Bures Coracle Regatta
Our event is all about meeting up with like minded people and paddling around a bit. Everyone is welcome to join us from beginners to experts. We are all about getting people on the water and enjoying these historic craft.
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Since we launched the Save Our Heritage Huts Appeal last year, we have received donations of nearly £1100, for which we are very grateful. However, we still need to raise more - in order for our bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund to be successful, we need to provide 'match funding' - for our appeal, our target is £5000.
Not your normal venue for a coracle venue, but on a pleasant September Saturday, a sizable crowd gathered in Hackney Wick, East London, for an afternoon of activities on the water.
Photos: Daniel Weill
We were asked to attend the Annual Basketmakers’ Summer Meeting on 23rd June at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthenshire where they were displaying and demonstrating traditional Welsh craft basketry.
We displayed our traditional Towy coracle and several photos of how the coracle is made and it’s history.
This year’s Annual General Meeting and Regatta were held at St Fagans: National History Museum near Cardiff by kind invitation of our Archivist, Dylan Jones. After the formalities of the meeting, members were invited on a tour of the archived coracle and net fishing assets at the museum.
In the 2009 Journal, Alan Grove wrote: “It is quite extraordinary that two sheds, used as coracle making workshops by two ‘famous’ coraclemen, should have a question mark hanging over their future existence at precisely the same time. They are namely that of John Christmas Thomas (‘Jack’ Thomas, 1904-1976) of Cenarth and the Rogers family workshop at Ironbridge, Shropshire, last used by the late Eustace Rogers (1915-2003).”
After a year off, the Macmillan World Coracle Championships took place on Friday 15th June at the Pengwern boathouse in Shrewsbury. Despite the dismal weather and the deluges of the preceding week, the river was only slightly faster than previous years. Just as well, as most of the competitors are not expert coraclers. Needless to say there was a satisfying number of capsizes. The wise were wearing wetsuits under their fancy dress.
"I've been interested in coracles since I can remember, in fact I built one in the early seventies with a view to going down the Thames, but my expedition partner pulled out and that was that for about 35 years. However last year I attended a coracle building course with the Nautical Archaeology Society at the Cranbourne Ancient Technology Centre and built my own Bronze age style boat, very similar to my own design from years ago.
A Coracle Demonstration and Coracle Race was held during Carmarthen’s annual River Tywi Festival on the 9th & 10th July. On Sunday, Malcolm Rees and David Siggery, both members of the Carmarthen Coracle & Netsmen’s Association, demonstrated the art of coracle fishing to the huge crowd that had gathered to watch on the Quayside. The Coracle Race saw several members of the CCNA race against each other.
It has been over 50 years since I explored the backwaters and backwoods of Norway as a young man, spending two successive holidays there with a crowd of friends from Teesside. I was delighted therefore to receive an invitation from woodsmith Maurice Pyle, who runs a green wood workshop and training school in the old Flint Mill at Beamish Museum.
24 July 2024
If you've been following our news, you will know that a new project has started this year with the aim of preserving the craft of coracles and coraclemaking, rated as endangered on the Heritage Crafts Association's Red List, for future generations to enjoy.
24 July 2024
We're looking for volunteers to help with the Five Miles From Home challenge. This may be familiar to you if you read the item in the 2023 Journal from member Gary Fruland, who took part in this international event last summer.
24 July 2024
The Society is sad to share the news of the passing of former committee member, Brian Pearce, aged 92.
24 July 2024
Ironbridge style coracle for sale. Well used but in good condition and watertight. Originally built in 1996, has been re-covered many times. Can be put straight on to the water as is, but may benefit from some light repair/restoration. Offers in region of £200 considered, buyer collects from Cheshire
Please contact Euan Raffel for further information
Our event is all about meeting up with like minded people and paddling around a bit. Everyone is welcome to join us from beginners to experts. We are all about getting people on the water and enjoying these historic craft.
The Carmarthen River Festival is back on Saturday 17th August from 3pm. (Rescheduled from July due to river conditions)
There'll be the ever popular Raft Race, Coracle Races, Rowing Race, Duck Race and FREE Canoe, Kayak & Coracle Taster Sessions.
River demonstrations with plenty of dryside entertainment, cookery demos, FREE funfair rides, children's coracle pool, climbing wall and plenty of stalls selling food, refreshments and ice cream.
Annual coracle regatta and races, plus raft race. Licensed bar and BBQ. Part of Cilgerran Festive Week
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