A summer in Norway: a new classic...

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A beautiful day by the sea

Last week I took a few days off from rafting work to head over with friends to Valldal, home of beautiful scenery, amazing rivers, and the best gooey strawberry cake in the world. Fact.

Gaute Holthe emerges from the Valdolla's cave drop

After paddling the Valdolla and eating cake on wednesday, we met up with the local paddlers, who invited us on a mission to a possible first descent nearby. The next morning we woke up early, eager to see what was in store, and headed out across the Fjord. After several hours of rainy hiking, and lots of looking at a 'potentially deep enough' 15 metre waterfall, we returned empty handed, to check out 'plan B', the recently discovered Valldal homerun.

The sketchy waterfall; deep enough?

After a frustrating morning, I was hoping that the run would prove a sufficient consolation prize, and I wad not disappointed. Our guide Øivind refused to let us scout any of the run, insisting that it would be more fun this way, and fun it was.

Karl Engen on the big slide

The Mickeymouse-elva (as it has become known, largely due to my mispronunciations) is a beautiful low volume creek in a small wooded gorge, consisting of 12 or so drops and slides between 2 and 7 m in height. Horizon line after horizon line, Øivind would give us directions, which we would generally forget just as he disappeared, and then follow down anyway. The eddies are big enough to stop after each drop, yet small enough for the whole river to feel like one big combo rapid. Altogether, the run is probably a little under a kilometre, and there's a small road straight back to the top, making it possible to do as many runs as you have the energy for.

Mark Basso on a sweet boof drop

Myself on the biggest waterfall

Upon reaching the take out of what is definately one of the most fun rivers ever, I was duly informed by Øivind that I was now one of only 15 people to have paddled the river, and could claim the amusing yet hounourable consolation prize of a first British descent at least.

Take out on the Mikkemuselve

Next time you're in Valldal, drop in to the rafting centre in town and look for local raft guides Øivind and Nils. They're super friendly guys who'd be happy to take you down the Mickey Mouse run in exchange for a few beers.

Sunset in Valldal

More Valdolla photos coming soon.

Nick

A summer in Norway: a big loop.

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There are times when being a safety kayaker feels like the most fun job in the world.

More soon...'

Nick

A Summer in Norway

Gaute Holthe, 3 paddle strokes into the lower Rauma.

I've been here in Norway since the end of May now, and have been on the water almost every day since then. 
There's plenty more to come, but I thought I'd start with a couple of photos of yesterday's trip to the Lower Rauma.

The Rauma is a classic Norwegian pool drop river, consisting of big drops into big pools. The lower section consists of  9 or so drops, varying from big scary and difficult, to bigger scarier and more difficult. The first two waterfalls are two of the most incredible runnable drops you will see anywhere, partly because they both have even more spectacular unrunable waterfalls (the two branches of the Ulvåa) right next to them.



Ulvåa meets Rauma. Photos simply don't do it Justice. Drop 1 can be seen top left.

As It turned out, due to the massive amount of water still coming down the Ulvåa, the Rauma below the confluence was a touch on the high side. This, combined with the thick cloud coverage,
heavy rain, and general tiredness of the group aided in our 
decision to quit whilst we were ahead and 
come back with better levels and better weather.
It is, however, well worth getting on just for the first two drops alone.



Yours truly, on the lip of number 2.




Dave Carroll rocks the put on slide.




 Slide Number 1 from below.

Stay tuned for more Norwegian action, coming soon.

Nick.

Spring In Italy.

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The Italian alps in spring are home to some of the worlds best kayaking. A crack team of british creekboaters took a week out from university exam stress to eat drink and kayak in one of Europe's finest playgrounds.

(Above: Nick Horwood in the Ayasse gorge, Photo; Tom Laws.)

Pat Clissold on the Soana, Photo; Nick Horwood

The Soana is Situated about an hour northwest of Turin. Put in at the top, and you get about 10 km of bouldery class 3 - 5 Rapids in a spectacular steep sided valley, with only one path out at the half way point. We found perfect levels, glorious sunshine, and an epic day of top class kayaking.

Lunch at the Soana put in, Photo; Nick Horwood

Tom P rides Cave Drop on the Sermenzina, Photo; Tom Laws

The Sermenzina is one of my all time favourite rivers, with top quality class 4-5 boating, the highlight of which is known as Cave Drop. It consists of a slide drop into a dark cave, followed by a tricky boof through a nasty retentive hole with a big undercut. Our team had a mixture of sweet lines and a nasty beat down, taking a while to extract a boat from the sticky hole.

Nick Horwood styles Cave drop, Photo; Tom Laws


Tom Laws on the Gronda, photo; Sarah Nash

After 5 days of rain in Val Sesia we decided to head south to the Aosta region, an found ourselves getting on the Ayasse. The Ayasse is another Italian mini classic, consisting of a tight, committing grade 4-5 bedrock gorge with a big triple drop/slide combo at the exit. Once you've paddled down into the last eddy above the triple drop, the only way out of the gorge is down the 30 footer (either in your boat, or by throwing it and jumping), with no possibility of safety at the bottom until somebody's run it. This makes for an intense experience, and the view back up the drops afterwards is spectacular.

Tom P Boofs, the Ayasse, Photo; Tom Laws

Tom P on the triple combo of the the Ayasse, Photo; Tom Laws

Park 'n' Huck - the Video

Norge Part 2: Classic Park 'n' Huck...

On the upper section of the Raundalselvi, just past where the road ends, there is a waterfall. A modest 5 metres, soft landing, perfectly clean. We took a sunny afternoon to relax & huck this Norwegian gem.

Photo: Ben Durrant
Nick Horwood & Mat Morrissey


Photo: Mat M
Nick H

Photo: Nick H
Mat M

Photo: Mat M
Nick H


Photo: Nick H
Mat M

Photo: Nick H
Graham Milton on the slide below the drop

Norge part 1: The Dirty South

A six hour drive south from rainy Voss lands you in Telemark, home of skiing, unfeasibly hard war heroes, and super sweet, California-in-miniature style whitewater. We arrived in early June, hoping to catch the end of the season, and arrived just as the last of the boating water was leaving. After setting up camp at the foot of the legendary homerun, we headed off in search of a first evening's park 'n' huck, in the shape of Popo Falls on the Goyst.

Think of Scotland's Allt a' Chaourrain with 3 times the volume, warm water, warm sunshine and a big pool at the end. After decking ourselves down until we couldn't carry our boats any more, we relaxed in the sunshine and warm water, before heading back to camp for a beer.


After a long, hot day scouting the nearby Austbygdaai (or Tessungselva), and running a few low water sections, we headed back to the classic homerun, the one we'd been saving. 5 clean waterfalls in a row, between 2m and 7m in height, big enough to get the heart going, friendly enough not to need bank support, an enormous pool at the bottom, a sweet place to camp, and a 16m high cliff to jump off. Although water levels were below ideal, the sun was shining and the Maar is by any standards a waterfall kayaker's heaven.


After a final morning's hucking on the homerun, we packed up and headed north to find more water. We found lots more. The Numdedalsaagen is one of Norway's longest rivers, and although still relatively near its source, the 'Zambezi' section boasts some awesome high volume whitewater. We managed to scrounge free camping in exchange for some safety boating at 'Serious Fun' rafting, and enjoyed a few days of relaxation, big water and big hot tub action with the locals and raft guides.


The southern Telemark region of Norway doesn't get the same attention as the kayaking hubs at Voss and Sjoa, however, the boating is world class, the weather is warm, and It's a much shorter drive from Voss than Sjoa is. Go there.

Norway '06

As the winter ends and here in europe and we look forward to the boating season, a look back at last summer's action seems a good place to start.

Some images from 5 weeks in Norge:

Photo: Benedict Durrant
An evening in Sjoa


Photo: Sara James
Max Bilbow on The Upper Jori


Photo: Nick Horwood
Mat Morrissey on the Raundalselvi


Photo: Nick Horwood
An evening in Telemark



Photo: Sara James
A boof too far, Sogndalselvi