We are seasoned campers but with three kayaks and associated gear we soon realised that we needed to reduce the amount of camping kit we needed to take (we do like our camping comforts, back packers we are not).
With the dog packed off to Kennels for a weekend break, a fully loaded trailer and car full of kayaking gear we set off to pick up Alice straight from school and embark on our first complete family HCC kayaking weekend. Alice and I had previously been to Symonds Yat in 2014 which had been our first white water river weekend experience.
Two and a half hours later we arrived at the campsite and after booking in and getting on the camping field we were greeted by Dave Clarke. We were slightly separated as we had wanted electric hook up. Surviving the usual family stress of pitching, setting up and getting fed it was time to join everyone and sit around the campfire for a drink and chat about the anticipated adventure to come.
Saturday morning started damp and didn’t look as though it was going to change much for the rest of the day but who cares when you are there to do a water sport! We all left the campsite to meet up at Horse Shoe Falls where other HCC members who had travelled up just for the day joined us. In total there were 18 paddlers and we were split into three groups of 6. My group consisted of Jonny, Mark, Ross, Wendy and Ernie. Alice and Kat were both in separate groups.
We paddled to the first feature, nothing special, not a roller coaster or anything like what was yet to come, just wavy. I realised it wasn’t going to be quite how Kat had expected it to be, so I hung back to watch her group paddle through and in all fairness she took it all in her stride but I did hear her say to someone that her heart was pounding.
The next feature was to be the Serpent’s Tail. The groups got out as they arrived at this point. This is to view this well-known feature and to make their personal decision as to whether or not they were going to run it and if so to muse over the best line to take or to just be entertained by others who didn’t quite get it right. My take was I’ve not come all this way not to have a go! I was just about to get back on the water and noticed a red boat upside down further back it was only Kat, she’d only managed to capsize on a flat piece of water – allegedly some rogue rock! Back to my main feature of the day….The plan was to follow Jonny and use the same lines – “OK break in, keep paddling, first drop OK, second drop not going to plan, then bang! Smack straight into the rock face.” I then found myself turned round and going down the third drop backwards and now I’m just waiting for the inevitable, take another knock and go over. I set myself up and wait for the bubbles to calm slightly then put my roll into action. I made my way to the bank and clambered out. Two more improved attempts and I was happy and even managed some ferry glides in my third run. Mark, Ross and Jonny were making it look much easier making small eddies and getting some surfing in.
After leaving the tail we paddled through the various features until we came to the set of falls alongside Llangollen centre. Jonny executed an unplanned hand roll on the first rapid after doing some side surfing.
The middle stopper was again side surfing time. After watching the boys play for a while I went in for a surf, and after I came up from my enforced roll Jonny told me that I had not given enough edge.
The next feature was a surfing one, a bit bigger than anything I had done before. Again after sitting back for a while watching the boys play I was encouraged to give it a go. The instructions were “Just get the bow of the boat high”. Ok then, the bow gets stuck under the wave, not sure what happened after that, all that I know is that I am upside again waiting to roll. Roll done, didn’t get that quite right did I?
Next it is off to Town Falls; I have heard all the stories, seen the videos but never seen it in real life. So following Jonny’s line as best I could down the Town Falls we went. Success I was down in one piece with Mark and Ross following. That was Saturday’s paddling done. Those that were camping met in the campsite bar for a debrief drink and to exchange experiences of the day’s adventure.
Sunday started the same as Saturday damp and miserable. It was off to Bala and the upper Tryweryn for the more adventurous paddlers. I was obviously keen to have a go. The first thing that struck me was how fast the river flowed and how busy it was with Paddlers. The river was way faster than anything I have experienced in my short ‘kayaking life’. I thought “Hey what’s the worst that could happen?”
After being buddied up with Dave Clarke it turned out that the first stretch of river was just the warm up section!! “Warm up Section!!!” is an understatement, making me think what’s the rest of it going to be like?
Warm up done and it was on to the first stretch proper. Dave explained which eddy to head for first and we were off like a flash. Dave made the eddy and I was just washed straight by having not managed to break in far enough over the current to give myself a chance to make the eddy. End result was me going down backwards and capsizing and being rescued by an open canoe in the next relative calmer waters. With some helping hands from the bank I emerged from the water with legs like jelly. After getting myself together and taking a few deep breaths I was keen to get back on the water. Dave Clarke and I walked a few yards further along the river with instructions and guidance about tackling the ‘Grave Yard’ section. After psyching myself up and getting into my boat ready to go forth and conquer was disappointed to find my back rest strapping had given way. Despite lots of help from Dave Mcg Clarke on making some repairs I felt that maybe I’d bitten off more than I could chew and that maybe I should retire to fight the upper another day!
After a portage to Chapel Falls which was the meet point for all those wishing to join in for the lower Tryweryn which included Alice, Kat having decided to spectate on the Sunday. Again I was buddied up with Dave Clarke and Dave Mcg Clarke lead the group. We made our way down with numerous features and eddies to navigate in between stretches of calmer water.
I felt much more confident about making it down without further incidents, how wrong could I be. With all the submerged rocks and overhanging trees something else had to happen! After rafting up with Alice at the side of the river the arrival of another paddler pushed me into an overhanging branch which was not going to give thus tipping me over, with no depth for a roll I was forced to bail. Sometime later after negotiating a tricky set of grade three rapids a submerged rock jumped up and struck, forcing me to capsize and roll (without a brace in sight). I wasn’t the only one to fall foul of this terrorist rock, Alice did too but she also forgot that she knew how to brace and roll!
The final memorable feature was Bala Mill Falls. With most people taking the feathered route a handful of us went for it. Not knowing what was to come I was guided by those who knew how to tackle this feature. With Dave Mcg leading, the plan was to make the eddy above the falls then run the falls themselves. My inexperience meant I missed the eddy and went straight for the run. I made it down to the bottom to an audience that were anticipating some entertainment; however they were to be disappointed today! With everyone down it was a steady paddle from this point to the get out.
Cars loaded and back to the campsite, a BBQ followed and a pleasant debriefing evening sheltering in Dave Garland’s eight man bachelor pad!
Thanks all
Neil Smith