with "tresspassing" and farmers (or cattle?!)? I've been interested in this for a while now.

silverharp · 31-01-2014 11:18pm

its something id like to do with my son, is there an organised hire etc. on the river Nore down kilkenny way?

se conman · 01-02-2014 9:40am

silverharp wrote: »

its something id like to do with my son, is there an organised hire etc. on the river Nore down kilkenny way?

There is a trip organiser that brings people down the Barrow, have met them several times. I will see if I can find their name.
http://gowiththeflow.ie/canoe_hire_kilkenny_ireland

silverharp · 01-02-2014 10:21am

se conman wrote: »

There is a trip organiser that brings people down the Barrow, have met them several times. I will see if I can find their name.
http://gowiththeflow.ie/canoe_hire_kilkenny_ireland

cheers, it looks great down that way. A nice way to enjoy the scenery and from a kids perspective a bit of adventure

Tokyo · 01-02-2014 7:44pm

Yeah, I used to do this quite a bit a few years back, both on lough Corrib, and on the Shannon. Both are beautiful - the Corrib in particular is dotted with small islands that you can camp out on every night. The Shannon is nice too, though, depending on which stretch you're paddling on, be wary of the holiday boaters who are in the wheelhouse of a boat for the first time, and may not be keeping an eye out for you.

djk1000 · 04-02-2014 11:14am

mike_ie wrote: »

Yeah, I used to do this quite a bit a few years back, both on lough Corrib, and on the Shannon. Both are beautiful - the Corrib in particular is dotted with small islands that you can camp out on every night. The Shannon is nice too, though, depending on which stretch you're paddling on, be wary of the holiday boaters who are in the wheelhouse of a boat for the first time, and may not be keeping an eye out for you.

I've stayed on some of those islands and tried to fish for my breakfast (without success), it's nice to have the whole island to yourself. On the Shannon, we stayed outside of the boat markers as best we could, deep enough for the canoes but not deep enough for the cruisers!

djk1000 · 04-02-2014 11:16am

Tabnabs wrote: »

When you say campsites, I assume a grassy pitch beside the river? Did you have any trouble with "tresspassing" and farmers (or cattle?!)? I've been interested in this for a while now.

We didn't venture onto obvious farmland, the spots we found looked pretty inaccessible to people or cattle, unless they were in a boat. Yes, it was usually a grassy patch with trees around ,we tried to pick places a few feet above the waterline at least and we never had to go over as fence.

Tokyo · 04-02-2014 5:53pm

djk1000 wrote: »

I've stayed on some of those islands and tried to fish for my breakfast (without success), it's nice to have the whole island to yourself. On the Shannon, we stayed outside of the boat markers as best we could, deep enough for the canoes but not deep enough for the cruisers!

Sounds like we could have been on the same trip

Bawnmore · 19-02-2014 11:32am

I actually came on here to post a thread looking for information on this, so this is ideal. I'm looking to plan something similar for April/May with some friends. Where on the Shannon did you depart and finish? And was it a matter of parking at the end point before leaving, or having somewhere to stay once you reached your destination?

xt660x · 19-02-2014 12:07pm

Same here - just considering a river for a bit of canoing and camping in the next few weeks - would prefer moving water to a lake - a little bit of whitewater would be fine too. Has anybody paddled the Nore? Would be interested in a day and a half to 2 days paddle. If you know good put in and take for that length trip I'd appreciate any info.

Bawnmore · 19-02-2014 2:27pm

Just to add - I've gotten in contact with Go with the Flow and I'll be having a quick chat with them this afternoon about a 2/3 day weekend, so I'll update here after.

xt660x · 19-02-2014 5:28pm

Gent

Bawnmore · 19-02-2014 5:29pm

Just off the phone with Charlie from Go with the Flow. Very nice guy, full of info. For those interested in canoeing down the Barrow, he's well worth a shout. I don't know if they're OK with me posting prices, as they only have prices for packages on the site, so I'll leave it to everyone to call or send by PM if needed.

They can provide canoe, barrel for belongings, safety gear, and a guide for a day if needed. You' be looking to cover about 15-20km per day. Sounds like a blast. They can arrange collection etc too at the end, so you just have to manage how you get home.

djk1000 · 19-02-2014 10:06pm

Bawnmore wrote: »

I actually came on here to post a thread looking for information on this, so this is ideal. I'm looking to plan something similar for April/May with some friends. Where on the Shannon did you depart and finish? And was it a matter of parking at the end point before leaving, or having somewhere to stay once you reached your destination?

We started in Lough Key forest park, link to google maps here Arrived late and paddled across to an island and camped there for the night. We then set off east down the river Boyle. There's a nice series of lakes with river stretched in between, stopped in Carrick On Shannon for a while.

We just kept going until we ran out of time, camping where we could along the way! We had arranged for a friend to come down on our last evening, and he gave us a lift back to our cars in Lough Key the next morning. I can't remember where we ended up, somewhere around Lainsborough.

It's definitely not white water! but there is one good weir to try if you want or you can go through the lock. There are also a few spots where you can stop for food or a drink.

Bawnmore · 19-02-2014 10:47pm

djk1000 wrote: »

We started in Lough Key forest park, link to google maps here Arrived late and paddled across to an island and camped there for the night. We then set off east down the river Boyle. There's a nice series of lakes with river stretched in between, stopped in Carrick On Shannon for a while.

We just kept going until we ran out of time, camping where we could along the way! We had arranged for a friend to come down on our last evening, and he gave us a lift back to our cars in Lough Key the next morning. I can't remember where we ended up, somewhere around Lainsborough.

It's definitely not white water! but there is one good weir to try if you want or you can go through the lock. There are also a few spots where you can stop for food or a drink.

That sounds like exactly what we want to do. How many days/nights did it take to get that far if you don't mind me asking?

Bawnmore · 20-02-2014 11:18am

Was looking at the stretch of river in between Athlone and Portumna also - does anyone know what this is like?

xt660x · 18-03-2014 9:43pm

I did a trip down the Nore on Sunday in the Canadian. Brought the kit too to see where is best to store it. Put kit in a sealed blue barrel and stored it lying down halfway up boat -will put it right up the front next time to counter my weight, even though I was kneeling forward of the back seat I felt the nose was up a little bit.
Started at Castletown in Laois and paddled to Ballyragget - about 35 km on the river. Average speed was a km every 10 min (brought GPS watch). Nice route but a lot of trees down across the river at the moment. Good flow but not that deep, I was surprised how small it was that far back the river. There was one other lad with me and he was in a sit on which proved a little easier to pull over and around felled trees -also moves a good bit faster.
The section from Ballyragget to south of Kilkenny sounds good... Plenty of weirs I think.

Bawnmore · 25-03-2014 1:05pm

xt660x wrote: »

I did a trip down the Nore on Sunday in the Canadian. Brought the kit too to see where is best to store it. Put kit in a sealed blue barrel and stored it lying down halfway up boat -will put it right up the front next time to counter my weight, even though I was kneeling forward of the back seat I felt the nose was up a little bit.
Started at Castletown in Laois and paddled to Ballyragget - about 35 km on the river. Average speed was a km every 10 min (brought GPS watch). Nice route but a lot of trees down across the river at the moment. Good flow but not that deep, I was surprised how small it was that far back the river. There was one other lad with me and he was in a sit on which proved a little easier to pull over and around felled trees -also moves a good bit faster.
The section from Ballyragget to south of Kilkenny sounds good... Plenty of weirs I think.

Good stuff - sound great. We're still in planning here for a 3 day kayak/camping trip on the May Bank Holiday weekend. Just going to throw it out there again - does anyone know the river from Athlone to Portumna? And would it be safe for sit on top kayaks or is there parts that wouldn't?

feck sake lads · 26-03-2014 12:45am

trim to slane is supposed to be class a neighbour of mine does a lot of that canoe camping takes the guitar frightens all the animals.

Bawnmore · 26-03-2014 10:13am

Someone mentioned that route to me before actually - pity it's on the far side of the country from me.

laoch na mona · 26-03-2014 8:11pm

does anyone know if there are any boat rental places on the corrib

Tokyo · 26-03-2014 8:15pm

If I'm not mistaken, you can rent boats in Oughterard and Cong. Or at least you could a few years ago....

Masala · 26-03-2014 8:19pm

Can you just canoe where you like on Irish lakes and rivers??? Do you need to get permission from OPW or someone??

I saw signs in Killarney Lakes 'no canoes allowed'...... heard its something to do with the transmitting of a deadly snail.

laoch na mona · 26-03-2014 8:23pm

mike_ie wrote: »

If I'm not mistaken, you can rent boats in Oughterard and Cong. Or at least you could a few years ago....

now that you mention it i remember a sign up in oughterard

Bawnmore · 27-03-2014 10:35am

laoch na mona wrote: »

now that you mention it i remember a sign up in oughterard

There's definitely some places in Oughterard where you can rent boats. I think I saw some signs down on lower camp street by the water. And the outdoor shop rents canoe's and kayaks too I believe.

xt660x · 30-03-2014 7:45pm

Bawnmore wrote: »

Good stuff - sound great. We're still in planning here for a 3 day kayak/camping trip on the May Bank Holiday weekend. Just going to throw it out there again - does anyone know the river from Athlone to Portumna? And would it be safe for sit on top kayaks or is there parts that wouldn't?

From what I've seen you are probably better off in a sit on.... Easier to carry, more robust and definitely a lot easier to get out of to get around a fallen tree... You needn't worry about safety with a sit on - they are safer than a kayak.
Let us know how you get on from athlone to Portumna, not familiar with the route.

Tabnabs · 31-03-2014 11:30am

Thinking about a getting Canadian canoe. We had one in the family when I was growing up and although I never got any formal training, I would be familiar with handling one. Anyone know a reputable supplier for Canadian canoes in Ireland (preferably Leinster area)?

Here's a nice way to watch 40 mins of canoe camping in the 70s https://www.nfb.ca/film/song_of_the_paddle

Bawnmore · 22-04-2014 3:42pm

xt660x wrote: »

From what I've seen you are probably better off in a sit on.... Easier to carry, more robust and definitely a lot easier to get out of to get around a fallen tree... You needn't worry about safety with a sit on - they are safer than a kayak.
Let us know how you get on from athlone to Portumna, not familiar with the route.

Planning this for the June bank holiday weekend - from Saturday morning to Monday afternoon/evening. Looks like 58km all in - I have it in head that 20km per day is perfectly achievable - does that sound right?

thehippychippy · 23-04-2014 10:41am

Tabnabs wrote: »

Thinking about a getting Canadian canoe. We had one in the family when I was growing up and although I never got any formal training, I would be familiar with handling one. Anyone know a reputable supplier for Canadian canoes in Ireland (preferably Leinster area)?

Here's a nice way to watch 40 mins of canoe camping in the 70s https://www.nfb.ca/film/song_of_the_paddle

I can send you the plans for one if you'd like to build it. Nearly finished my own (6 years on and off, nearly 2 years lying up twice!) Put her up on the jeep last weekend to move it back into my shed and got the buzz to finish her off

Tabnabs · 23-04-2014 2:25pm

Thanks, but not interested in a long term project.

Anyone here into canoe camping?

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