Liverpool University Canoe Club

Fantastic news: Today the Welsh Canoeing Association (WCA) have announced a total change in the Canolfan Treweryn (National Whitewater centre for Wales) pricing structure.

This affects us when we paddle the river Tryweryn.

The price has changed from £7/£14 for BCU/non BCU members to… FREE!

For discussion of why they’ve done that, see:

UKriverGuidebook Thread

and

Announcement on the WCA website

The underlying reason for this is that the WCA feel that charging a fee which could be interpreted as an access fee is entirely against their philosophy of “access for all”. So instead, they are now aligning themselves with a lot of paddlers who, despite being quite willing to spend vast sums on their sport every year, believe that everyone, walkers, cyclists, kayakers, swimmers should have free access, to footpaths, bridleways, and rivers.

This is quite a brave change to make - the centre is still going to cost money to run, and remains a white water activity centre which needs to break even.

The changes mean that from now on, visitors will still sign in at the centre building, but will not be charged a fee. Visitors can still make a donation to WCA, which will be spent on the upkeep of the pathways and carparks and on the ongoing access campaign.

Its unclear whether visitors will be charged for parking, or whether this will also be by donation - it would seem quite reasonable for them to charge for parking, and certainly for showers, as in those cases they are providing a service. We’ll see how it works as time goes on.

In this move, the WCA have shown total support for paddlers in Wales.

Some ways in which we can support the WCA in return are: Make a donation while visiting the Treweryn. Pay online to become a friend of the WCA access campaign (£10). Become a WCA member (£33).

Ways in which you can support the WCA indirectly: Make use of the facilities at canalfon tryweryn: Buy things in the shop and cafe, and book on the excellent courses which are run there (personal qualifications, safety and rescue courses etc.)

Well, this is really a big change, and I suppose with that kind of example, we should all try to change a bit. I might even make a resolution to start using the showers - more pleasant for lift sharing. Everyone wins.

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

Photos by Flic

The BCU North West Paddle Weekend is happening on the weekend of 7/8 June in the Anderton Center (Rivington Reservoir, Lancashire) - its the weekend when term ends, and its the weekend before you go to the Alps.

Its organised by  bcunw and its open to anyone who wants to improve their skills. In past years, this weekend has been just for coaches, but its now has more sessions on various things and is open to anyone in the BCU. You can still use the weekend to do your coach update or L2 assessment, but you can now use it instead to learn canoe sailing, to get your 3* skills or to do your foundation safety and rescue award or do workshops on games or on sea kayaking, or plenty of other things - check the program (link below) to see what is available in the parallell sessions. There is also a bunch of kayak talks, and a party.

You can go to as much or as little of it as you want - the cost is from £15 for the one day coach update (that’s two update workshops and a keynote lecture), up to £55 for a whole weekend of mix and match practical/theory workshops, talks, and paddle skills. including food, accomodation, and party.

If you want to go to this, you do need to get your form in pretty quick - by this friday - or get in touch with the organiser Gill Davies (\manchester CC). If you want to use the weekend to get your L2 (old style) assessment, then suggest you also phone Ian Bell, regional RCO, as well as sending the forms.

Map      Info     Entry form    Program

Hi All,

It’s come to that time where you all grumble, and watch the moths fly
from your wallets.

I need the remaining £150 from those listed in my email (also on the forum) for the Alps trip.
Please pay by BACS if possible; into the account in the email (or on your PM if your registered here?!). If not then, I’ll need a cheque or cash asap. I’m about in Liverpool right up until the trip, and will accept Cheques through Andy at the St David’s trip if that’s your next contact with us!

Watch this space for remaining details,

Cheers

Martin

Lovely lovely trip. Get in touch with Andy R now. £35. Camping. Surfing. Coasteering. 

 Here is the weekend plan:
+ Friday night - leave sheds at 7 o clock sharp, arriving at the campsite in time for last orders at the pub…. (that would be about 2 o clock :o)

+ Saturday - morning paddle around the bay to whitesands for some Surfing and a beach day in the sun. Join Andy’s surfing school :D. Possibly combined with a “bitches” visit, tide depending and left in the capable hands of mr potts! Evening activities will include a beach party with huge campfire (unless we get arrested in the process), fancy dress(hawaiian) and some kind of team sangria will be arranged.

+ Sunday - the standard sunday morning, “classic Ade coasteering” with Ade, you’ll be coasteering, it’s a classic. followed with more surfing and a beach day in the sun. fun.

+ Monday - Get up and pack away everything. If it’s been raining in Mid/north wales, we’ll come back via a nice river, if not, a further morning of surfing. back in liverpool in time for tea.

IF/When you want to be involved, email me back asap. Minibus places will fill up quickly.
If you or anyone with friends etc meeting us at the campsite, they NEED to tell me this year, i’ve agreed with the owners that i’m going to pay upfront for the whole weekend for everyone on saturday morning, this makes it less like hell for them collecting money, so we’re getting a discount deal…. (proceeds will go to saturday night’s beachparty)

£15 camping fees for people making own way there
£35 For a minibus space, including camping and party

(not bad for a whole bankholiday weekend in the sun!!)

Get in touch, this is going to be an awesome trip (start saving the pennies)

Much love from your captain
Andy

Pics from Last year (by Sara and Sue)

General info about this trip on the St Davids page

Lloyd is running a minibus day trip to somewhere very good (to be decided) - lakes or Wales depending where the rain falls. Mid grade (III), perfect training for Alps, and perfect for everyone else too - bus is filling up fast - ring LLoyd to book your place.

Right, I have been asked to organise a trip for this sunday coming. It is
going to be suitable for all club members. There is a minibus going! to get
yourself a seat on said minibus, send me an email asap!The grading of this trip will be mostly grade 3 which everyone I have paddled
with (in the last year) is easily capable of!
I would especially like to see on this trip:
Chris Carters
Katie Lancaster
Ashley Hughes
Tamsin
Soph Yarwood
Helen Jones
Alexey
Claire
Dale
John (watson)
Mary
as you guys are coming to the alps! There will be room for all, but let me know
ASAP! I will also be collecting names in the pub on Thursday evening
Email me or phone me on 07818254963
Lloyd

 

At the end of Jim Hargreaves’s talk, he gave details of how you can go on such a trip! Join his next expedition to the Mountain River, Canada, Aug 2007!

Full details: MountainRiverExpedition.pdf

Its a 2 week canoe trip through wilderness, taking everything you need with you on the boats. Experience of a lifetime type stuff.

This should be some incentive for you to get a nice software job or similar, and start saving your pennies for perfect holidays!

By Martin 

Date’s available NOW!!

Get that holiday booked up, and join LUCC in the best* Alpine fun yet!

Preliminarily, and hopefully definite by the end of the week!

13th - 22nd June!

It works for Young’s, It works for Olds, it works for Medics, and it sorta works for Vets (we hope), now all i need is top find a driver or two……

It just gets better every year!

Freshers trip!
There will be a freshers trip on Sunday 30th Sep.
It will be very good. More info below.

Where to? The river Irwell, near Manchester, a water centre called The Burrs. The Irwell is a good beginner river, and also has a mini-play wave for the more experienced folk to play on.
How will we get there? In a minibus. Or in two minibuses, (cheers for driving, Will and Vanny) and some cars, because there will be quite a lot of folk going. The minibus will pick you up from halls, and bring you to the sheds to choose your boat etc, or you can meet us at the sheds.

Who can go? Everyone in the club, especially new freshers.

When? Sunday. In the morning. 9ish. Check this by asking Martin. We’ll be back late afternoon / early eve

How to sign up? Find Martin (the captain) or any other committee member, either in the Thurs eve pool session, or at the pub afterwards.

How much will it cost? You’d better check with Martin on that - my guess is £7, its a guess, but won’t be far out. It might well be cheaper.

What should I bring? Well, we’ll provide all the equipment (boat, paddles etc) unless you happen to have your own that you want to bring. You need to bring warm clothes (layers are good, man made fibres are good, cotton is bad, denim is very bad), spare clothes, sandwiches and a drink or money to buy a burger, also a little bit of money in case you want to buy beer afterwards. If you’ve got a woolly hat, bring it. Oh, and old trainers if you’ve got some. The club has a bunch of wetsuits and cagoules etc in the sheds which you will be able to choose from.

Saftey If you are a beginner, your job is to pay attention to the basic safety briefing at the beginning of the trip, and to have fun. There are many people here to help you - if you are unsure of anything, ask.
It will be a beginner river trip. You’ll be paddling on moving water, and you’ll also be learning basic skills and playing some games.

Contact captain Martin, or any member of the committee can help you sign up for the trip.

Yay, first trip of the term, first trip of many.

There are two surf trips this weekend! What a choice! Both will be great. About 20 folk are going on the traditional St Davids weekend, if you’d like to go, ask a driver if they have places - Alison, Sara and Kev may have space.

There will also be a shorter trip, probably to Angelsey see Andy R for details. This trip will similarly feature surf and icecream, and has been scheduled to fit in with students, some of whom can’t get away for the whole weekend.

St Davids will be as usual: Chilling out - Icecream on the beach - Gentle sea paddle round to whitesands - surfing at whitesands - frisbees - optional not so gentle trip to the bitches - playwave at the bitches - coasteering - bbq - kites - shopping in surfaville trendy shops - sunshine - happydaze - rivers on the way home