How to get there - Barcombe Mills Road off the A26 north of Lewes
Get a map with driving directions to
start or
end (enter the postcode of your starting point at A)
Suggested Launch Site - The launch site is under the bridge on the Barcombe Mills Road. The steps were clear of brambles and the launch was easy.
General
Description - High tide Newhaven was at 08.08. We left a car at Southease and launched at Barcombe at 11.30 assuming we'd have a good run on a falling tide. The trip was quite interesting owing to a neap tide giving low water throughout. A fair amount of flotsam litters the river at narrow points, especially the cut around Hamsey. This included scaffold boards, pallets, pipes and bollards. The cut was so low that we had to walk the boats through parts and fight the reeds almost all the way, not to mention having to portage round the weir at the south end. Still we managed to find a clear stretch for a swim, a fine bank for lunch, complete with ripe blackberries, and saw a good deal of wildlife including heron, buzzards, and little egrets. The water was low through Lewes requiring another portage just south of the brewery, then a clear run through to Southease with the tide still falling at 16.15. Fabulous weather and a great day out!
