The Magnificent Severn
Sep 10, 2010 - Sep 12, 2010
Linton Farm, Highnam, Gloucester
When Lieutenant Colonel ‘Mad Jack’ Churchill slipped his handmade 14 foot surfboard into the River Severn in Gloucestershire in 1955 he set surfers on a unique path, and the effects of his extraordinary feat continue to ripple out around the world today.
Already a surfer, he had spotted the phenomenon of the tidal bore – a massive surge up the river from the sea on Spring tides that creates a rideable wave several feet high. At that moment it is believed Lt Col Churchill became the first person in the world to surf a river bore.
Typical of British surfing pioneers he was quite a character, and fought throughout World War II with a longbow, arrows and a claybeg (sword), even felling an enemy soldier with his arrows.
Bore riding has now spread around the world including the famed ‘Dragon’ in China and the feared ‘Pororoca’ on the Amazon.
Here in England, the Severn Bore has been ridden for an incredible 7.3 miles (an unofficial world record at the time of writing), and now a special festival – The Magnificent Severn – has been created to celebrate this unique inland wave and the fragile environment of the river & its estuary.
You can join the bore riders between September 10 – 12 at Linton Farm at Highnam near Gloucester for this 3 day event which will coincide with a ’4 star’ bore… and much more!
Music, film, art and poetry (and cider!) will rub shoulders with ecology, science and historical talks and tours. Perhaps most importantly it’s an opportunity to see, and perhaps even ride, one of nature’s most remarkable natural occurrences.
With thanks to Bore expert Mark Humpage for the wonderful photos, and Tony Cope for the newspaper cutting from his collection.
Sadly, due to circumstances beyond our control the Museum of British Surfing won’t now be at The Magnificent Severn Festival, but do please go along and support the organisers and this fantastic event.
bore, colonel mad jack churchill, feeds, river severn, surfing
