18 Jan 2015 (Photos)

Five intrepid paddlers braved the January weather for our first visit to the River Mole. We started at the Stepping Stones at the bottom of Box Hill, but as shown in the picture, they had been stolen and replaced by a bit of turbulence!

The river had a steady flow which meant there was little need to paddle, apart from dodging some of the fallen trees.

There were two trees that required a portage as there was no safe way through.

The weir was a drop of about a foot - just enough to splash water everywhere.

The noisy parakeets overhead kept an eye on us most of the morning, and a solitary mink watched us as we drifted by.

The slippery banks caused one dunking whilst trying to get out for a portage, and battling with a stubborn tree caused another, but fortunately only pride was injured.

The weather stayed dry throughout the paddle, and the river was level was ideal - enough flow, but not too much.

We finished just before the bridge in Leatherhead in time for some lunch in the town.

The consensus was that we should run a longer stretch of the river in the Summer, with more people, if we can find enough water.