look at all the pictures here...

In the second week of the Autumn half-term, from Tuesday to Friday, seven senior members of the Canoe Club went in search of Wales’ challenging white water rivers. We left early Tuesday morning with Mr Scott in the driving seat bound for Bala in North Wales. 

It had been raining heavily and our expectations, spirits and the water levels were high. It was decided to break our journey and check-out the River Dee in the hope of some play-boating. However, there was no opportunity to paddle as the river was flooding to such an extent, that all features were washed out. It was huge! 

We arrived at Bala and checked into the rustic and now familiar bunkhouse accommodation enjoyed on several previous occasions by the Canoe Club, with fantastic food supplied by our hosts at the farmhouse.

On Wednesday we met our guides Tom Parker and Spike Green for an introductory morning on the River Ogwen including some testing Grade 4 rapids. In the afternoon we ran the River Conwy, paddling through some more spectacular scenery. The evening was dedicated to serious relaxation involving a number of DVDs and a variety of doubtful card games!

Thursday was spent on the Cwm Llan, which is fed by the slopes of Mt Snowdon and the surrounding peaks. We had to carry our kayaks for 40 minutes, in blazing sun, up some fairly hostile, steep tracks to gain access to this exciting stretch of the river. The Cwm Llan is a Class 5 River with a multitude of drops to be run. 

Our entire group enjoyed and excelled on the river – Mr Scott impressing us all by running several of the drops in a row… backwards!  The river was fantastic and we stayed much longer than planned, which provided further entertainment for the many hill-walkers and hikers who gathered to watch and were clearly bemused by finding a small fleet of canoes performing tricks and stunts half-way up a mountain! Thursday evening was spent at a climbing wall which proved almost as much fun as bouncing down a mountainside in a plastic tub! - there is some amusing film footage to prove it.

On our last day we ran the Upper Falls of the Gamlan. This is a 6 metre waterfall which provided some more fantastic paddling for several hours.

At the end of the four days of awesome paddling we were delighted that our guides suggested that the skills and thrills of such a trip (ably recorded on video by Ed) were at a level to be considered of interest to West Country Television – and perhaps even useful in the search for sponsors for future expeditions. Further more, they also stated that we were definitely the most progressive and competent school group they had ever coached!! Watch this space!

None of this could happen without Mr Pete Scott who gives up his time to be our Manager, Driver, Organiser, Coach, Friend, Saviour and everything else………………

Thank you Pete from all the paddlers - Adam House, Ed Greig-Gran, Ben Savage, Ben Straughan, Giles Walker, Chris Parry and Rob Hinds.