Racecourse
Kayak spot · UK
Whitewater: a river with rapids
Is it worth the trip?
60Good out of 100 for your dates
Best on Mon 2: Wind 4 kn gusting 9, Air 11 °C, River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go
Mon 2 · 62 out of 100
- Wind
- 4 kn
- Gusts
- 9kn
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Tue 3 · 61 out of 100
- Wind
- 6 kn
- Gusts
- 12kn
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Wed 4 · 58 out of 100
- Wind
- 8 kn
- Gusts
- 17kn
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Thu 5 · 59 out of 100
- Wind
- 8 kn
- Gusts
- 14kn
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 0.2 mm
Fri 6 · 61 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 13kn
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sat 7 · 59 out of 100
- Wind
- 2 kn
- Gusts
- 6kn
- Air
- 9°C
- Rain
- 2.4 mm
Sun 8 · 58 out of 100
- Wind
- 2 kn
- Gusts
- 8kn
- Air
- 10°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Mon 262, good
- Tue 361, good
- Wed 458, fair
- Thu 559, fair
- Fri 661, good
- Sat 759, fair
- Sun 858, fair
- Mon 955, fair
- Tue 1059, fair
- Wed 1161, good
The spot in four facts
- Grade III+at its hardest
- Moving waterthe water
- 2 kmthe section
- Best in Jul6 good days in 7
Full forecast
every day, every number
The score doesn't know the river level, weirs or your skill.
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Air | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2Nov | 62, good | 4 kn | 9kn | 11°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 3Nov | 61, good | 6 kn | 12kn | 11°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 58, fair | 8 kn | 17kn | 11°C | 0 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 59, fair | 8 kn | 14kn | 11°C | 0.2 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 61, good | 3 kn | 13kn | 11°C | 0 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 59, fair | 2 kn | 6kn | 9°C | 2.4 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 58, fair | 2 kn | 8kn | 10°C | 0 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 55, fair | 4 kn | 10kn | 8°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 59, fair | 5 kn | 12kn | 10°C | 0.6 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 61, good | 4 kn | 8kn | 11°C | 0 mm |
Wind and gusts are in knots, rain in mm. River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go. More
Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.
Best time to go
best in Jul
Good kayaking days in a typical week, each month, for grade III paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan0of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb0of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar0of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr1of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May4of 7: a trip from Sat 1 May
- Jun4of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Jun
- Jul6of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Jul
- Aug5of 7: a trip from Sat 7 Aug
- Sep4of 7: a trip from Sat 4 Sept
- Oct1of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov0of 7: a trip from Tue 3 Nov
- Dec0of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Dec
Tap a month to see this spot for a trip then.
Typical weather, not a forecast, and not the river's level: a month that is often good to be outside may still be low water.
Map
put-in, take-out, its town
Racecourse on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Racecourse
A river section on the River Leven, from a put-in down to a take-out. Grade III to III+, on the international scale. It runs 2.0 km along the river. Suits grade III paddlers and up, by its grade. 2 paddling schools, clubs or hire within 10 km, the nearest 1.6 km away. For grade III paddlers the best month is usually July, with about 6 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Newby Bridge. Within 5 km we also list 1 wind sports spot and 1 kayak spot.
- River River Leven
- Grade Grade III to III+, on the international scale.
- Length 2.0 km along the river.
- Who it suits Suits grade III paddlers and up, by its grade.
- Access No source states the access rules: check locally.
- Schools, hire 2 paddling schools, clubs or hire within 10 km, the nearest 1.6 km away.
Spots and rivers: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Whitewater sections © Rivermap (rivermap.org), Riverzone and Jonathan Riddell, ODbL.
The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).
Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,390–US$2,600 each
about US$1,390–US$2,600 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, hire car, stay, food, kayak hire.
Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 2 November 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to EDI, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bag | about US$423–US$886 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | about US$141–US$235 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$322–US$543 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$315–US$584 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or about US$114 to fly your own | about US$188–US$349 |
| Total | about US$1,390–US$2,600 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Newby Bridge
Ad Links marked Ad may pay us if you book. You pay the same, and they never change a score. How we earn
about 5 min by car · 22 places to stay
about US$121/nightcountry average
About Newby Bridge its beds, food and every spot near it
About US$121 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 2 November 2026.
Getting there: about 15h 30m
About 15h 30m door to door from Chicago
Fly ORD → EDI, direct, then 3h 35m by road
Flights ORD → EDI on your dates · AviasalesAdeSIM for your phone · Search on AiraloAd
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Newby Bridge · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Newby Bridge · GetYourGuide
River level
River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go.
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
Stoked 1.6 km
Windermere Canoe Kayak 9.9 km
Lune Access/Egress 25 km
The nearest named schools, clubs and kayak or canoe hire within 25 km, in a straight line. Listings, not a recommendation. Schools, clubs and hire: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits
Saved: this link opens the same trip
The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.