Ash River
Ash River · gauteng, free state
Grade
IV
Length
19km
Duration
4 hours
About
Experienced paddlers with reliable rolls only. Cold, fast, continuous, narrow river fed by the Lesotho Highlands outfall. Clay banks unstable; channel changes constantly - scout everything at any level. Put-in just below the outfall weir. Hazards downstream: a 25m weir shortly after the start, two low-level bridges, a broken bridge, further weirs, a tree across the water, a 2m fall, severe strainers. Best playboating is between the second low-level bridge and the R711 take-out, which also contains a dangerous class 5 rapid. Below the R711 toward the N5 the river eases. New weirs and channels are under construction - description may date quickly.
Access
Put-in
At car park next to river where outfall is. Take dirt road from R711
Take-out
R711 bridge
Permits
None