Two day canoe trip and wild camp on the River Wye - Glasbury to Bredwardine in a Hou 13.

Two day canoe trip on the River Wye from Glasbury, Powys down to Bredwardine, Herefordshire. A leisurely 18 mile paddle over 2 days passing through Hay-on-Wye, Whitney and finally Bredwardine bridge. The star of the show being undoubtedly the river itself and the countryside surrounding it. Sure, you could probably do the trip in less time, but what’s the point in that if you can’t linger over the beauty of a place and take some time to truly appreciate it. A night on the river bank was the icing on the cake for me - with just the sound of the river passing by and the stars up above on a clear night.
Filmed with Canon EOS760D with various lenses and GoPro Hero 3 & 4 Black ed.
Edited in Final Cut Pro X.
Music:
Shallow waters by the Sea Offs, Album: Sea the blind.
Algonquin by Philippa Dowding & Allister Thompson, Album: Birches.
Let me Rest cover by Three Rivers, (used with permission).
River Song by So Brown.
All tracks listed above are licensed under a Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. Apart from Let me Rest which is used with kind permission.

[@CedricTheSecond]

Another cracking video, Andy. As a solo paddler myself, a leisurely trip along quiet waters with nothing for company but nature and the gentle plop of the paddle, is soul food at its best. A beautiful account of a lovely little trip. The clip at 5.45 caught my eye - you gently pootling along in the foreground with the aircraft blasting past in the far distance - a contrasting study of the pace of life! Truly excellent stuff. Happy paddling, Jim.

[@MrAndyballard]

Very eloquently put sir! Yes the aircraft was a military job flying really low - what timing to have it appear in my shot?! Pootling indeed, a lovely term and an accurate one for being out on the river.

[@ALoonwolf]

Oar bonuses: Double the power with each stroke, on both sides together, taking you straight instead of always weaving slightly side to side, and each oar is geared individually by changing the fulcrum point of the lever: Oars close together = low gear, oars far apart = high gear. Both oars can be used as one handed paddles for fine control in tight spaces. Wet end of oars never drips water into the boat, and splashes from the oars are far away from the boat.

[@Muzzeo]

Beautiful video. I feel blessed to have been born in Herefordshire

[@MrAndyballard]

Cheers! What a glorious place to be born in, I'm over on the other side of the channel, but I'd love to be closer to the Wye valley, it's beautiful alright.

[@mikeodonovan7325]

excellent video thank you for putting it up classsssssssssss

[@MrAndyballard]

cheers Mike, glad you enjoyed it.

[@kristaps2010]

Perfect little trip. Thanks for sharing.

[@MrAndyballard]

Thanks Kris, for whatever reason I can't reply to your other comment on my other vid. YT has been really weird of late. There were some other comments I couldn't reply to either. Really, really odd.

[@paulpaul5606]

Great vid I enjoy it immensely I’m doing the river wye trip in two weeks I absolutely cannot wait. with a new Conoe 😀

[@MrAndyballard]

Cheers, it's a lovely river alright. I haven't been over that side of the Bristol channel this summer (yet). There's still time tho.

[@WyeExplorer]

A really pleasurable 7 minutes Andy. You captured the mood of two days well and managed to acquire some pretty cheeky shots. Fabulous stuff. All the best. Mark

[@MrAndyballard]

Good on ya Mark, two days is never enough on that river, it whets yer appetite. Cheeky shots, yes indeed ! sticking a GoPro on the bow of yer boat for half an hour and having the front to call it a canoe movie is a bit lame in my books ! ATB

[@WyeExplorer]

No never enough. I'm hiking the Mid Wye this weekend with a couple of wild swims along the way - I've timed it well I think. Maybe I'll get a few cool shots. Lame or not it was a good canoe flick.

[@mandycampbell329]

What a stunning film! Didn't want it to stop. Nice to hear you talking while paddling down river. Nice one Andy👏👏👏

[@MrAndyballard]

Thanks Mandy, always appreciate your positive comments - I didn't want the trip to end!

[@scottyneedsa3037]

Thoroughly enjoyable watch. Outstanding little film & the new Canoe looks great too!!

[@MrAndyballard]

Thanks for kind comment. Hou 13 is a lovely little canoe indeed, we could do with a few days of heavy rain though to top up the rivers down here, as they're a little low.

[@wrzlgummidge7663]

Very nice vid, thanks for sharing. Nothing beats a smoke next to the campfire! atb

[@NewfoundlandKayakCompany]

Not too bad yourself Andy. Your work is great.

[@MrAndyballard]

cheers. We don't have quite the same open spaces as you do over the pond, but what rivers we do have are very beautiful and well worth paddling.

[@hobbit2209]

Beautiful shots and stunning imagery :)

[@MrAndyballard]

Marvellous Mucky, cheers, check out the river sometime!

[@margott.244]

It feels serene, beautiful.

[@MrAndyballard]

It is. I'm just planning another trip before summer's out. You deserve a top comment award, I do appreciate your positive comments on my films, thank you.

[@margott.244]

xx : ))))

[@billygoatfilms7531]

This is definitely a FIVE STAR Canoeing film. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@MrAndyballard]

Very kind of you to say so, much appreciated comment.

[@TheManifoldCuriosity]

Beautiful video

[@MrAndyballard]

many thanks, glad you enjoyed

[@lauriebloggs8391]

Just found found this........what a beautiful and well narrated little film, thank you! Love the second song!!

[@MrAndyballard]

Glad you enjoyed it, the second song is a cover by a Bristol 3 piece close harmony group: three rivers... it's an old blue grass classic. You'll find many covers of it on YT. Title: ‘I am weary, let me rest’.

[@lauriebloggs8391]

@@MrAndyballard Just wonderful...........just subscribed :-)

[@MrAndyballard]

@@lauriebloggs8391 Good on ya! there's a few more recent canoe films on there... the Avon nr Bath. Hopefully more to come in the spring/summer.

[@lauriebloggs8391]

@@MrAndyballard Off to have a look!!

[@SuttonWildOutdoors]

Really enjoyed your Wye films. Planning another trip this month. Your commentary and filming technique makes easy viewing.

[@MrAndyballard]

many thanks for watching. I'm itching to do another Wye paddle soon. I found May to be the best time (IMO) as it's before the fishing season starts in earnest and it's quieter.

[@SuttonWildOutdoors]

@@MrAndyballard Although I fish myself, sometimes there are too many barbel fisherman but I guess they say the same about canoeists. So between March 16th- 16th June is good.

[@DoubleUThings]

Thanx. You always know how to put a "still" mood in your videos (if that's the right English word for is :-) ) I like it!

[@MrAndyballard]

Cheers Wim, I think I know what you're getting at, nice & mellow perhaps! what other way is there to be?

[@DoubleUThings]

Yeah, that's right! Niiiiiice & Mellllloooooowwwwww.... :D

[@richardlycett6862]

Fabulous stuff!! Really getting in the mood for next week!!

[@MrAndyballard]

You'll have a ball... watch out for shallow sections though... the level will be even lower than it was here given the run of hot weather we've had.

[@richardlycett6862]

Andy Ballard yeah. Even down the Severn between Bridgnorth and Bewdley where I generally paddle, there are shallows you scrape even in non droughts! My canoe isn’t that precious but it is rather solid 😀

[@MrAndyballard]

How was yer trip ?

[@richardlycett6862]

Andy Ballard it was awesome. Wind on the nose all the way and lots of shallows, I also managed to drown my drone. I’ll be testing it tomorrow and hopefully it’s dried out and works....😞

[@MrAndyballard]

send me a link if you put together a vid, be really interested to see your trip. I've taken a drone on the Wye once, it's just one more thing to worry about not getting wet although aerial footage can be awesome.

[@julesamy1]

Great film mate. I love the water and am a 30 year surfer. Just looking at kyaking for me and family. This is exactly what I hoped to see.

[@MrAndyballard]

That's good to hear. Ocean, river, lakes... it's all good! A sea kayak may be the way for you to go then. Cheers for positive comment.

[@mateo_dequ]

nice video man!!

[@MrAndyballard]

Thanks for watching and the positive comment!

[@dpfisherman]

another cracking video mate, keep it up :) may catch you on the river one day haha

[@MrAndyballard]

Good on ya... best place to meet people on the river !

[@Joe-zd8zt]

Brilliant video, really enjoyed it! I'm heading down to the Wye next week for a night of wild camping. I was originally looking at Hoarwithy to Symonds Yat (drawn by the AONB) but having watched this and read some of the comments I'm thinking I might do a bit further up, maybe Hay to Hereford. Probably won't get started until gone midday after the drive/taxi but will likely paddle into the evening. Do you think I'd struggle to find somewhere around Byecross to camp while avoiding fishermen? I'm guessing they fish into the evening too? Thanks for uploading this, I bit of effort must of gone and its really appreciated.

[@MrAndyballard]

Glad you enjoyed it Joe. Ah nice one! Symonds Yat gets VERY popular especially at this time of year, it’ll be rammed. Hay to Hereford is a nice quiet trip tho. having said that, it’s fishing season now and it will be busy/popular with fishermen. If you look carefully, you’ll always find a quiet spot, it’s all about being open to possibilities I think. I can’t remember exactly… but we passed Byecross and then found a lovely secluded wood on river right. It was a steep climb up the bank, but it was such a nice camp spot. We weren’t disturbed at all. I can’t give you a map ref, but if you look at a map of the river and find Bridge Sollers, check out the stretch about half a mile/ one mile or so downstream and look for a wood on river right

[@Joe-zd8zt]

Thanks for the tips Andy. Happy paddling.

[@costas_karpi]

Quality video......just what I needed as I am looking to get a 12-13ft canoe.....I was thinking about getting your canoe, the Hoe 13 or the Old Town 119....after watching your video I am prefering the Hoe 13.......might see you along the river one day...All the best

[@MrAndyballard]

Makes it all worthwhile getting comments like yours. The hou 13 is a great little canoe, I can lift)portage it on one shoulder. Highly recommended & only 22kg approx, get yourself one!

[@jalford5089]

Andy, what size are you? Just for a comparison. I’m thinking of a Hou 13 and I’m 5.7 and 70kg. The weight is very attractive but still unsure as to the size. Cheers. Nice vid btw

[@Martin-kq3qw]

Hi Andy, I am a new subscriber and absolutely love the videos and information on the river laws. A friend and myself are hiring a canoe at Ross-on-Wye and are intending to do a 3 day wild camp trip, from Friday and returning Sunday. Could you advise any routes and timescales. Thanks Martin 👍

[@MrAndyballard]

Thanks Martin, always good to get positive comments, it makes it all worthwhile! I’d say that if you’re heading downstream from Ross (from what I’ve heard) it’s def a lot harder to find quiet spots on the riverbank to camp on. I’m not saying it’s impossible… but you’ll find a lot of ‘keep out’ and ‘private’ signs along the river bank.I've had the river to myself at times as I tend to go in the middle of the week (weekends can be crazy with hire company crowds and hen/stag parties, urrgh). The middle Wye, i.e from Glasbury down to Hereford is less busy than Ross heading downstream, (as you have Symonds yat etc). I haven’t done Ross on down - only Glas to Hereford and Hereford to Hoarwithy. The 3 day trip from Glas to Hereford was great, 3 nights. Just right which allowed us plenty of time to loaf around & film etc. Also it’s fishing season now and there are a lot of fishermen about (not all welcoming to canoeists either). Still, it’s a shared resource and as I keep banging on it does belong to all of us! It’s a lovely river, enjoy your trip!

[@Martin-kq3qw]

Cheers buddy, great help I’ll look on some maps, roll on September 6th. Keep up the good work atb Martin

[@Kiki-mc2hv]

We used to start where you’ve started now but there weee complaints about us taking too long and ruining the grass but hope you can still be able to launch from there 😅

[@MrAndyballard]

By the scout hut? I'd heard that some killjoy fascist was making noises about people launching there but have yet to see or hear it. What's the matter with people?

[@nictorrance1345]

Hi Andy, new subscriber here, loved the video, thank you. I am curious what kind of taxi you arranged to take your canoe and gear upstream?! I would love to undertake a journey like this but the logistics are escaping me at the moment. I would be so grateful for any tips you have. Many Thanks!

[@MrAndyballard]

Well thank you for the positive comment Nic. There are a couple of operators that will take you and your gear up and down the Wye valley to the put in and take out spots. “Kenny's taxis" is the more well known one but he's currently not operating under the present conditions. I used a lady called Louise (she has a van with a dedicated trailer for canoes) from Hay Taxi Bus for this trip. In my opinion, it's always better to park your own vehicle at where you intend to take out, then get the taxi to take you to the put in spot. That way when you're at the end of your trip you have your own vehicle waiting for you where you parked up originally. Best time to do the Wye (IMO) is early spring as the fishing season hasn't started. Mid June onwards, it gets a bit over subscribed with rods AND canoes - not a good combo.

[@nictorrance1345]

Thank yo so much Andy, really appreciate the info! I have now watched all of your vids and think they are fab. It looks like what is local to you is local to me and you have inspired me to get out and about more! Please keep posting :-)

[@Kiki-mc2hv]

By the way if you want a little scavenger hunt there used to be a huge tree that has fallen half way down one of the cliffs but if you find it , it would be something cool to talk about in the future videos on the wye

[@OneLifeOverland]

Interested to know how you got a taxi to cart your canoe around. I want to do same, albeit ill have an inflatable so should have even less trouble, if at all. Great video by the way, really well put together.

[@MrAndyballard]

I've had more than a couple of those questions... there are 2 very well known taxi companies in the Wye Valley that are kitted out to ferry you and your canoe about: ‘Kenny's Taxis’ and ‘Hay Taxi Bus’ one has a trailer the other a roof-rack. However, I can't see you experiencing difficulty hauling an inflatable around, surely that would fit into a regular car boot 👍

[@OneLifeOverland]

@@MrAndyballard I imagined you might have done :) I imagine it would easily fit in a boot. However, my thinking was more around a random taxi picking up a very wet boat and putting it in their nice clean dry boot especially if their next run is to collect Doris and her shopping from Asda. A company that is used to dealing with canoeists might be slightly more amenable to that idea. Thanks for the names, that's really useful to know.

[@EdHolland]

Wonderful video, thanks Andy. What type of canoe is this, if I were to search on google?

[@MrAndyballard]

It's a hou13 made in the UK. Generic type of canoe is a 'canadian' - meaning open instead of covered like a kayak. Hope this helps.

[@EdHolland]

@@MrAndyballard Thank you so much, working my way through your videos, loving every minute

[@JosephStealin]

Love that paddle, is it the Grey Owl voyager?

[@MrAndyballard]

I believe it is! I love your avatar... gave me a giggle.

[@felixhayes2404]

Lovely inspiring video. What taxi did you use?! With your canoe too?

[@MrAndyballard]

Thanks, glad it inspired ya. I think it was Hay taxi's on this trip. It was a lady named Louise I do remember that - she had a trailer attached to her van. She took me from Bredwardine to Glasbury.

[@felixhayes2404]

@@MrAndyballard thanks for the reply. Amazing. I'm off next week!

[@warrenphilbey]

Great video, well done. I'm new back to the UK and this area, in your opinion would this trip be doable in an inflatable kayak?

[@MrAndyballard]

Thanks. Yes definitely! I met a few inflatable paddlers on this trip. I've just posted a new vid of a different section of the Wye (Hereford to hoarwithy). A bit more popular, but still a great paddle.

[@warrenphilbey]

@@MrAndyballard Many thanks for the quick reply and info. This has been on my mind for a while, but after seeing your vids I'm itching to get out there! Cheers

[@CorDeGeleia]

Thansk for sharing! looks like a good time :) When you finish, do you have someone who comes to pick you up?

[@MrAndyballard]

Thanks for your comment, I arranged a taxi to take me from where I would finish (where I left my car) to where I put in, so that when I ended my trip I finished where my car was parked, easy!

[@CorDeGeleia]

Andy Ballard thanks for the reply! Brilliant! When I came to see your answer the video was playing back and I noticed you already said so hahaha thank you :)

[@ALoonwolf]

Those day boaters were probably going upstream so it's easier to get back. :) You might consider a row boat instead of these ridiculous narrow boats everybody is always falling out of. Row boats may be slower than these kayaks and canoes but what was that quote at the beginning all about again...?

[@MrAndyballard]

Well... each to his own I guess. I'm never in a hurry to go anywhere in my canoe, I take it all in as slow as I care to paddle. Yeah, a few people do fall out of canoes, but you'll find that it's mostly the drunken stag party clientele that load crates of beer into their boats and then capsize because they're larking about & too drunk to balance. I've seen it countless times... not a pretty sight.

[@thomasrobinson5549]

Hi Andy. You've inspired me! I'm planning a similar trip with 10-year-old son this summer. One practical and possibly silly question: did you have any issues camping on shingle beaches? I'm worried my lightweight tent might rip and it might be uncomfortable sleeping on the stones (even with a decent mat). Did you find grassy banks above the shingle? Also, did you use bags of stones to hold the guide ropes? Thanks

[@MrAndyballard]

If I've inspired you Thomas then I consider it worthwhile making these films, thanks. A very practical question indeed... the size of the ‘shingle’ does vary a bit, that first camp I found large stones and I had to move around the bigger stones to make a sort of flat patch. Didn't take long though and I wouldn't let it put you off. There are grassy/muddy patches about if you're willing to look, it's just a case of being a bit canny. I was also able to bang in the tent pegs using a bit of drift wood. A good matt certainly helps, I've never been uncomfortable on one. Hope this all helps, don't be put off by the naysayers either who tell you that sleeping on god's earth is illegal... it's your world too mate!

[@thomasrobinson5549]

@@MrAndyballard Thanks. That's really helpful. We'll look for somewhere quiet after Hay as you did. Do you remember how far on you went? My son might get tried if it's too long on the first day. Totally agree about wild camping - we need an everyman law like in Finland, where you can walk, canoe and camp freely (just not in back gardens).

[@MrAndyballard]

@@thomasrobinson5549 Actually, it's not that far at all. I seem to remember a long straight stretch, then a right hand bend with gravel beach both sides of the mini valley. I did this trip in early June so do bear in mind that it's now fishing season and it gets very busy with fishermen. Some aren't that welcoming to canoeists, having said that I've never had any issues, so enjoy your own country!

[@joshcarra2152]

hi im looking on travelling on the river wye for some wild camping. where is roughy the best spot to do it?

[@MrAndyballard]

Ha... you and I both! Strange times we're living in, try strapping a canoe to your roof-rack and see how far down the road you get! Good luck. The middle Wye is def quieter than stretches further downstream, i.e around Ross and Symonds Yat, which is busy with tour groups to camp anywhere. It also depends on the time of year... fishing off-season (now) is the best time to go in a canoe or kayak - after the salmon fishing season opens there are fishermen everywhere (I mean everywhere) and it's hard to find quiet little secluded spots where you could put up a tent. I'd suggest starting at Glasbury and doing a 2/3 dayer down to Hereford, there ARE quiet spots, it's just a matter of being sensible and unobtrusive. Good luck.

[@joshcarra2152]

@@MrAndyballard hi and im guessing by saying trying to strap a canoe to my car and seeing how far i get you, mean by police? with the lock down? I only have a small boat with a electric engine so i'm looking to set of some where to camp but not travel to far as of the motor. So would you suggest i set of say by the hay on wye and possibly find somewhere close to there?

[@MrAndyballard]

@@joshcarra2152 exactly... I've been thinking the same, it's impossible to go anywhere at the mo. Chuck me an email (on YT about tab) and I'll give you a screengrab of G Earth of a good spot to camp.

[@joshcarra2152]

@@MrAndyballard yeah i know its crazy. i have a inflatable boat with a electric motor just looking to take me the wife and the 2 kids somewhere where we can kinda of have a small holiday and spend time in the wild where we feel relaxed to be honest, here is my email address thanks for the help. [e-mail]

[@joshcarra2152]

@@MrAndyballard sorry also i was possibly thing of wild camping on the river tee's do you know if this is any good also?

[@GK1976A]

How did you convince a taxi driver to take your rigid canoe for a ride? Most of the taxi drivers I know around there would tell you to get stuffed. We were fine with an inflatable stuffed in the boot.

[@MrAndyballard]

A nice lady named Louise, who runs Hay Taxis is kitted out with a trailer on her taxi - top service I'd recommend. She can take more than one canoe as the trailer is fairly large too.

[@obviouslytwo4u]

3:33 what is this song please please i love it

[@MrAndyballard]

It's a traditional country/bluegrass song, ‘I am weary let me rest’ covered here by Three Rivers from Bristol. In fact, there's a full length vid of them performing this on my channel.

[@angelakm6753]

Nice video, but no BA worn at 6:00 !

[@MrAndyballard]

cheers, ah well.... it comes down to personal choice I guess, sometimes I wear a BA sometimes I don't! when the water level is at most up to your waist it's not exactly deep!

[@angelakm6753]

No, but cold water immersion can cause lots of problems, even if it is only chest deep! @@MrAndyballard

[@sheledmikymo]

did you have to pay the illegal toll that geoff maynard and his goon's, are enforcing on canoe's passing through his fishing rights at Llanthomas??

[@MrAndyballard]

No I didn't, I haven't heard anything about that. It sounds outrageous to me, how can you charge someone to paddle on a river? Rivers belong to everyone, not just a few so called 'landowners'.

[@MrAndyballard]

@Richard Smout I will if I see em. They have some neck trying to extort a payment out of paddlers for enjoying the river - which belongs to everybody after all.

[@justadutchman5169]

Great video. 💯🫵🏼👍🏼🫡👊🏼✌🏼🇳🇱 🛶

[@MrAndyballard]

Nice one, greetings from England 🤟