Brief River Description

The flat water brings you to the point of being bored, but there is enough to keep a day interesting and the harder sections are well worth the trip.
Can be run in low water but a medium level is probably best so nothing washes out.

Directions to the Put-in

Park at Lough Barra (car park there) that is on the R254 from Church Hill just outside Letterkenny, near Doocharry. River starts at other end of lake.

Directions to the Take-out

Take out either at Doocharry village or usually at the waterfall where fishermen have put a path through the forest and have surfaced a track into it.

River Description

Mainly flat with some grade 2/3 rapids in a great open mountain setting.

First main rapid is grade 4/5 (hard 4 in low water), a bed rock chute guarded with large over hanging boulders leading into a narrow chute (possible pinning)for the exit to a pool. Fast and quick, elbow pads a good thing to have, especially on your right arm.

More grade 2/3 rapids in small gorge settings.

When you reach a forest on your right inspect the next few rapids. First, just before a right hand corner has a chute that can be run on the right at low flow or go river left in higher flows.Leading into gorge a short slab then onto a 6ft drop into a pool, worth boofing to avoid pour-over hole.Stay river right but not too much as water coming off rock on right will push you into left wall as you drop.

Get out here or bimble onwards.

Local issues

A good salmon river so respect fishing season.

River level gauge

Slipway at lake car park, if water is about 2 foot from end then runnable but not if lower. Ideal if all smoother concrete is covered.

River Hazards

If there is names for these main rapids they are unknown, the old guidebook just recommends portages at these points.

Author(s)

Original Author: Stu Hamilton

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