PARKING: can be found on the first, last and #10 cache pages.
Pewsham: there is free parking for plenty of cars with a 5 minute walk to the launch site.
Reybridge: There is parking next to the road bridge for a couple of cars but it’s a busy spot.
Melksham: Parking is close to the river, you can unload/load the boats @ the canoe club but they ask if you can park up at the free carpark next to the school (1 min walk away).
PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS:
Pewsham: From the parking area take one of the many paths the goes downhill towards the river there is a good flat area next to the river for sorting yourself out.
Reybridge: Is just off the A350 between Melksham and Chippenham. Park next to the river bridge, there is a steep slope that goes down the side of the bridge to the water. Unfortunately this is where the flow of the water is so getting in and out here can be fun at times.
Melksham: The canoe club has a fantastic launch area just before the weir.
APPROX LENGTH:
Pewsham to Melksham 9.5 miles
Pewsham to Reybridge 4.5 miles
Reybridge to Melksham 5 miles
TIME NEEDED: 3.5 hours to paddle plus stoppage time to find the caches, so I would say 5 hours for a caching trip. I have tried to keep most of the caches within reach from the boat but there is a few time where you will have to get out.
GRADING: Flat with one weir and occasional boulder dams and faster moving water.
MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: There is one weir, and trees across the river in two places at the time of placing.
The road bridge @ Lacock it is best to take the second from the left archway as this is where most of the flow goes the water will want to push you against the wall so try and keep to the right. just after the bridge the river turns sharply to the left and at the time of hiding there is a tree that the flow wants to push you towards so try and cut to the left as soon as you are past the bridge (I will try and cut the dead wood away before publishing to make it safer for all river users).
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:Pewsham to Reybridge stretch is mainly flat water paddling with a couple of faster flowing sections. There is a portage between #3 and #4. It has only one weir just above Reybridge, this weir used to be a simple large sloping stone slide. Now one half of it has been replaced with some big ugly concrete steps and a steel sluice gate making the portage easier.
One of the houses nearby is Camilla Parker-Bowls' residence, so don't go trespassing unless you are a member of the royal family, in which case you could perhaps pop in for a nice cup of Earl Grey and some cucumber sandwiches.
Reybridge to Melksham. It is recommended that vehicles are left in Melksham after unloading as there is very limited parking at Reybridge. I have marked appropriate parking and portage waypoints on the first and last caches. There were, at the time of setting, one blockage that required portaging @ #13. There were also a few partial blockages which require careful navigation (I managed to go over them in my Canadian but inflatables might need to go around). I set the caches in my large 16ft Canadian canoe so if you are in anything smaller or lighter then there should be no problem.
This river can flood quite spectacularly so please don't attempt this series in anything other than good conditions. I've tried to make the series flood proof by using camo wrapped specimen tubes (which should float if you drop it while retrieving/replacing), which can be either lifted out of their clips by rotating them and easing them past the cable ties (used to stop them floating away) - or position the cache in its clip and then put the lid on in situ, please don't just push the cache into the clip as it does crack the tube. Or with metal clips that the cache can be pulled away and re clipped. Please take your own pen.
The Ratings
Being a kayak series means the terrain is automatically 5 because you need water transport of some sort. Get wet, or get in the boat! And have some fun.
Disclaimer
Caches of this nature entail a certain amount of risk. Please only attempt it if you know what you are doing and can take all the necessary precautions. You and you alone are responsible for your safety.
At the time of hiding the caches there was only two places that I had to portage due to trees blocking the river but this was a very short portage on both occasions.