12th & 13th November 2011* on the Upper Wye, staying at the Castle Inn bunkhouse near Talgarth.  The cost includes accommodation (with breakfast) for Friday night and Saturday and all tuition.  You’ll have to buy your own beer, packed lunch and evening meals.     You should hold ‘new’ WW 3 star in the appropriate discipline, or an old 3 star award and be confident on grade 2 water.  Your canoe must be equipped with additional buoyancy (airbags) and you will need to have the appropriate personal equipment for a winter’s day paddle on grade 2/3.   We will be paddling on the upper river Wye and probably also (depending on water levels) on the Usk.

The Castle Inn bunkhouse is very comfortable and warm with a drying room for clothes (not paddling kit!) You’ll need to bring a sleeping bag. The pub is welcoming with good beer and food. You can check out the syllabus on http://www.canoe-england.co.uk    Assessment follows later after you have logged a dozen or so relevant trips on different rivers and waters. 

There are six places available on the course and there are also a further 4 bed spaces (accommodation & breakfast) available in the bunkhouse for the two nights at cost price including breakfasts for anyone who wants to come along to paddle or walk in the area.   If you take up one of these you will need to be self sufficient on the river as each training course is limited to six candidates.

* There is also another 4* Open Canoe training course arranged, with Colin Broadway and David Savage at the same bunkhouse on the weekend 26-27th November.  There may also be some 'accommodation only' possibilities that weekend to fill up the spaces