Kayak\Canoe the River Suir

healapallooza

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone ever did this route before? myself and a couple of my friends are thinking about starting off in Thurles and finishing in Waterford, and just camp along the way, and hopefully complete it in about a week, is that realistic?

i have done a good bit of searching on the web but not many people have posted up about their experiences, just wondering if any has done it in the last few years, and could maybe point out any dangerous parts to the route, i've heard there can be a couple of dangerous weirs on it, also if you have any other advice about it, that would be greatly appreciated,

I def know sections in holycross, cahir and carrick on suir have some sort of weirs/fishing walls going through em, but it would be handy to know of other sections,

Thanks,

999/112

Hi Healapallooza,
Have a look here

If you need any more info you can PM me. 999/112.

yomchi

Some info here too - http://www.irishwhitewater.com/river_guide/river.php?id=338

healapallooza

thanks for the links, much appreciated, i've been doing a good bit of research about this route recently, and seems to be safe enough, aslong as alot of caution and common sense is used,

ill post up details of our trip once completed, probably wont be till end june/early july before we go, hopefully we'll hit a spell of good weather,

patmor

Hi canoed down the River Suir from Golden last Saturday. There were four of us, two canoes. We had previously gone from Holycross to Golden a few weeks previously. Very shallow in places and with electric fences crossing in places but all easy going , have to walk a bit in some places . From Golden it gets a bit more exciting, three small drops after Golden, all easy enough to pop over and adds a small bit of excitement. There is one spot to watch, it is after the weirs and about 1 km back from the next bridge after Golden – you will see bridge on OS map. Here the river narrows up a bit and trees almost join together , just be careful here and take your time as the canoe could easily get sucked sideways against the branches as the water is rather fast moving , but taking your time and all should be ok . You will have passed a fab abbey and a few castles at this stage, worth a stop to look around. next obstacle is a weir , rather high just above chair and after you pass under a low modern bridge , be careful here as it is a long drop down , there is a fish pass but we were two chicken to run it and we had camping gear and it was getting late so we went to the left bank just above the weir and got out here , pulled the canoes up and if you towards the weir from here walking you will see a small gap where the put the canoes back in again , just at the foot or close to the fish pass , worked out well . As it was now getting dark we looked for a space to camp and just before chair with a view of the castle towers we pulled over to a cattle drinking place , pull over the canoes and set up the barbecue and put on the food , well earned . There is a small pat along the river bank if you need to walk to chair less than a mile (I guess) for provisions. The camp site was perfect as no hassle and very quiet and it was Saturday night. It had taken us about five hours to get to here but a few stops for sightseeing and general messing around included.
Next morning after a leisurely breakfast and waiting for the ladies to awake from their slumber we headed off again. Next obstacle chair weir , on the way down assuming water is now raging , ( if it is , one get out just a above the bridge and walk canoes down but it is quite a walk , and put them in on the right hand side of the castle , lifting them over the wall and down a gravel bank ). We carried on keeping to the left of the river slowly and just above the weir on the far right the ground is shallow so walked the canoes over the weir and then under the arch to emerge at the right hand side of the castle. Then off gain to Swiss cottage, pulled over as the gang wanted a tour of the Swiss cottage, glorious day, parked at the slip way just above the metal bridge and stove hot and coffee made while other three went on the tour. Off again then next stop Ardfinnan , gain no problems there is a weir again , two choices go along the raceway to the right , fast flowing and a bit of crack , watch your head a pedestrian bridge and very low . Or else paddle to wall on the top of weir, jump out and pull canoe out and make towards the bridge. At the bridge there is a drop, poss. three foot so again in the interests of dryness we kept to the right and there is two “dry” arches, walked through and it was all happy days and off again. We meandered down to new castle and stopped for lunch on the way. it was glorious day so when we got to Newcastle pulled up at the bridge , headed to Nugent’s pub ( massive Guinness ) and rang for our lift , great little trip . We had left chair around 10 and we were in Newcastle having a pint at 4.30 but had many stops on the way and food and chat and the tour of the Swiss cottage. We will finish off the trip to Clonmel another day. Enjoy it if you are going. If you left Holycross on a Friday evening, you would be in Clonmel on Sunday without killing yourself and some lovely scenery and interesting sites.