Adventures on the River Usk - from Brecon to Usk

The warden of Tyn-y-Cae Youth Hostel gets his first taste of paddling his own canoe, thanks to Manchester Canoe Club.

Canoeing and camping: for members of Manchester Canoe Club this is the best way to spend their leisure time. They are seen here setting up their folding canoes and repairing any damage, negotiating white water on the River Usk, coping with the odd capsize, enjoying a picnic of sandwiches and tomatoes and relaxing on calm water. Includes shots of Eric Bartlett, warden of the Tyn-y-Cae Youth Hostel, near Brecon, who was being introduced to the sport.

Folding canoes, as seen here, with a wooden frame that could be dismantled and a canvas or rubber covering that could then be attached, were the order of the day before car ownership took off in the 1950s and offered easier transport facilities. The Manchester Canoe Club was a pioneer of Wild Water Racing and the Slalom, in which branch of the sport it has produced many a national champion over the decades.