English: Fall below Barnard Castle Although this fall is caused by a natural ledge of rock, it has been used as a weir, the old mill buildings on the NE bank now being houses. As an obstacle on the Tees, this is the first fall canoeists meet after putting on to the river at the Desmesnes just upstream. It can be an awkward drop, as the horizon line hides the large rock below the obvious line until the last moment and I'm sure I'm not the only paddler to have put a hole in a boat hitting it in cold conditions - a sharp right turn going over the edge is the answer. This photo shows a low level, typical of the summer months, and quite a bit more water than this flows in the winter, when canoeists may often be seen here. At much higher levels, the aerated water below the fall builds up so that the drop is not so high, and in flood, it washes out completely, although the waves below it are then very turbulent.