31 Jan 2016 River Rother Trip

This was the first of our (hopefully) more regular Sunday morning trips to local paddling spots away from our local beach.

The weather was generally dull and overcast with a hint of rain in the air, but was not too cold for the end of January.

Following recent heavy rain the River Rother was very full, and looked as if it had overtopped its banks in several places.

Seven of us started at the bridge near Wittersham and paddled up to the bridge at Newenden, and then back, a total distance of about 13km (8 miles).

Due to the high water levels, there was only just enough headroom to paddle under the bridges en-route.

Lunch at Newenden was by the jetty, with the top of the handrails on the boardwalk just visible at the surface of the water.

One advantage of the high water level is the improved view over the surrounding countryside, which is usually hidden behind the embankments.