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Playspot: England, Hampshire, River Itchen, Wood Mill

What's it like

There are two playspots to pick from but you need to get your timing right or you'll miss out.

The first is a sluice gate which is unchecked and can be fairly hazardous. It's very shallow around the edges with some nasty stones that will leave your boat looking a bit tarnished. It's fairly good for pirouettes and the like but nothing more than that.

Around the corner and past a small jetty on the right you'll find the second playspot. At low tide the water from the up stream salmon pool flows down forming a nice wave to surf. As the water drops on the lower side of the weir the wave can change to a stopper on the right side. It's perfect for practicing your cartwheels or just trying some enders. To approach the wave you need to stay to the far right as the boils can be quite powerful to those not in the know. The more rain there has been the bigger the wave will be. During the summer it's pretty tame but when the rain comes it gets a lot more interesting.

Rain affects the weir quite a bit. The weir is fed by the river Itchen which flows through a gate into the salmon pool above the weir. The more water there is in the Itchen, the more the gate opens, so the wave can get pretty big and fluffy. Unfortunately the gate adjusts itself quite frequently so you will find that it surges a bit.

The salmon pool is the property of Woodmill Activity Centre, and you're not allowed to use it at all, so stay on the bottom weir. Your best bet is to go to the centre before getting changed and ask to look at the weir first, as there is a nice viewing platform in the compound at the back of the centre. If you ask nicely enough they might let you use the changing rooms but don't count on it.

How to get there

You need to get yourself on the M27, take junction 5 off the M27 and head towards Swaythling at the Roundabout. Go straight over five sets of traffic lights and you'll see a left turn which goes over a bridge. This is Woodmill Lane. Follow the road down a slight hill until the road narrows to a single lane of traffic. You will find yourself just outside the Woodmill Activity Centre. You can park your car in a car park further up on the left hand side, or turn right just after you pass the centre and park on the grass.

More info

For tide times, check the web site of the Woodmill Activity Centre or give them a call: +44 23 8055 5993

Locals

Occasionally you get a white water raft come down but nothing much more than that. You'll probably see other paddlers but only on a weekend.

Info sources

Toby 'Britney' Spires

Nearest weather station (°C):