English: Ledge drops on the Upper Wear The section of the River Wear from Wearhead to Stanhope is the one paddlers usually call the Upper Wear, and needs quite a lot more rain to bring it into condition than the river from Stanhope down. It is runnable at a lower level than shown here, but not much lower. The Upper Wear above Westgate is characterised by lots of ledge drops and slabby rock slides, some with quite retentive stoppers. This pair of drops is just upstream from Daddry Shield and proved quite amenable for playing, but one a short way downstream proved to have a very sticky hole, so do exercise a little caution when paddling backwards or sideways to grab a wave !