Outline Camping located at the Club site on Drayton Manor Theme Park. This is an ideal family weekend & suitable for all skill levels. Approx. 7 miles paddling on river and canal each day with fun and games on the lake in middle of Drayton Manor Theme Park on Saturday evening.

Saturday paddle on the R. Tame from Tamworth to Hopwas and back to Tamworth by mix of Birmingham & Fazeley canal and R Tame offers a slow, steady passage and is an ideal opportunity for newcomers & ‘established hands’ to paddle a route not frequently used. A circular route, no shuttle required. Once the Park has closed we can access the lake for our own fun session.

Sunday options, with choice depending on water levels river conditions etc., are: Polesworth to Tamworth via R Anker, R Tame approx. 6 miles OR Coton Bridge to Drayton Manor site entrance on R Tame and Birmingham & Fazeley Canal. This will be an opportunity to paddle through Kingsbury Water Park depending on conditions.

NB The Tame is a steady river, quite shallow in parts, but generally wide and with many reasonable bank areas so could be used for training sessions. Let me know if this is useful as we can maybe change things around.

NB All river activity subject to water levels at the time!

Programme
Friday:
3pm Site open for arrivals.
7pm to dusk –Sportsday practice – paddle on the Drayton Manor Lake.

Saturday:
10.30 am Castle car park Tamworth Ref: Pay and display £1.50 for all day North on Tame approx. 2.5 miles. Two weirs optional, a third to shoot or portage. Heron, Kingfisher, Swans and wildlife a plenty on river so camera useful. Transfer to canal at Hopwas Bridge via very steep upward portage. Lunch at Hopwas – can be canal side (portage area is wooded) or further into village at two nice pubs, the Red Lion (http://www.redlionhopwas.com/ ) or Tame Otter http://www.vintageinn.co.uk/thetameotterhopwastamworth/
Canal paddle approx. 4 miles south to Aqueduct after Fazeley then steep downward portage back onto R. Tame. Paddle 1 mile or so back to car park. Note that ingress/egress banking is quite steep so may take a time to get on/off water.
7pm. (After site closes!) Games on the Drayton Manor lake. Try your hand at backwards figure of eight around the islands or the three-hulled-challenge (nautical equivalent of the 3 legged race!) and other

Sunday Options (depending on water levels, river and weather conditions)
Polesworth to Tamworth via R Anker, R Tame approx. 6 miles OR Coton Bridge to Drayton Manor site entrance on R Tame and Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, which is an opportunity to paddle through Kingsbury Water Park. Shuttle required for either Sunday option.

Options for non-paddlers:
OFF –Site: Tamworth Castle; Lichfield Cathedral; Pooley Park and Heritage Centre (http://countryparks.warwickshire.gov.uk/country-parks/pooley-country-park/ ); National Memorial Arboretum (Remembrance Centre); Conkers outdoor park; Kingsbury Water Park; Bosworth Battlefield; Tamworth Snowdome (ski, snowboard, toboggan); Local walks and off road bike riding at Cannock Chase (Heath & Moorland BYOB or Hire) and Hartshill Hayes (BYOB). Steam Railway at Bosworth. Nearby towns are Nuneaton (Georg Eliot museum), Coventry (enough said) and Birmingham (couldn’t possibly comment!). Also Burton on Trent with its brewing heritage (Ah, Ha!).
ON-site: Woods to play in and routes/paths for joggers or off-road bikers. Contact me for info. If non paddlers would like to attend the Theme Park please let me know in advance and, if enough, then we can organise preferential group rates