"Each step forward has a sacred meaning of its own" Sri Chinmoy
Kerne Bridge to Symonds Yat - 8.5 mile kayak - May 2026 - Wye Valley
Six days after my first paddle for - well - years? I was out on the Wye again. This time I headed up to Kerne Bridge early, dropped the kayak (locked to a tree, along with PFD and paddle) then parked at Symonds Yat East and cycled back to the put-in. The exchange rate was pretty good, with a straight ride of only 4 miles giving me an 8+ mile paddle around the deep bends in the river.
I still felt unsteady getting into the boat, an unfamiliar sensation being on the water rather than in it (I've done a lot more swimming than paddling in recent years) but soon I was into the rhythm of the stroke and making steady progress downstream. I found I could keep up 5mph easily enough with a bit of effort, 6 or 7 when I hit the riffles and shallows where the water ran fasters, occasionally easing back to 4 on languid stretches where the boat seemed to need more pull to move it forwards. There were lots of swans out, and magnificent, tall herons swooping low over the river.
Although I first got in a kayak some 50 years ago, it felt like something new - a restart - and that was a nice feeling. Mini rapids came and went as the river was at its summer low level, you could see where rocks were lurking by the shape of the waves. I managed to dodge them easily enough and steer for the deeper sections to stay upright.
My mind fell pretty silent as the miles ticked by, the satisfying sound of paddle digging into the water and pulling it past the boat mixing with the birdsong. Occasionally the sounds of the world intruded in the form of traffic as the river hugged the road, but all in all it was a peaceful paddle.
Getting out at New Weir, I still wasn't feeling confident, so I shuffled the boat down to a section of the take-out where I could grab hold of a sign post and keep myself and the boat steady as I climbed out and got myself on dry land.
Last week was 6.1 miles at 4.6 mph, this week 8.5 miles at 4.8mph. Progress! And my birthday coming up, where I hope to tackle around 20 miles. That would be my longest solo paddle I think, a nice landmark.
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