Lakelander Course
‘The Path of the Paddle’ BILL MASON
‘The Path of the Paddle’ BILL MASON
“ The sun glints at regular intervals on paddles swung with swift and tireless strokes…. Driving forward the fragile craft, high of prow and stern, with a leaping undulation that is the poetry of motion.”
- Grey Owl. The Men of the last Frontier. 1931.
- Grey Owl. The Men of the last Frontier. 1931.
One of the earliest forms of travel, with its origins in the humble dugout, the canoe has been in use for thousands of years. No longer a vehicle of trade, used by the lone trapper or weather beaten prospector, today the canoe is a means of exploring the natural world. Led by Steve Smith, Paul Weller, and the Woodsmoke team, you will be introduced to the age-old art of canoe-craft; paddling in beautiful hand-crafted Cedar strip canoes.
This three-day course will be spent learning basic boat handling and paddle-craft skills at a secluded tarn, high in the hills, surrounded by forest. You will spend the night around the open fire, using the canoes and tarpaulins as improvised shelters. On the final day we will transport the canoes to a larger lake, where you will learn the more advanced skills of open water canoeing. We will also look at the modern canoeing equipment of today, as it compares with the outfit of the first trailblazers. Food will be cooked on the campfire. Please bear in mind that for safety reasons and due to the nature of the course, the activities will be weather dependant. You will be expected to camp outdoors, but in the event of inclement weather, you will have the option to spend the evenings in an old stone boathouse, sitting around a log fire.- The history of the wood-strip canoe
- Canoe designs and equipment
- Introductory paddle strokes
- Water rescue and safety
- Canoe camping and campfire cooking
- Poling, lining and tracking
- Canoe fishing techniques
- Open water crossings
- Canoe sailing
19 - 21 Sept - Available
26 - 29 Sept - Available
Price: £295.00
Group Size: 10
Course Leader: Steve Smith
This course is run by ORCA (Open River Canoe Adventures) and is designed with the complete beginner, or novice canoeist in mind.
