Category: Breakout

Throughout the week there was a forecast of rain, with my ear to the ground I could hear murmurings of a paddling trip being formed to North Wales, by Thursday nothing was finalised. Saturday afternoon around 4pm my phone goes off with a text from Duncan saying they have been paddling today, the rivers are up and its still raining. At this time I was climbing in Leicester making the most of the glorious sunshine and not a spot of rain in sight. Within 10 minutes of arriving home my boat is on the car and im on my way to North wales,  Duncan and Natalie are sorting accommodation out while I drive only to be updated later on. 2 hours into my drive I pull over in the standard Dobby’s service station to get an update of where my bed will be, with sat-nav set im off to find Betws-y-coed youth hostel. 10:30pm I arrive to find the other two about to go to bed, im given keys to my room and the instructions to meet for breakfast 8am.

After a surprisingly good nights sleep in a very hot 8 bed shared room full of people, with rain lashing on the window by my head im getting breakfast waiting for the others. With the rivers being high and still raining we decide to go North and try the Ogwen, none of us had done it before but we had the guide. The guide did not help at all with the get in, after much driving round we found what we though was “a” get in, got changed, drove my car to the get out and went back in Duncans to trudge through a random forest to the river.

We had no idea where we were in relation to the get on but we know we were down stream and the Grade 5 section. We argued as to the grade as he guidebook said grade 4 but I think it was grade 4 with some 4+ the other two said it was a little lower and the guide book was wrong. The start was continues bolder gardens with decent sized pour overs, waves and rocks to avoid. We played follow-my-leader down most of it inspecting from eddies as we went. For those who came to Austria last year will remember I spent a lot of time with my spraydeck off sponging out my boat. Today was no different, the problem being most of the eddys were only slightly bigger than my boat.

We arrived at many horizon lines, boulders,  and a ledge with a large wave followed by a very technical get out at the bridge in a micro eddy to the waiting car. Its at this point I realise the error of my ways. We’re standing on the bank looking at my car with the dry kit in only for me to voice the fact my car keys are safely in Duncans car back at the start. Queue me running back up the road in canoeing kit to return with Duncans car 30 minutes later.  Boats loaded and were off for another run only this time from higher up.

Cars shuttled, keys in back of boat with me, were off. This was the start of around 3kms of new river to us. We came around a corner with me being at the back saw Duncan first go over the looming horizon line in front turn to the right and paddle somewhat enthusiastically, Nat followed and did the exact same turn to the right as well as the same  amount of enthusiastic paddling.  I knew something was there, down I go, end up hitting a rock which knocked me to the left only to be faced with a wall of rock holding in a huge stopper, large turbulent  eddy to its left with a simple line down by pointing right. I was getting it wrong and the odds were stacking up fast against me.  Can I make the eddy and use it to turn me round? Can I do this backwards? “ I don’t want to scratch my new boat on this rock, my god that’s a big hole” is whats currently  going through my head.  I went for the eddy  to turn my boat around, perfect only problem is my boat was falling into the side of this huge hole with a very aggressive paddle stroke im through although upside-down im out of the death grip of this hole.

After than more rock/ hole dodging to the end, followed again by the exciting get-out in the micro eddy, load boats and head home after a brilliant short notice river trip on what is now one of my top if not the top river ive paddled in North wales.

The Usk is a great little river down in the Brecon beacons, ideal as an introduction to moving water and a great little paddle with 3 sections. Over the Friday evening we slowly began to meet at the bunkhouse claim our bed and retire to the pub just across the road. By the time Saturday morning arrived and few others coming as a day trip we had around 14 people.  Out in the car park at minus 5 Deg C we scraped cars and headed off to the get in to get changed and shuttle cars.

From looking at the river from  the bank we thought it would be quite a scrape by 11am were on the water and it turns out it was quite a scrape, picking the best lines down involved finding the only place where there was  enough water to float the boat through. The first feature was a small rapid that we all got out to inspect with some people running down it others portaging. By this time the sun was out and the day was about as beautiful as you could get, there couldn’t be a better place to be paddling with the dramatic mountains in the background with the autumnal feel to the whole day you would not have guessed its towards the end of November. Shortly the first rapid we came to few natural drops in to pools of which everyone had a go at with no swimmers or problems just smiles all-round from them new to white-water.

With many small rapids each getting more water than the last leaving the shallow rocky stretches far behind us we paddled on to a total length of around 9 miles. We were all thankful when the end was reached as the short boats on flat water take a lot of energy to keep moving. With a small amount of standard faf at the end of the day involving getting people back to the correct cars, this was soon forgotten once in the pub with a few beers and great food.

Discussions for the Sunday involved one of two options either a section on the wye which should have water but is quite long or a shorter section on the Usk, due to how everybody was still feeling it from the day before it was decided on the Usk again.

The shuttle this time was only short as the road was very direct we unloaded into a field full of other kayakers some of which had turned up by the bus load. This was as much motivation as we needed to get a move on. Within a very short amount of time were back on the river. This section of the river which is further downstream than the day before had much more water in so rock dodging wasn’t so much of a problem.  The main feature of the day went by the name “Mill Falls” this is a series of drops making a really enjoyable rapid. Everyone had a go and passed down without incident. A selection of different techniques were used, the slow eddy hopping method, the follow me down the line method, the “this is not the planned line” line and by far the best named method “The Train”. Everyone made it to the bottom still upright so that’s a good outcome.

The river was ideal level with plenty of practicing breaking in and breaking out ferry gliding resulting in a role by Sarah at which point she learnt how easy it is to trip over an eddy line. With a well formed boulder garden we were able to employ more river running techniques and get some practice in. within a few moments we reached the bridge to get out and back to the bunkhouse for nice hot showers and in the cars to go home.  Another great weekend and a great introduction to moving water for some of the newer members.

This trip will be running again in the new year to take in the section of the wye we were unable to do this time.

When I saw that Andy Davis was running a trip on the Usk I thought ‘great that’s just what I want to do.’  Having done the WW course and a couple of Matlocks, his comment that is was an ideal progression into white water sold it to me and I signed up straight away.  Over the next few weeks it grew in my imagination into something more like running the Grand Canyon and I started to wonder if I’d done the right thing.  Cut to 23rd Nov. and a fine if rather fresh Saturday morning, having had a very comfortable night in the bunkhouse which was warm, clean and very well equipped  (with more spoons in the kitchen that you could ever need!).  Scraping frost off the cars underlined the certain knowledge that the water was going to be cold and I resolved to remain the right way up for as long as possible.  The put in for day 1 was about 20 minutes’ drive and with, a fairly minimal amount of ‘faf time,’ we were on the water for about 10:30, fourteen in all.  Not the raging torrent of my imagination but a gentle, picturesque river.  There was a quick safety check from Peter, so then I knew we had first aid kit and a shelter, there was a bit more faf time while someone sorted out car keys and then we were off.  A couple of easy rapids and some very pleasant paddling on the rather low water – I scraped my bottom a few times – before arriving at the first drop.  We all piled out and made our way along the bank to see what was ahead.  I have to say that, to my ‘newbie’ eyes, the drop was quite impressive and the sound of the water added to the drama.  But Andy, Steve and the other ‘old hands’ talked us more juniors bods through the best route and what to do and what to avoid.  They also made it clear that there was no pressure to do it and it would be fine to portage.  So, back to the boat and with confidence, and determination that was 80% fake, I let Sarah go first.

Then I was off and heading to the drop.  It was actually quite easy (although I’m sure I made it look harder) to keep the correct line and I was over the drop in no time.  Everyone else made it safely too and so we moved on to the next.  Now much more confident and really enjoying the trip, the next two drops were successfully negotiated by all and the group’s mood was high.  The rest of the day was a delight, there were plenty of rapids to run and rocks to negotiate (actually rocks don’t negotiate, they are really quite stubborn). Some we ran through and some was for playing in and there were some sneaky hidden rocks that tried to tip you but nothing that was really difficult. Back at the bunk house thoughts turned to the route for day two. There was some speculation about water levels and whether the Wye would be a better option. Also whether or not the land owner would be running a shoot that day – Andy thought ‘probably not’ which wasn’t really that reassuring!  Day-two and the latest plan was to stay on the Usk.

Nine miles on day one had left some with aches and so this was to be about half that.  The weather was cloudy at first, so not such a pretty day, but that meant it was a bit warmer too.  Advice for the day was that it would be a bit more technical, which I took to mean ‘concentrate.’  There were eight of us stalwarts remaining and the paddle started much like day one with rapids and rocks with bits of play time too. Then the we came to a very interesting feature which was a drop with a rocky rapid to follow. Again we had a good look and planned the route before taking it on.  This time there were some lines that you really didn’t want to take – but everyone made it through successfully.  Next there was a boulder garden; by now I was quite focused on spotting and (mostly) avoiding them whilst at the same time remembering the mantra ‘hug the rock – rocks are you friend.’

It really was a great couple of days and I learned a lot about reading the water and got some useful tips from the ‘pros’. It was, as Andy said, a great way to develop moving water skills, there’s plenty to do but also enough time between features to take it in. There were no swimmers – two paddlers went over and both rolled back up again, but I’m confident that any swimmers would have been picked up very quickly.

So if you can do the WW course and you want to get on a real river then look out for the next trip it’s what paddling is all about.