Pollanassa (Mullinavat falls) River

Brief River Description

At the start a nice 12 to 15 foot waterfall with big pool at the bottom good for first timers and for photos.The river is short but is nice and tight, overhanging trees, tight sharp blind bends.Continuous flow with small eddies.

Directions to the Put-in

Take the N9 into Mullinavat (half way between Waterford and Thomastown).In Mulinavat take the turn off beside the field pub this is the first major left hand turn if coming from Waterford and the last right if going towards Waterford.Follow the road and you come to a fork in the road the main road swings right round a bend take the road that goes straight, past a GAA grounds.You will then meet a small bridge this is the get out we used.Follow the road for just over 1km a hand written sign for waterfall marks the spot there is a pullin on the left just before the sign park here.

Directions to the Take-out

Take out is the bridge you pass over as mentioned in directions to put in.It is a handy run if you have one car a nice senic walk back up to the car only 1km.When paddling down it is the last steep section and the only bridge on the run you meet is the take out small eddy just before the bridge on river left.

River Description

Firstly the waterfall is a 12 to 15 foot falls in low water it requires a tight line in sweeping a small s on top following the flow and the off as close to the middle of the fall as possible (the lines and places to shoot are real easy to pick when you are their)In medium water their is a small stopper caused on top which can easily be popped over ant the straight over and in big water just go for it stopper is gone and water flushes off the top.The right hand side of this drop can be a bit shallow so try avoid it.

The river from here down is real tight with many overhanging trees and the possibility of fallen trees in the water a small group is best we did it with 3 as their is only small eddies on the run.Sharp blind bends are frequent some have a nice small eddy on the outside of the bend to allow you see down river however some do not.Scouting may be hard most of the left hand bank is ditch and brambles while the right has access through farm lands. Some technical bits having to turn straight after a shoot to avoid other obstructions eg. rocks and down trees.Small drops with continuous rapids make up this stretch.

The water can get huge on this river their was trees wrapped around trees about four foot high off the level when we were on it last week 27 oct06 after the heavy rain.

No gauge that I know of the falls will be the best indicator and looking upstream when you pass over the bridge at the get out.

Local issues

None that i know of the falls is a public area used for swimming and stuff in the summer.Most of the bank is farmers land so pay respect. Dont block gates when parked and pull in as tight as possible.

River level gauge

Look up river at get out bridge and other than that the falls tells all

River Hazards

Fallen trees,Wires cross river for farmers cattle crossings, barbed wire on edge of river bank.

Would recommend not running below the falls down to the bridge, I ran it with a friend last weekend and even on low/medium water there was plenty of hazards for example, many fallen tree's down to the bridge, on high water many overhanging tree's would be an inconvenience.

Author

Original Author: Patrick McCormack
Latest Author: Tom Rose
(Full History)

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