On the 8th of June the Powell Dobson Urbanists team “successfully” tackled the River Wye from Symonds Yat (west) to Redbrook (near Monmouth) in their 3 person canoes. In total the trip had an attendance of 15 members which consisted of a mixture of Powell Dobson Urbanists and their better halves.

The day kicked off with some unwavering news of thunder storms and flooding but, with the whole team being at the high peak of physical fitness that they are, they dismissed any thoughts of calling it off.

The first, and arguably one of the most important legs of the trip, was meeting at the car park in Symonds Yat (west) and heading to the Ye Olde Ferrie Inn for some pre-canoeing beverages and a pub lunch to ensure everyone was fully energised for the 3 to 4 hour canoe trip ahead. After shared stories of life threatening encounters with swans and a quick “dummies guild to canoeing” briefing by the canoe suppliers, the team finally took to the river at around 3:00pm with everyone ready and prepped for the journey.

Like ducks to water the team effortlessly navigated around the starting point of the river. Sadly after 10 minutes on the water the team took its only set of casualties with 1 of the 5 canoes toppling at Symonds Yat rapids resulting in three members of the team getting better acquainted with the water than they had anticipated. Luckily there were some good Samaritan kayakers nearby to help rescue them and their possessions.

The rest of the time spent on the river went smoothly with no problems allowing the team time to enjoy the serene environment the River Wye had to offer. Eventually the team arrived at Redbrook, down river of Monmouth, where they were able to relax in The Boat Inn before heading to Martins house for a well earned BBQ with plenty of good food, liquid refreshments and tales from the day!