Llugwy - Plas y Brenin to Pont Cyfng trip details

A classic beginner's trip near PyB.
Region: Wales
Discipline: Whitewater
Difficulty: Easy
Grade: 2
Length: 4 km
Average Time: 3 hrs
Start: The Llugwy is easily located, drive along the A5 until you come to the National mountaineering center Plas Y Brenin. You can put onto the Llugwy which flows just behind the center. Put in on the small rapid below the footbridge. Perhaps have a hot chocolate in the bar before departure.
Finish: Take out is described below, you need to leave cars waiting in the lay-by beside Pont Cyfyng Falls.

 Get on at the Plas Y Brenin footbridge where you can warm up and get used to the style of the river.  As the river meanders downstream it narrows between the trees, eventually you'll arrive at Jim's bridge, a fun rapid in higher water, but might need inspecting depending on your group. Further on downstream the river opens up slightly and then begins to drop as you arrive at Cobdens Falls a grade 4 Cobdens is ideal for introducing paddlers this grade of whitewater.
     
Before you're back on the water it's time to keep you're eyes peeled for Pont Cyfyng a must portage. The series of rapids are marked by an old stone bridge. Portage river right and head through a field and across the bridge. Walk down the pavement of the A5 to the parking bay. If you want to continue hop over the stile and rejoin the river down to ugly house.

 

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Accommodation: Plas Y Brenin offer accomodation along with Capel Curig Youth Hostel. They're both ideal for the Llugwy along with walking and biking, and there's a campsite opposite the river just up the road.

Food and Drinks: There's a good pub, the Bryn Tyrch (www.bryntyrchinn.co.uk) that offers refreshing beverages and food, right near the take out. Betws Y Coed is only 15 minutes away back down the A5 and Capel Curig is home to a few good pubs and cafes

Canoe Shops: Paddleworks is in Llangollen about an hour away - www.paddleworks.co.uk Cotswold Rock Bottom in Betws-y Coed supply some paddling gear -www.cotswoldoutdoor.com Surflines in Llanberris - www.surf-lines.co.uk

Guidebooks: British Whitewater by Terry Storry The Welsh Rivers by Chris Sladden

Useful Websites:
www.metcheck.com
www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/wales/hostels/Capel-Curig/index.aspx
www.pyb.co.uk/
www.bryntyrchinn.co.uk
Kayaking and canoeing are assumed risk sports and you should take every effort to become aware of any dangers involved. These guides are not intended as instruction manuals they are just as the name suggests... guides. They can give you access and egress information and give you a flavour of the water you'll encounter, but water is an ever-changing environment. Rivers change with varying water levels, trees get stuck, and banks can collapse. Never assume a river is safe just because you read it in a guide. You must use your own judgement and experiences to make the decision whether to paddle, or not. And as rivers change so to at sea can the weather conditions and tides change. All information has been checked to the best of our ability, is given in good faith, and we hope will be helpful, but all information should be checked locally and you and you alone are responsible for your decisions to undertake any of the paddling trips contained within it. The authors and publisher can accept no responsibility for any inconvenience, injury or loss sustained by any persons as a result of information given in this guide.


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