Melverley to Montford Bridge on the Severn.

Yesterday we found ourselves in Shropshire as Dani was leading a group of clients down a gentle and scenic stretch of the Severn, with myself tagging along with the dogs. The stretch paddled was a 6.5 mile(ish) meander along quiet water through mixed farmland. Conditions were quite gentle, a lack of recent rain meant that there was little flow to aid us. We put in at Melverley, opposite the Royal Oak pub and campsite, Dani and her group of 12 in 6 canoes, myself and the dogs paddling Dani's Mad River Legend. I was soon left behind by the main group, there's little hope of keeping up with doubles when paddling solo with nearly 30 kilos of dead weight on board, but I didn't mind as I could enjoy the peace and quiet which made for better wildlife spotting.

Dani's group disappearing off in the distance.

Dogs, lovable but dead weight.

Birdlife seen included a large number of buzzards, a solitary kingfisher (the Severn through Shropshire is a great place to see them), herons and swiflows (either swift or swallow, I can never tell which is which). Dragonflies and deep blue damselflies accompanied us on the water as well.

Cows. Like ramblers they hunt in packs.

In places the water got quite shallow, in fact after lunch (when we re-grouped) I ended up wading in the water helping push boats along as a couple of boats grounded after taking the right hand channel past an island rather than the more sensible left hand channel. But as they were simply following my line I can't complain.

Shallow water.

The right hand channel. Overgrown and shallow.

We reached Montford Bridge where the group were camped about 4 hours later, stopping once for an extended picnic.Dani and myself then de-camped and headed across country to Nottingham, where the tent was again set up, as Dani was taking part in the Outlaw triathlon as part of a team of 3, Dani swimming. The swimmers, about 1000 of them, set of at 6am. Dani did the 2.4 mile swim in 66.37 minutes, which I slept through being tired from the previous days driving.

Paul.