Feature: WCA statement on River Dee access
12/06/2003

The Welsh Canoeing Association have issued the following statement outlining the details of a major access setback on the River Dee.

Dee tours 2003 / 2004

The WCA regret to announce that it is likely the recreational tours which usually take place in the November, December and January periods will be cancelled this winter.
It has not been possible to negotiate access for these events on the section of river from Corwen to the Horseshoe Weir with all the relevant landowners and riparian owners. The WCA would like to thank landowners and riparian owners for their support in the past and it is hoped that a positive outcome can prevail in the future.

The WCA would like to thank Llangollen Angling Association for their continued support and for the permission to use their waters for competitive events on the section between Horseshoe Falls and Llangollen itself. Given their relationship with other angling associations, they feel unable to give permission for touring at the moment. The WCA would also like to thank Rhug Organic, who have waters between Cynwyd and Carrog. The WCA asks paddlers to respect the rights of these owners and refrain from using these waters to assist positive relations in the future.

The WCA are still attempting to negotiate access on the river Dee. The WCA seeks to do this not only to provide opportunities for canoeists, but also to minimise the financial loss the Dee valley will suffer as a consequence of these cancellations. In the absence of tours on the Dee this year, alternatives will be sought to compensate for the loss of these events which have been running successfully for 30 years.

These well-established tours have provided management for a section of river that was a source of conflict prior to their inauguration and the WCA hopes that the tours can be reinstated in the future.

Please write to the WCA to outline your concern at the loss of these events and the consequent loss of business to the Dee Valley and give your support to the reinstatement of these recreational events in the future. Please address all correspondence to the WCA offices at Canolfan Tryweryn, Frongoch, Bala, Gwynedd, LL23 7NU. Please send a copy to your local MP or National Assembly Member to raise their awareness of the situation.

The WCA will look to provide an update at the beginning of each month. For further information, please contact the WCA on 01678 521199 or by e mail at welsh.canoeing@virgin.net.

Questions & answers

This statement is issued in response to a number of enquiries requesting further information. It is published to try to put an end to the ill-informed rumours that have been circulating since WCA announced the potential cancellation of the tours in order to raise awareness of the issue of restricted access for canoeing.

WCA is in the position that we are damned if we do try to improve access, damned if we do not, and damned if we turn a blind eye to bandit runs, or try to say that access is not our problem. Therefore we have to, and choose to, campaign for better access to water, regardless of criticism or how slowly visible results are achieved.

Why might the Dee Tours be cancelled?

The tours may have to be cancelled because permission to hold them has been withdrawn by a number of land and riparian owners along the touring section.
WCA have been campaigning to get greater recreational access to the Dee for a number of years. WCA recently brokered an agreement for increased paddling on the Dee with the help of major landholders and cooperative angling bodies. This situation was not palatable for a number of other land and riparian owners who instantly withdrew their support for access and the tours, and were able to pressure the others to do like wise.

There was an attempt to stop the tours from occurring last year by the same parties.
Despite this, WCA ran tours last year, which avoided crossing or trespassing across the land and river ownership boundaries of these groups.
Permission to run the tours through the non-contentious sections has not been forthcoming for this year as yet.

Is a cancellation possibly because WCA does not like student events?

No. However, WCA are concerned that peer pressure leads to novice paddlers ritually receiving their first introduction to moving water at the tours. This pressure is usually from paddlers who are either not qualified to supervise groups on such water or from those who should know better. In the main these tend to be university groups.
Should the tours take place, WCA plans to implement a programme to educate both paddlers and leaders from universities about the responsibilities involved in paddling on the tours. This is by no means a ban on university groups.

Why is the WCA thanking Llangollen Angling Association?

And why is it thanking them for the use of “their waters?”
Legally the land and water is theirs! They not only own the fishing rights to parts of the Dee but are also the Freehold owners of the land and riparian rights for these sections. This includes access to, and from the water from the highway for these stretches. Llangollen Angling Association has been very supportive of access for, and proactive in supporting, the tours.

Why is access available for certain competitions and not for recreational boating?

Access for the competitive events is still available because the waters and land used by the competitions belong to one riparian owner who is willing to grant access this year for the established competitions but not at present for the touring events, due to their need to uphold their relationship with their angling governing body.

Does the WCA put competition above recreational boating when negotiating access?

No. We want both, and more importantly we want to improve the situation for both. If the riparian owner in question had said that access was only for touring and not for competition then we would have to run with this instead.

Why can we not run a shorter tour by simply bypassing the areas that have withheld permission?

We could do and will do if the relevant owners will provide us with permission for the tour. Whilst these riparian owners are sympathetic, permission from them is currently on hold.

What about bandit runs?

WCA is there for paddlers. We will not discourage paddlers from paddling. We do not condone breaking access agreements.
We advise paddlers that there are sections of water across Wales that are best avoided to preserve relations or to avoid conflict.
The choice to go afloat is yours. Paddle in a sensible manner at a sensible time. Please do not ruin access opportunities for others by being pig-headed. Please do not ruin others' enjoyment of the water. Contact the relevant access officer for information before you travel.

Will sending the WCA a heated letter, fax or email actually do any good?

NO! But if it helps you to let off some steam then please feel free to do so.
WCA’s Board of Directors and most of the staff are active paddlers and share your frustrations about the lack of access we have to inland waters. WCA has always been outraged by the lack of access we have to inland waters and has always lobbied for legislative change.
WCA are glad to see that this issue has touched a nerve with so many of you. Good, about time. Now finally it seems that the penny has dropped and that paddlers now realise that they too have to help resolve the situation, rather than just commenting and whinging about it , or leaving it to others.

Please bear in mind that WCA can only operate within the confines of the law. For WCA and/or independent paddlers not to do so would do canoeing no favours.
We all need to work together. If not, then all we do is play into the hands of those who oppose greater access.

What can I do to help?

Please send us a constructive letter or email that WCA could use to lobby for more access.
Please outline your concern, frustration and outrage at the lack of access that we have in Wales and England .
Please highlight that the present legal framwork does not allow access to water to happen, and if anything serves to preclude canoeing from happening. This being the case, the law needs to change to allow people to go canoeing.

Feel free to emphasise how disenfranchised you feel about the lack of a Dee tour as an example. Please emphasise the benefits canoeing has brought to you both socially and recreationally and indicate what benefits are lost to local economies and business through a lack of access.
WCA will forward your comments to the relevant authorities and organisations. Please forward a copy your letter to your MP or Assembly Member.
Please also respond when the WCA asks for further help with this and other access issues.

Is the WCA going to try and reinstate the tours for this year?

Simply put – yes.

What are WCA doing about it?

WCA will use best endeavours to sort this situation out amicably, and operate within the law to do so. We will continue negotiating, and then continue to press for events in the future.
We are also campaigning for the ability to paddle the river on a regular basis. We do feel that the tours are great, but it would be better to be able to paddle this river on more than three weekends a year.

Amongst other things, WCA is in direct contact with the Llangollen Chamber of Trade, who are concerned about the loss of benefit to business if the tours do not take place. The Chamber of Trade is proactively seeking to push the issue towards resolution. This is a first for canoeing.
Assembly Members and MP’s, the Environment Agency, Welsh Development Agency and Wales Tourist Board are all being made aware of the issues.

Please be patient. This issue may take time to resolve.
For more information as it becomes available, please keep an eye on the WCA website www.welsh-canoeing.org.uk. You can write to the WCA, Canolfan Tryweryn, Frongoch, Bala, Gwynedd LL23 7NU or email welsh.canoeing@virgin.net

feature archive