River Seiont report for Saturday 4th January 2014

[Richard D]

The river Seiont starts it’s life in Llyn Padarn, the lake in Llanberis. It leaves the North West end of the lake as the Afon Rhythallt and the put on point is known as the Pont Rhythallt pylons. historically the old stone bridge at the mouth of Llyn Padarn was the put on, but Salmon spawning beds near the egress of the lake now prevent this and being an environmentally friendly club we wouldn’t want cause any problems or conflict.
U K Rivers guide describes the trip as a top quality grade 3 read and run paddle for its entire length of 13km.
The Welsh Rivers guide book describes it as 11km of grade 3 with one grade 4 rapid, which is early on in the paddle and a gradient of 8 metres per kilometre. Looking at the O S map the nearest contour line to the get in is 110m and it obviously finishes at sea level !
So a group of 8 made the journey and for 6 of us it was to be our first run of this great and infamous river, one a few of us had been hoping to get too for a long time. There was no debate about other rivers, we’d made our minds up this is where we were going.
Mark had kindly volunteered to take us on our first run ( not that he needs an excuse to go anywhere for a paddle ! ). He’d already put us all at ease by turning up with his Pyranha Loki.
With the water level gauge at Peblic Mill reading 1.06 and after a few minutes of warming up at the get in we were on our way on water that looked better quality than most tap water. 10 minutes in and we’re at the grade 4 rapid. Mark gives us a description and the line to run. Rob and myself decided we’d rather just run it than be put off by looking. So Mark set off and over the first drop, vanishes into a hole with only his helmet visible for a split second, ( it was at this point I thought I bet he wishes he hadn’t chosen the Loki) then off he shoots for the next drop. I follow over the first drop and into the hole but come up heading right and towards a fallen tree which we’d seen from the eddy above. A few choice words left my lips (fortunately nobody could hear) this isn’t good I thought, but spot a gap between the branches, it’s my only chance of avoiding a swim or nasty situation, phew’ as luck would have it I make the gap, scrape, bump, brace and I’m through.
I turn back to see how Rob is doing, fortunately he’s got the line right but he’s just rolling up ( apparently for the second time! ), but he’s sideways now and catches another rock and is over again, this time losing his paddle !! Superbly he hand rolls, his arms shoot out like balance beams and he starts hand paddling towards an eddy river right ( at this point I’m thinking he’s just showing off now. ) Mark forsakes his own paddle so that Rob can make the eddy. Sadly none of this is captured on video, but it is true, honest. Rob later admits that he’s not done a hand roll for over 10 years, even in the pool, but he was determined not to swim. Just brilliant.
Unfortunately, most of the other guys who had decided to have a look at the rapid first and had witnessed all this, decided discretion is the better part of valour, and decided to portage.
The rest of the river is as the guidebook says, a continuous series of read and run drops, pour overs and weirs. Great fun, great paddle, great group, but special thanks to Mark for his leadership skills which may be called upon again soon as a few of our regular paddlers, Nigel and Keelan (both injured), Geoff (working) and John (went up the Albion to watch West Brom lose 2-0 to Crystal Palace !!) will all be wanting to go there soon. So we can all go again too !

[Barry]

Good write up rich of a cracking river thanks to mark and every body for a fantastic day

[Rob]

Thanks to Mark for wearing shorts (January) Dave for driving and everyone’s company . fantastic start to 2014 . My first proper scrap in white water in years . If I met that rapid in the pub I would of bit its nose off . Still buzzing , great day .

[admin]

Cracking report Rich,and a grt day,can’t wait for the lighter nights.Dark when we left and when we got back.Big thanks to Mark again 😉

[Nigel]

Great write up Rich, that grade 4 sounds interesting would love to have seen some footage of it, not the excitement particularly just the rapid etc. Well done to Rob by the sounds of it !
I can’t wait to paddle this River.

Well done to all who paddled.

Cheers 😉
Cheers

[Mark]

Nice report Rich glad all had a good time , it really is a cracking little river and gives the club another river trip destination in the future. So next time anyone up for pushing the grade up !

[Author]

Posts