Every year at the first weekend in August, the BCU are running a training weekend at the National Water Sports Centre of Holme Pierrepont in Nottingham.

This is the perfect entry into the fun of white water canoeing for every novice paddler because on both days, the water is released on gradually increasing levels starting on one-quarter flow in the morning through to standard three-quarter flow in the late afternoon. Something for everybody!

The downside of it is a great accumulation of people resulting in the course being almost too crowded to do any decent moves during peak times (late morning and early afternoon). But then, we can’t have it all, can we?!? For the same reason, bookings for this once-a-year activity must be put in early to ensure enough places for a big group such as the ACC in 1998. We had all of 29 people attending actively!

Holme Pierrepont has a nice and very friendly managed camp site just around the corner which is an ideal meeting place for a general briefing and assigning of the helmet tags which identify the owner as either a novice or an experienced paddler on the water. It is also the spot for social BBQs in the after-hours or setting out for the local pubs, clubs or the fun fair which happens to be held at that same first August weekend every year (talk about coincidences!).

Typically, there is all sorts of things going on along the course, and different people have different favourites. I still remember my first Nottingham experience last year when I was rather content breaking in and out of the flow in the top pool, took a swim at the pop-out, just about made it through the Muncher in a luckily straight line and then took to the safety of the banks (it was my third time in a kayak ever, which is not a recommended idea!). One year later, I thoroughly enjoyed the surfy wave in the front of the duo with Sean, and learnt a lot about reading water, crossing through waves and sitting in stoppers. When I was knackered, Mark and Clare took turns with Sean until he finally ended the session with Ian in a long and exhausting swim down to the exit run of the course where it took four people to get the huge boat out of the water.

If you ask 20 people about the best and the worst of the weekend, I suppose you will get 20 different answers. Carl f.e. loves Holme Pierrepont (except for the “sewage”) mainly because of its great playspots, while Neil likes it because it is a safe and forgiving option to learn what you need in White Water Paddling. Being a purpose-built run, the course has all sorts of features along a rather short stretch of water without any dangerous undercuts, syphons, overhanging trees or other obstacles occurring in river running.

Carl, like many, is especially intrigued with the Muncher. His most exciting moves, however, were a 4 1/2 spins and a bandit in the stopper under the bridge. ”I didn’t touch the bottom stopper as I was a wimp!” Carl says, but then, we don’t blame you - it’s scary and even Sid got stuck in it and took a swim. Maybe next year, Carl...

It was a bit disappointing for us as a group that the water level was not lowered enough to give our beginners a confident start. “Frightening” was what Sonia described it, and some took to the side runs for an easier getting-used-to-moving-water. But even there one could have a series of swims, as Fera confirms. “I didn’t do a lot, but what I did, I was really proud of”, she said showing the bruises and scratches on her legs. Those are part and parcel of learning how to get the better of the currents, but as long as you keep your mouth shut, the Nottingham course will do you no harm... Despite her four swims, Fera always felt safe because of the many people patrolling the banks at the ready with their throwlines - a feature unique to the trainee weekend. There even was a rescue training course on one afternoon - and for a good enough reason, since Jill’s accident showed all too well that handling a throwline is an acquired skill!

by Petra Hudson, September 1998