SCA Access Committee

Purpose

The Access Committee looks after all aspects of access in canoeing.  It works to an Environmental Policy, which seeks to preserve and enhance waterways of all kinds.  It promotes the concept that canoeing is an environmentally sound and healthy activity which is as valid as any other, and that the sport has a long history of access to water in Scotland.

Access for All

The Access Committee seeks to educate all paddlers into accepting that in return for free access they must adhere to a sensible and responsible Code of Conduct.  The Access Committee meets at different venues round Scotland and is made up of River Advisers and representatives from each of the SCA technical committees (including all coaching, recreational and competition).  However, other paddlers with an interest in access and environmental issues may be co-opted onto the committee.

How to get involved

Eddie Palmer, the National Access Co-ordinator, is the Chair of the Access Committee and co-ordinates access policy.  He's the person to contact is you are interested volunteering to help with access issues.  Volunteers are needed to a variety of projects including serving on the committee, acting as river advisors, getting involved with local access issues, representing the SCA on local access forums and preparing Touring and Sea Guidebooks in a similar vein to the White Water River Guidebook.  (Yes, this hugely successful book was all the work of volunteers!)

What the SCA stands for on Access

The over-arching belief of the SCA is that as paddlers, we have a freedom to travel over water, akin to the walkers freedom to roam over land.  The SCA policy is not to enter into agreements that are formal, legal or binding in their intent.  However the SCA promotes shared use of water resources and will discuss appropriate concessions where these are deemed to be in the interests of all parties.  If you are not yet a member of the SCA, and like what the SCA is doing on Access, then you can join on-line here.

Further Information

• For information on Access to coastal and inland waters see the touring pages.
• For information on Access to competition sites contact the relevant competitive committee.
• For current issues and specific river information, see the access to water pages
  
• For general river information, contact the relevant River Adviser.