Pesda Whitewater Mini-Guide
NORTH ESK
#05
WHEREVER THERE’S WATER
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Roddy McLeod on the Rocks of Solitude | David McCraw mccraw.co.uk
INTRODUCTION Starting flat and pebbly, the river cuts
deeper into the bedrock to give pools intermixed with short technical rapids. An interesting paddle with a few surprises!
WATER LEVEL Generally the river takes four days to drain
from spate, remaining navigable for some weeks. At very high
flows the gorge becomes very boily and much more serious.
The upper section may be a good option in these conditions.
GAUGE At Gannochy Bridge look at the two shelves of
DESCRIPTION After a kilometre a right-angle bend and
rock walls signify the start of the gorge section and grade
3 rapids. A pool and horizon line marks the first grade 3/4
rapid. Inspect on the right-hand side. Below here, a good
splat wall followed by a mini surf wave form at the right flows. Shortly after, the gorge walls steepen, the channel
narrows, and another horizon line appears. Here the river
drops through a narrow slot into a cauldron. The river now eases off and begins to open out until it once again plunges into a short narrow gorge (Gd 4). The entrance rapid, the
brickwork on the downstream side. If the water is above the
Rocks of Solitude, is a triplet of stoppers, this is followed
the next shelf, six blocks higher, the river is very high. A read-
Protect, inspect or portage on the left. Easing off again the
bedrock, onto the first shelf, the river is navigable. If it is onto
ing of 0.6 on the SEPA gauge should be considered a mini-
mum. During spate conditions trees often block the river.
ACCESS From the A90, turn off north of Brechin sign-
posted for Edzel. The take-out at Gannochy Bridge is a little
by a constriction which is a likely pinning spot at low flows.
river returns to a pleasant grade 2/3, and the rock changes to
a pebbly red sandstone. This marks the lead-in to the final
Gd 4 rapid, Fish Ladder Falls. A series of shallow stoppers
well spaced over 200m, ends with an intimidating boily drop, beneath an old metal bridge. This is normally run just to the
under two miles past Edzel. Park in a lay-by on the left across
right of a fish ladder, well away from undercuts on the right-
100m past the bridge on the left. Do not park on the grass in
to protect. A series of grade 2/3 rapids wind down to the take-
the bridge. There is alternative parking on the Glen Esk road, front of the house. For the put-in, take the Glen Esk turn-off.
Three miles up this road park on the verge next to the second
entrance to Haughend Cottage. Do not block the access track.
A footpath leads to the put-in by a metal footbridge.
hand side. Inspect on the left; this final drop is very difficult
out on the left, 20m before Gannochy Bridge. Steps are cut in the wall, from where a footpath leads to the lay-by.
Contributors: Robin Lofthouse and Iain McKendry
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:
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#05 LOWER NORTH ESK
PESDA WHITEWATER MINI-GUIDE
OS SHEET GRADE
0
1km
OS map data reproduced with the kind permission of the Ordnance Survey
5 km
LENGTH
43 3 (4)
Design & text adapted from the SCA guide to Scottish White Water, published by Pesda Press, Caernarfon.