Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
Outdoor Activities => Northern Ireland Canoeing and Watersports => Topic started by: Highlandpaddy on June 26, 2012
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Afternoon Cheeky's ;D ;D
Im looking to get the family a wee run on this and was wondering if any of youse fine specimens out there, have any hints, links or tips for this stretch of trail. ;)
Any unoffical campsites on the trail- preferably one near a pub and shower and ammenable to a campfire (as he prays for good weather!!) 8) 8)
Over and out.......
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good place to start is the canoe NI website
http://www.canoeni.com/canoe-trails/lower-bann/
there are a few itinerary's, campsites etc.
you can YouTube it too and see if you can get any ideas for campsites, am sure i seen at least one video on there, then use Google maps to see if you can find their camp spots. i would probably recce each spot first
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dont know if by lower you mean Coleraine end, know theres some dangerous stretchs around Banbridge, some of the neighbours borrowed a canoe and went for a tit about one day, and got a lecture off a proper canoeist about how dangerous the bann can be in places.
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Did it recently from Newferry to (erm, can't remember, but it was further North...) Lovely river, however it's unrelenting if there is a wind from the North...!!
As it runs South/North with hardly any meandering, there is no shelter at all and at times myself and a friend had to double boat and tow the empty one just to get moving forward...
Camped at Portna Locks, lovely place and the lock keeper was very chatty. Cost us the grand total of 50pence to go through the locks the next morning.
No pubs near tho, so brought our own supplies
I'll go look up some photos
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Facebook Link...
It might work, but then may not as I've it locked down quite private...
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150798697192718.467944.583847717&type=3&l=855120af77 (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150798697192718.467944.583847717&type=3&l=855120af77)
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This was the trail I most wanted to do but alas the canoe is now gone.
You can see a writeup on it here (http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?17079-A-Gentlemans-Day-Out-(Lower-Bann)) which should be helpful.
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Great folks
Drongo thanks for the info- Photies are class!! Whats the wee hut thingy?? I assume that that gentleman in the photo wasnt relieveing himself beside the gate??? lol ;D ;D ;D I have had a few say to me about the wind speed etc... so Ill keep it in mind.
Flapjack- Had a good root through the canoeni site yesterday- have maps etc printed and ready. Havent got as far as youtube yet but will do tonight. Travelling to Giants Causeway from Derry on Sunday- so ill take the scenic route for a recee. ;)
t18con- yes it is the Coleraine end/ direction- apparently the nav channels help by giving an alternative route other than through the weirs- whcih are around grade3!! (Bad with kids..... or maybe not..mmm?? ??? ???)
Redleader- How rangin are you that you didnt get to go...? :P Great review link that you sent me- me mouth was watering looking at them bacon baps. You dont happen to have a wee grid reference for that wee camping site that was used?? Looks like the business!!
FYI- I spoke to a friend who's a watersports instructor- he suggested rafting the canadians up as it would be safer and more fun- probably not inwincdy conditions tho!!
Any feedback on additions to a kit list would be moucho appreciatio?? :) :)
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I have never paddled here, but read it can be dangerous especially in higher water, there are pontoons on lower bann. With the current weather and flooding i would be aware of this.