Tryweryn Weekend – Sunshine, Whitewater and Questionable Logistics
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- 3 min read
Last weekend, a group of us headed over to the National White Water Centre at Tryweryn for a weekend of whitewater, camping and surprisingly good weather. Considering the forecast in the days leading up to the trip, nobody was complaining.
Friday
For those who managed to escape work early, the weekend got underway with an evening paddle on the Dee. The river enjoyed a warm, sunny evening before the temperature dropped off later on, making the obligatory stop at The Cornmill afterwards even more worthwhile.
As people arrived at the campsite throughout the evening, tents went up and dinner preparations began. As always, the menu varied wildly depending on who you asked. At one end of the scale were the faithful Pot Noodles, while others were serving grilled salmon and vegetables that wouldn't have looked out of place in a restaurant.
The homemade cakes soon made an appearance too, with brownies, an experimental lemon and blueberry cake and what felt like an endless supply of caramel shortbread keeping everyone well fuelled for the weekend ahead.
The evening was spent catching up around camp while the dogs provided their own entertainment. Hamish decided Brock needed an impromptu dental inspection, while Ash and Freya sensibly watched the chaos from a distance.
Saturday
Saturday morning started on the cloudy side, but with plenty of brighter spells breaking through as the day went on. After breakfast, it was time to sort the shuttle, split into two groups and head for the Lower Tryweryn.
The river was running well and delivered exactly what everyone had come for. Bala Mill Falls was, as always, one of the highlights of the day, with everyone making it through successfully before heading upstream for the Upper Tryweryn.
The Upper provided a slightly bigger challenge, but also one of the funniest moments of the weekend. Pete found himself enjoying an unusually long stay in one of the holes, remaining there long enough for Alex to get out of his kayak, walk along the bank and rescue him. The encouragement from those around gradually turned into laughter as Pete's surf showed no signs of ending (the video shows only part of the struggle).
A special mention has to go to Leighton, who was the clear paddler of the weekend. After confidently running Bala Mill Falls, he looked increasingly comfortable on the Upper, helped in no small part by Chris talking him through each rapid beforehand. Watching that confidence grow over the course of the day was great to see.
Back at camp, people relaxed before dinner. Some continued the gourmet theme with steak and potatoes, while others made the trip into Bala for a takeaway.
Unfortunately, some were forgotten.
Through what can only be described as a minor logistical oversight, they were left behind while the rest of the group headed off for food, later named #FishNChipGate.
The rest of the evening was spent doing what kayaking weekends do best: good food, a few drinks and plenty of stories.
Sunday
Sunday started much the same as Saturday, with sunshine and breakfast, although this time tents also had to disappear before everyone returned to the Upper Tryweryn.
The group naturally spread out as the day went on. Some squeezed in multiple laps, others wandered over to Radical Rider for "just a look" (and inevitably left with more kit than they arrived with), some walked the dogs, and a few were perfectly happy spectating from the bank with a coffee in hand.
Tryweryn delivered another fantastic weekend of whitewater, helped along by far kinder weather than expected. With plenty of paddling, a few memorable moments, and the usual laughs around camp, it was another great club trip.
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