A great weekend in North Wales. 2 Fun busses loaded with excited paddlers and a couple of coopy-downers for good measure.
We stayed in a bunk house at the foot hills of the mighty Snowdon (after turfing out the sheep and cows who normally live there) from where everything you needed for big fun was on the door step. Day 1 was straight to the Canoe centre where a release was guaranteed. No pics I'm afraid all to busy having fun. A great day playing on some cracking features. Only one incident when Sponge bob AKA me, decided to test the power of a stopper and was treated to a munching. While totally in control of the situation, I lost my boat, my paddle, and 3 layers off my helmet! Johnny -the rescue -tip top was there like a super hero throwing ropes, climbing trees, making rescue equipment from sheep's wool and pickled gherkins. After saving me he bolts off down stream to recover boat and paddle in a single bound, the stuff of legend ! Oh and Gadget watched! Paddling over we headed for the pub, lashings of ginger beer and grub.
After a night in the cow shed with a full farting, snoring and genital scratching ensemble, we awoke to the sound of a nutter screaming something about socks and cocks and how it had been pissing down all night. A look outside saw water pouring from every rock and crevice. It was on for a good day. We set off early and were on the river in no time and entered the river on the Upper Llugwy at Jims bridge. Levels were high and flow was quite fast..(how high and fast we found out later on).
As this stretch was unknown to us we ran it in correct fashion leaving behind our usual half arsed mountain cowboy approach. This turned out to be the wisest of moves for the river held many sudden surprises. Rapid upon rapid and drop after drop this was turning out a belter of a day. We portaged for the first un-runable fall at Pont Cyfyng which on inspection would frighten the crap out of anyone with half a brain cell. A short walk around the fall and we re-entered to view the fall from below - Spectacular! More drops and rapids to grade 5 followed until we met the mother of all falls. To run swallow falls in one go would be impossible and only a few have tried in lower water and in sections. Some of these ended in disaster. I did not have enough wax on my paddle so decided to give it a miss this time! We walked passed the worst drops on the falls and climbed down a steep sided gorge to re enter. To give some scale to the drop from top to bottom level, we used a throw rope to lower ourselves and kayaks to river level. To get there we used the full length of a throw rope 3 times ! BIG drop.
The excitement continued all the way to the runs end at Bettws-y-coed bridge by now we were all fair cream crackered and pumped right full of adrenalin.
This is a run we are all keen to do again and next time with cameras!
Five thumbs showing some skill Part of Swallow falls
Sponge bob sinking as usual
What happened to the coopy downer I hear you ask?
Last seen frozen to trig point on top of Snowdon!