Lovely lovely river for an easy club trip. Ran it on New Year's Day. The get on is about 45 minute drive from Kenmare, in Baile Mhic Ire. Turn right at O'Luasa's shop (
https://goo.gl/maps/BHTPQsmkFvn ). Get off is ~6km downstream from this, river left, just downstream of a 3 arch bridge (
https://goo.gl/maps/irQEx7RBHR42 ).
Has its own Riverspy:
http://www.riverspy.net/opwgauge.html?code=19055Standard club trip for CIT & Phoenix Kayak Club.
Nice little grade 2 river, plenty easy rapids and drops. We ran it at .8 on the gauge which is just runnable. I would say it's in between the Clara Vale section and Annamoe Bridge section in terms of difficulty and nature.
Really no note worthy rapids/drops, all similar at the level we ran. Few wave trains, few boulder gardeny type rapids, few holes. Lean onto rocks, follow the smoothest water etc, you'll be grand. 2 (I think?) gorges according to the guidebook I believe, although gorge is a big overstatement. Nothing necessary to scout or portage (at .8 anyway), just read & run!
Line of sight was a minor issue at times. It bends and narrows at certain points, but nothing significant. Just keep relaying signals, don't dilly dally at the back of the group etc. There is a good few low hanging trees/branches to look out for, but nothing bad at all, just avoid them.
Line at the bridge at the get off is far left (under the left arch), the other 2 were blocked by a tree when we ran it.
I wish we had something similar close to Dublin for our own club trips to be honest, it's a lovely one for beginners. Only thing is it's a bit of a drive away from Kenmare. Would be ideal as the first club trip of the week of Kerry, serving as a foundation/warm up to progress from.
