Clare Glens - Clare River - Irish Whitewater

Brief Description

Lots of drops, rapids and holes. The main section, which includes the Main Falls, the Double Drop are ideally situated for spectators and photos. Always a good day out.

River Description

Top Drop
The Top Drop waterfall, a straight forward 9 foot waterfall.

Sidewinder
A drop that require a sudden change of direction to the right midair or upon landing.

Constriction
The Constriction is just below Sidewinder. It is a narrow slot, where the river is squeezed into two boat widths. On high water a breaking wave appears at its mouth, this can back loop some lower volume boats.

There is a break and then some more generic, but exciting rapids between this and the next section.

The Foot bridge
On high level when you see the foot bridge (or before it) this is where you get out because there are no further get out points until after the Big Eas waterfall.
The foot bridge has a sometimes sticky little hole under it just before the rapid that leads into Big Eas. The line is river right though this, hard river right on big water.

Big Eas Waterfall
Rapids leading into Big Eas Waterfall consist of a steepish section just below the footbridge. Then a fast rapid with lots of breaking waves. At the end of this the river turns almost 90 degrees and shoots 15 feet of Big Eas waterfall.

The Double Drop/Little Eas
Immediately after the plunge pool of Big Eas.Little Eas consists of two slides/drops that drop about 15feet. This can get sticky on high water, inspect yourself each time to get an idea of where the tow back is. Generally running it river right is a safe bet.

The rest is fairly technical grade 3 river running, with some rapids/drops.

Below the Bridge

At levels above 0.5 on the gauge the drops below the take out become worth while. The first drop is not very pretty and should be inspected, the are another 3 drops below this which are quite friendly. Take out on river right and walk through fields for 300m to a gate by the road at the noraml take out. These drops are surprisingly worth while but beware of trees on this section.

Safety & Access

Hazards

Constriction
Big Eas
Double drop
Trees. Always inspect the bigger rapids as trees falling across the river are a common occurance.

Access Issues

Car's have been broken before. Also the Locals dont like their gates being blocked by parked cars. When parking at the usual put in there is a yard on the right hand side before the rhododendrons. Pull in there but don't block any of the gates.

Water Level Information

The Meter under the bridge at the car park.
-0.4 Runnable
-0.7 High

Clare glens River gauge Located under the bridge at the take out car park

Above gauge washed away in 2012

Ref OPW on line gauge 25309 at Clonshingle Bridge

http://waterlevel.ie/0000025309/0001/day/

Directions to Put-in

Leave Limerick going towards Dublin.
Then take the turn towards Newport (R503).
Go through Newport, take the first right towards Murroe for roughly 2km.
The take out and best parking is at a parking area at the "Clare Bridge".

Map to the Clare glens river

There are two putins, each can be gotten to by two separate roads that travel upriver parallel to the river.

-The first Putin also known as the "long start" that can be can be reached by using the road opposite the car park. Travel up this road until you reach a T junction take a right, proceed until you reach a bridge this is the Putin.

-The second and most popular put-in is reached by going up a narrow road on the opposite side of the bridge from the car park. Drive up this road for about 1.5km, until a rhododendron hedge is visible on the left-hand side. There is dirt track that leads down to the river. (you will need to walk upstream to the "top drop")