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Tryweryn

Afon Tryweryn rafters

Afon Tryweryn is a river in North Wales. It starts from Llyn Tryweryn in the Snowdonia National Park and after 19 km joins the river Dee at Bala. It is one of the main tributaries of the Dee and has been dammed to form Llyn Celyn. Water is stored in winter when rainfall is high, and the water is released over the summer to maintain the flow in the Dee (water from the Dee is used as the water supply for large areas of north-east Wales and for the Wirral and much of Liverpool). These releases are usually between 9 and 12 cumecs (m³/s), which is enough to provide suitable water levels for kayakers and rafters during the summer months when natural rivers throughout Wales are often too low.

Canolfan Tryweryn

Canolfan Tryweryn is the National White Water Centre for Wales, and is based on the bands of the river Tryweryn. It developed the first commercial white water rafting operation in the UK in 1986, and since then has grown to become the largest and most well-respected rafting organisation in the UK. The centre also run a number coaching courses for canoeing, kayaking, play-boating, safety and rescue as well as running BCU/WCA Canoeing Star Award assessments.

The centre charges a fee for canoeists (BCU or WCA membership grants a 50% discount) and issues a day ticket to be displayed whilst on the water. And several other rafting companies use Canolfan Tryweryn's facilities and the river Tryweryn to run commercial rafting.

The River

The whitewater rapids along parts of the river have been modified by placing boulders in strategic points along the course of the river to create eddys, drops and playspots (for a description of the most famous playspots, see Playak - Canoe & Canoe News).

The river is generally split into three sections: The Top Site, The Centre Section and the Lower Tryweryn.

Top Site

This constitutes the section of river leading from the setting basin below the Llyn Celyn dam along to the chipper (a metal fish trap, so called because it resembles a chip-slicer). This section is a nice grade two, with a good play-hole (the "Top-Hole") and is often used for safety and rescue courses. Officially there is no raft or canoe access to this top section.

The Centre Section

This section (commonly known as the "Upper Tryweryn") is the main part of the Tryweryn, it runs for approximately 2km from the chipper down to the Tyne Cornel camping site (there is no public river access at the campsite without prior permission for the owners). This section is a good Grade III bordering on IV in places when the dam is releasing 10 cumecs (m³/s) or above. It contains most of the main features of the river (in order of occurrence):

  • The Graveyard - This is a long 'rock garden' featuring several minor drops and plenty of opportunities for eddy hopping down river.
  • The Ski Jump - Marking the end of the grave yard, this river-wide drop resembles a Ski slope and ends in a large stopper wave.
  • Fedwr Gog Falls (aka "Miss Davis's Bridge" or "Stone bridge") - Another river wide drop, this one runs under a bridge and the stopper wave has been known to catch un-wary paddlers.
  • Café Wave - This is a nice playspots right next to the centre and Café, often used as a 'park & play' wave),
  • Fingers - This rapid runs from below the Café Wave down to the NRA bridge, and takes it's name from a rock formation just below the surface that resembles a hand pointing.
  • NRA (National Rivers Authority) Bridge - Another good playspots, it has recently been modified to improve the wave.
  • Chapel Falls - This grade III/IV drop has a retentive stopper below, but can be easily run by keeping central. It takes it's name from the chapel situated on the left bank.

Chapel Falls marks the end of the Centre section and paddlers who do not with to continue on to run the Lower Tryweryn should egress river right before the Tyne Cornel Campsite.

The Lower Trywryn

Running the 4km from the Tyne Cornel campsite down to Bala, this is a good Grade II bordering on III section of river and is highly recommended for intermediate whitewater paddlers. The section finishes spectacularly at Bala Mill Falls. This grade IV drop can easily be portaged, and is usually the first Grade IV rapid many UK paddlers attempt. The Lower river is not managed like the Upper Tryweryn, although the centre has been known to remove fallen trees and other obstructions/hazards quickly.

See Also


International River Grading

The International River Grading System is a universally accepted method of rating water corresponding to technical difficulty and the skill level required to paddle them. Where a river or rapid is given a grading, it is in reference to this system.

Grades:

There are six levels, each commonly referred to as "grade" and then the number. The scale is not linear, nor is it all encompassing. There can be hard grade 2s, easy grade 3s, and so on. Often a river will be given a numerical grade, and then a plus (+) or minus (-) to indicate if it is in the higher or lower end of the difficulty level. Also descriptive words such as "good", "moderate", "easy" etc. are commonly added to give an idea of the difficulty. It should be noted that even though a river or section may be given an over all grading, it may contain sections above that grade (these are often noted as features and details of portages may be given). Obviously also a Grade III will likely contain sections of Grade II water between rapids.

Source: Welsh Canoeing Association's Grading page

Grade I

A Grade I (One) river will have long sections of flat, slow moving water, with occasional minor rapids and a course that is easily navigable.

Grade II

A Grade II (Two) river may have regular sections of rapids, some moderate waves, weirs and easy eddys.

Grade III

A Grade III (Three) river will have numerous rapids, irregular waves and moderate drops, harder eddys that may recirculate. The river may have a broken flow that might not always present a clear course. On the whole from-the-water inspection should be possible.

Grade IV

A Grade IV (Four) river will feature long, difficult rapids with highly irregular waves, large drops, and difficult eddys and whirlpools. The course of the river will often be hard to recognise. Off-river inspection of larger features is advised, although not always possible.

Grade V

A Grade IV (Five) river will be similar to a Grade IV, with larger features and less predictable flows of water. Courses are difficult to find and will definitely incur a risk to both paddler and equipment. These sections will normally be relatively short, with a high gradient. A pre-run inspection from the river bank is VITAL.

Grade VI

A Grade VI (Six) river is at the pinnacle of technicality and difficulty. There is a definite risk to a paddler's life. Often a Grade VI will be a single feature within a Grade IV or V section, such as a water fall. Bank support with rescue lines is seriously recommended.

References


See Also

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