The Loop, River Dart

The Loop is a section of the River Dart, Dartmoor, also known as the Dart Loop.

It is perhaps the most popular section of whitewater for kayakers and canoeists in England. This section is preceded by the Upper Dart, and followed by The Lower.

The Loop is named as such because of the shape of its meander, much like a loop of string.

This section's length is approximately 3 miles (4.8 kilometres), but to drive by car from start to finish is only 1.3 miles (2 kilometres) because of river and road geography.

This section is graded at 2, with three rapids rated at grade 3. In very high water, some of the grade 2 sections will become continuous and push towards grade 3.

Most of the rapids have been named by watersports enthusiasts, and are officially referred to in guidebooks, such as English White Water: The British Canoe Union Guidebook.

In order of each rapid, they are:

The first rapid is Newbridge itself, a small wave formed before the bridge which can be played on at low-medium levels, washes out at high levels.

About 50 metres from Newbridge is river-wide wave, which gets better with more water going over it. Very popular with playboaters, with eddy service on both sides, and a bankside walk back to the car park.

Many grade 1–2 rapids follow. The river splits, with a gauge on the island, following that the River Webburn joins. Here a seam between the two river currents form, allowing squirtboaters to practise their sport.

A 1-metre grade 3 drop, with a stopper and wave train beneath it. The lead in pushes you right, the river left is where you need to manoeveure to.

In high to very levels the stopper is quite formiddable for novices; hence the name. Low-medium levels require little effort to pass through.

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