Pesda Whitewater Mini-Guide
RIVER ROY
#03
WHEREVER THERE’S WATER
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Head Banger, Roy Gorge | Paul McLaughlin
INTRODUCTION This middle section of the Roy lies in a
DESCRIPTION From Rooster Tail a section of grade 3+
gorge far below the road. If you have a problem, it will be a
rapids gets the trip under way. The whitewater gradually
road. A fantastic paddle with interest throughout, but never
restrict the paddler’s view as the gorge begins. Take care as
succession.
hand bend. Inspect or portage on river left. Immediately
long and strenuous climb out on river right in search of the
too scary. Tight bedrock rapids follow one another in quick
WATER LEVEL Moderately wet/Very wet. GAUGE Upstream from the road bridge at Roy Bridge,
you will see a band of quartz rock on river left. If the river is up to the level of the quartz the gorge will be at a good
medium/high level. In very high water the Roy Gorge is fast
and unrelenting; a swim here is punished severely.
ACCESS Driving up Glen Roy, the road climbs to an obvi-
becomes more continuous with the banks coming in to
Head Banger, a nasty grade 5, appears suddenly on a leftbelow this badly undercut rapid lies The Brothers Grim (Gd
4+), a ledge split by a large boulder. The action continues around the S-bend downstream. There is a lot of good grade 3/4 water in the next kilometre or so. The main event, once
a tricky diagonal ledge, has all but disappeared after changes
to the river bed, leaving a steep ramp into a flushing wave.
A river-wide ledge stands out as the next highlight and just begs to be run blind. Once past this the gorge opens out and
the grade eases to allow for more playful kayaking. With
one last effort the river squeezes through a 1m gap in the
ous viewpoint and car park. The gorge can be seen far below.
cliffs, and the gorge section is over. Cranachan Bridge is just
put-in is reached. Park at the muddy gateway and walk across
walk out is started.
The road then descends to the river and after 2 miles the best
the field to find Rooster Tail rapid. Egress from the river is at the dilapidated bridge at Cranachan (297 846). From here a
steep track leads up the hill to the road. A small stone pillar at
around the corner and, with your last dregs of energy, the
OTHER IMPORTANT POINTS In very high water the Roy
Gorge is a continuous and committing run. What in low
the side of the road marks the spot where exhausted paddlers
to medium water were fun rapids with small holes become
avoid this trauma by continuing on down the Lower Roy.
above Head Banger at this level is a dangerous sport.
will emerge from their ascent. If the river is high you might
unrecognisable and boils and holes abound. Swimming
Excerpt adapted from Scottish White Water, the SCA Guidebook
ISBN 0954706110, published by Pesda Press, Caernarfon. For details of this and other books, as well as downloads of mini-guides and
WWW.CANOEKAYAK.CO.UK
route cards in this series, visit:
WWW.PESDAPRESS.COM
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#03 RIVER ROY
PESDA WHITEWATER MINI-GUIDE
3.5 km
LENGTH OS SHEET GRADE
34 3/4(5)
GORGE PUT-IN UPPER PUT-IN
0
1
2km
OS map data reproduced with the kind permission of the Ordnance Survey
Design & text adapted from the SCA guide to Scottish White Water, published by Pesda Press, Caernarfon.