INTRODUCTION Local paddlers working with the BCU have now created a small pour-over facility to one side of the main weir, which provides a useful summer facility.

WATER LEVEL Summer levels - when Hurley is down to 0 or 1 gate. Winter levels - high, when Shepperton is typi-cally on 10 gates and slightly too high but Mapledurham not quite high enough (Boulters can wash out if too high).

GAUGE Information is available at www.kayakojacko.com.

ACCESS 20 miles west of London, on the eastern edge of Maidenhead, north of where the A4 and M4 cross the Thames (904 827). Head for Maidenhead town centre. From there, follow the signs for Slough and the A4, this will take you eastwards. Just before the bridge over the Thames, turn left immediately after the petrol filling station, into Ray Mead Road (A4094). Drive along the road for about 500m (with the river on your right) until you reach the lock. Turn into the car park on your left, which is signposted. From here, carry your boat across the road, launch and paddle upstream. Turn right at the upstream end of the island and you will find the weir straight ahead of you. Paddle downstream, aiming for the right-hand end of the weir and portage down to the weir pool.

DESCRIPTION During the summer months, Boulters provides a small pour-over and when the Thames is high in the winter, the main weir can produce two, and sometimes three, consecutive fast-breaking, surging waves.Looking upstream, the pour-over is situated towards the left-hand (river right) end of the weir, between boards, towards one end of a long, concrete tiered shelf. To the right, further away, is the main weir, consisting of four large gates. The pour-over is a very retentive feature that is good for ends and steep blasts but not for the faint-hearted. Future permanent changes may be effected to make the pour-over more user-friendly.During the winter, when the Thames is high and all the main weir gates are opened, up to three waves can form. The second wave appears to work most frequently of the three. However, the weir is unpredictable and it is worth checking out the websites before travelling.

OTHER IMPORTANT POINTS The corner of the weir complex, between the main weir and side weirs parallel to the flow, is very dangerous. Do not access the top wave from the surfer’s left side (river right) of the main weir.The Kayakojacko freestyle event at Boulters is held every September. A relaxed and fun event.

Contributor: Chris Wheeler

Boulters Rodeo | James Farquharson

Pesda Whitewater Mini-Guide

BOULTERS WEIR #09

WWW.CANOEKAYAK.CO.UK

WH

ER

EV

ER

T

HE

RE

’S

WA

TE

R

W W W . P E S D A P R E S S . C O M

Excerpt adapted from Engl ish White Water, the BCU Guidebook

ISBN 0953195678, publ ished by Pesda Press, Caernarfon. For

detai ls of this and other books, as wel l as downloads of mini-guides and

route cards in this series, v is i t :

sponsored by

LENGTH –

OS SHEET 175

GRADE –

PESDA WHITEWATER MINI-GUIDE #09BOULTERS WEIR

OS map data reproduced with the kind permission of the Ordnance Survey

sponsored by

1km0Design & text adapted from the BCU guide to English White Water, published by Pesda Press, Caernarfon.