[Richard D]

Glad you managed to get out today, sounds like your weather forecasting is better than the Met office.The rivers looked ok and my ratchet arrived this morning although a little late for me to make it. The Irfon looks a tricky one according to The Welsh Rivers book and you can no doubt verify ! Sounds like it was a day for a dry suit. See you Thursday for a de-brief.

[Richard D]

Yes Zaf this is something we can discuss at the AGM. With regards to river level at the get in, perhaps a photo of someone holding a paddle upright at a notable point and seeing how much of the paddle is submerged. We could then relate that to the nearest gauge level or in the rivers that don’t have a gauge themselves ie the Gam or Twrch we have a reference point for future paddles. Or what about sending Keelan in and seeing if he can touch the bottom !!

[Richard D]

Well done Mark, starting your training for the next Olympics in a slalom boat ?
Any chance if we had a whip round we could raise enough money to build a course a bit closer, say Bridgnorth on Severn !!

[Richard D]

Nice one Tim, Glad you had a good day and Keelan ran the Upper. Well done Geoff on running the lower which is strewn with trip hazards ! Too cold and too early a start for me, ended up putting up shelves in the launderette not quite so much fun.
No Scott or Nigel?

[Richard D]

Great to hear you enjoyed it Nigel and although I’ve run the Vyrnwy half a dozen times now, the lower water made it more technical and interesting and I enjoyed it more. I think the youngsters ( Keelan, Ricki and Chucky ) obviously had a good time as they decided to run the drops twice. We’ll do it again soon with another 3 or 4 inches of water on it and you’ll notice the lines are more obvious and there are far fewer boulders to catch you out.
Once again I forgot to take your new phone number so if you want to text it to me my number is 07831 185914

[Richard D]

Pogies had there first outing , although I think Geoff and Keelan will be adding them to there Christmas list as I didn’t get much chance to use them !!

[Richard D]

The Clywedog. Deserves a write up of it’s own ! It’s a dam release river and the E A gauge at Bryntail was reading 0.51. Bryntail falls (grade 4) is a couple of hundred metres down from the get in and if you hit the right line it looks a breeze, if like me you miss the entry and end up sitting on the rock too far river right then you’re in for a few seconds of feeling what it must be like for your underpants in a washing machine on a fast spin cycle ! A good incentive to get the line right next time. Anyway after Bryntail Falls it is just a 5 km Stretch of excellent grade 3 and 2 water all the way back down to Llanidloes again, same get out as the Severn. There are a few features to look out for on the way which are worth inspecting before running, one a man made weir which obvious by four concrete pillars sticking out of the river about 2 metres high. the two centre pillars are about a metre apart and that’s your line between the pillars ! Stay alert watch out for trees and its brilliant. Must go back soon.

[Richard D]

Hi Nigel I’m sure a few of us will be paddling on Saturday to, as yet an unknown destination !! I might suggest the Usk at the pool session tonight but it’s somewhere I’ve not been, so hopefully Barry will be available to join us.
Last weeks Saturday (20th Oct) paddle was on two rivers, the upper Severn and the Clywedog. We paddled the Upper severn first from Old Hall Bridge to Llanidloes. The E A gauge at Llanidloes reading 1.52 but it hadn’t been updated since Monday 15th and the water was obviously well down on that reading ! The access at Old hall Bridge was across a small paddock ( we asked one of the locals first). The river needed at least another 100mm of water here as at one point Barry actually got out and walked down the river and as we progressed several small streams entered and things improved with some decent grade 2 water to warm us up for the Clywedog. Just below Severn Park (an area with rope walkways, swings etc which can’t be missed ther is a weir described in The Welsh Rivers guide as “an almost certain portage as it lands on rock” Just below is a smaller weir which could probably have been run but as we were carrying our boats anyway we put on below it. As you near Llanidloes and the area begins to get built up, you enter what is probably the grade 3 section although due to the low water it was an easy grade 3 section. Then just below the Clywedog joins river left and the town bridge is ahead. Don’t miss the play wave a few yards below the bridge, we would have spent more time ther if the Clywedog wasn’t waiting for us !!

[Richard D]

Hi Mark, the Seiont is a river I wouldn’t mind running with you or Tim leading as you’ve run it before. What gauge do we need to use to find out if the level is ok and what level would you recommend. We’re looking for somewhere to run on Saturday if HPP is closed are you available ?

[Richard D]

Hi Tim. Still fancy trying the Twrch and Gam. Both Tributaries of the Banwy they are only 2 miles apart and so both could be done in a day ! Water needs to be medium to spate so I guess the gauge on the Banwy at Llanerfyl would need to be over 1.7 metres. The Gam is 9Km grade 2/3 with one Grade 3+ in higher water and the Twrch 5Km with a gorge containing 4 distinct grade 3 rapids

[Richard D]

yes great paddle Rich, but I agree a few more centimetres of water would have been better. for the record the water level at Brynkinalt was at .69 in the morning so I guess it had dropped a couple of centimetres by the time we got on! It was great to see a group of 9 paddlers on the water but I’m not sure the Ceiriog was the river for that many paddlers! If we do it again at least we’ll be aware of the fish/paddler trap!

[Richard D]

Thanks for that Tim, very useful, glad it wasn’t 500 cumecs !!

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