Wychavon Kayak and Canoe Club
What we do
The Club and all it's activeties are run by volunteers.
Without the willing support of members, none of it would happen.
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Beginners Course
This is a course we run to help people who haven't paddled a kayak or a canoe before. These typically run for a 6 week period, on a Thursday evening. Each session will have about an hour on the water.
The course starts from the basics, learning to move forward and backwards and progresses through different strokes. Learning is often through games and fun activities. Each session will be building from the last one.
We aim at the end of the course for you feel more confident on the water and have developed you personal paddling skills.
Hopefully participants will have enjoyed the course and want to continue their paddling as a member of the club.
Pool Sessions
In the Winter months we do our Thursday in a swimming pool. Currently Malvern St James School Pool.
During the Winter it is great to practice skills in a nice warm swimming pool. Especially good to practice capsizing, rescues and rolling in clear warm water.
We often have fun sessions and put our skills into practice through games.
It's good to keep up with skills and fitness in the Winter. We often have different coached sessions and our volunteer coaches and members are happy to help and advise.
Thursday evenings
We meet up on a Thursday evening as a club. From Spring to Autumn we are on the river. Normally we alternate between one week at our base, which is Pershore Riverside Centre, and one week on a local river weir.
At the Riverside Centre we have boats and kit available to borrow.
On a Thursday evening some of the things we do are - Practice our safety and rescue techniques, Go on short local river paddles, Practice white water techniques which includes getting more confident on moving water, practising surfing the waves and catching eddies etc
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After the session there is often time to socialise, often at a local pub or with a fish and chip run.
Flat Water Touring
Tranquil, peaceful, serene and a great way to relax. Whether you are paddling at dawn, dusk or during the day, there is something very calming about being on a smooth easy flowing river. Spending time, hours or days, enjoying the scenery and the beautiful environment.
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There are lots of opportunities locally on the Severn and Avon, as well as further afield, to take advantage of fantastic scenery and a great day out with family and/or friends.
Some members take part in National paddling events such as Paddle to the Heart and Doggy Paddle.
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A club favourite are night paddles, usually organised to coincide with a full moon. Great for star watching but you need to dress warm!
White Water Paddling
For the adrenaline seekers nothing beats a bit of white water paddling! White water comes in various shapes and sizes, from grade 1 – meaning moving water with no hazards or obstacles, right up to grade 6 – extreme rapids, waves, stoppers and drops, that often appear un-runnable!
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As a club we often use a couple of local weirs to introduce members to moving water. This can then progress to Symonds Yat rapids on the Wye, Cardiff International White Water Centre, and the dam released Tryweryn in Bala north Wales. In addition, when the water allows, we often visit the Usk, Dart, and the river Dee to name a few. It’s not until you start white water paddling that you actually wish for rain!
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We also take our white water safety very seriously, taking part in FSRT (Foundation Safety and Rescue Training) and WWSR (White Water safety and Rescue) courses regularly, along with rescue practices on club nights.
Multi Day Trips
Trips from a Base
Multi-day trips from a base such as a Hostel, Campsite, or Bunkhouse are arranged each year. These might be for a weekend or longer and involve paddling by day and cooking, socialising and hanging out in the evenings.
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These trips are a great way to get to know people better, to have fun and to paddle somewhere different. There is often a choice of paddles suitable for different skill levels.
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Depending on the weather and the water levels, planned activities can change day to day but we always find something to do and have fun.
Touring trips
Paddling down a river, cooking and camping en-route. What better way to explore the countryside.
Most often in canoes, paddling solo or in pairs these trips are suitable for all as we do weekend and longer trips in different places and on rivers for different skill levels.
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Some trips are local, for example, on the Avon, others have seen us visiting Wales and Scotland.
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If we have a trip coming up, preparation and practice can be covered in our Thursday evening sessions and these trips are a great thing to aim for.