Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
Canoe Guide - River Wye
Canoe Tours in England: River Wye
The River Wye flows from the Welsh hills to enter the River Severn below Chepstow. The 100 miles (161 km)
between Glasbury and Chepstow is probably the best canoe tour in England. Initially the river is generally shallow,
with minor rapids before it starts meandering through a broad flood plain. You then paddle through dramatic gorges
before entering the tidal region as you approach Chepstow.
Start: Glasbury
Finish: Chepstow
Transport: You can get from Chepstow to Glasbury by Bus.
Distance: 161 km
Difficulty: There are a couple of rapids and you finish in a tidal region, but the route is generally easy. Do not
paddle when the river is in flood.
The route:
0 km: Glasbury. Launch on the north bank just above the bridge
3 km: Wyecliff Weir is normally passable on the right.
9 km: Hay-on-Wye
37 km: Monnington Falls. Land on left bank to inspect this rapid for obstructions. The left channel is easy except
in flood conditions.
54 km: Hereford
100 km: Ross-on-Wye
122 km: Symonds Yat. This is a long straight rapid. You can land on the left to inspect. There may be big wave
trains but it is not a difficult rapid except in flood.
132 km: Monmouth
141 km: Bigsweir Bridge. This is the upstream limit of tidal water.
147 km: Brockweir Bridge. There are rapids below the bridge when the tide is out.
150 km: Tintern. There is no landing between here and Chepstow and you will need to travel straight through to
Chepstow. Dangerous weirs are exposed at low water. The guidebook recommends leaving Tintern not more than
one hour after high water, but I would recommend leaving as early as possible before high water.
161 km: Chepstow. There is a public slipway 200m below the old road bridge. This slipway is extremely muddy when
the tide is out. This is the reason I suggest leaving Tintern while the tide is still coming in so that the water is as
high as possible when you arrive at Chepstow.
Information:
British Canoe Union
18 Market Place
Bingham
Nottingham NG13 8AP
Tel: 0845-370-9500
http://www.bcu.org.uk
BCU guidebooks: Canoe Touring: 100 Paddles in England
Canoeists’ Guide to the River Wye published by the Enviroment Agency.
The contents of this book is reproduced on the Enviroment Agency website.
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk
webguide: http://www.igreens.org.uk/canoeing_the_wye.htm
Ross-on-Wye Canoe Hire
Greycoat, Ashes Lane
Symonds Yat West,
Herfordshire, HR9 6BW
http://www.thecanoehire.co.uk
Info@thecanoehire.co.uk
01600-890-883
Monmouth Taxis
Monmouth taxis offer a canoe transfer service.
01600-775408
The River Wye flows from the Welsh hills to enter the River Severn below Chepstow. The 100 miles (161 km)
between Glasbury and Chepstow is probably the best canoe tour in England. Initially the river is generally shallow,
with minor rapids before it starts meandering through a broad flood plain. You then paddle through dramatic gorges
before entering the tidal region as you approach Chepstow.
Start: Glasbury
Finish: Chepstow
Transport: You can get from Chepstow to Glasbury by Bus.
Distance: 161 km
Difficulty: There are a couple of rapids and you finish in a tidal region, but the route is generally easy. Do not
paddle when the river is in flood.
The route:
0 km: Glasbury. Launch on the north bank just above the bridge
3 km: Wyecliff Weir is normally passable on the right.
9 km: Hay-on-Wye
37 km: Monnington Falls. Land on left bank to inspect this rapid for obstructions. The left channel is easy except
in flood conditions.
54 km: Hereford
100 km: Ross-on-Wye
122 km: Symonds Yat. This is a long straight rapid. You can land on the left to inspect. There may be big wave
trains but it is not a difficult rapid except in flood.
132 km: Monmouth
141 km: Bigsweir Bridge. This is the upstream limit of tidal water.
147 km: Brockweir Bridge. There are rapids below the bridge when the tide is out.
150 km: Tintern. There is no landing between here and Chepstow and you will need to travel straight through to
Chepstow. Dangerous weirs are exposed at low water. The guidebook recommends leaving Tintern not more than
one hour after high water, but I would recommend leaving as early as possible before high water.
161 km: Chepstow. There is a public slipway 200m below the old road bridge. This slipway is extremely muddy when
the tide is out. This is the reason I suggest leaving Tintern while the tide is still coming in so that the water is as
high as possible when you arrive at Chepstow.
Information:
British Canoe Union
18 Market Place
Bingham
Nottingham NG13 8AP
Tel: 0845-370-9500
http://www.bcu.org.uk
BCU guidebooks: Canoe Touring: 100 Paddles in England
Canoeists’ Guide to the River Wye published by the Enviroment Agency.
The contents of this book is reproduced on the Enviroment Agency website.
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk
webguide: http://www.igreens.org.uk/canoeing_the_wye.htm
Ross-on-Wye Canoe Hire
Greycoat, Ashes Lane
Symonds Yat West,
Herfordshire, HR9 6BW
http://www.thecanoehire.co.uk
Info@thecanoehire.co.uk
01600-890-883
Monmouth Taxis
Monmouth taxis offer a canoe transfer service.
01600-775408
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