A group paddling on the rapids
Welcome to our website!
Everyone has to learn to paddle somewhere and in Great Britain that somewhere is often Symonds Yat, a small rapid on the River Wye in the Welsh Borders.
These rapids were purchased in March 2003 by the British Canoe Union with the support of the Environment Agency following a successful four year long appeal by a local group to buy them on behalf of all canoeists.
The plans for the in-river work to restore the rapids are now well advanced with S&P Architects managing the project and Engineering Paddler Designs planning the in-river work. Planning Permission and Flood Defence Consent has been formally applied for and Sports England have approved the project's application for CCDP Funding subject to these applications being successful. A Contractor has been appointed and the in-river work should happen during September 2008.
All the documents & drawings submitted in support of the applications for Planning Permission and Flood Defence Consent are available on the page describing the proposed In River Work.
An Open Public Meeting was held on Wednesday 20th February 2008 at the Royal Hotel, Symonds Yat East for anyone interested or who had concerns about the project. After a brief introduction and resumé of the project's history two presentations were given which can be seen by selecting the following links: the first presentation by EPD explained the projects aims, proposals, environmental considerations and timescales while the second presentation presented the results of an Ecological Assessment of the Rapids by Cresswell Associates.
This web site describes where the rapids are and outlines their history. It details why the appeal began, how it has progressed and what we are hoping to do to preserve the rapids.