As a new member of the club (joining in spring 2024) this was my first trip to the hallowed ground of Llangollen, a club hotspot for over a decade, sitting astride the mighty impressive Town Falls. I wasn’t sure on the hostel idea at first but it was a lovely building with fantastic facilities and offered a great opportunity to get to know everyone whilst also getting a great night’s sleep (you can also stay in any of the lovely local B&Bs or do as others do and use a campervan). I was keen to get as much paddling in as possible so came down on the Friday and was treated to a great run on the lower Treweryn, we got in just below the National White-Water centre at Bala and I managed to enjoy a quick cup of tea with fellow member and vice-chair Kenny while we warmed up in the small rapids. I had had the pleasure of running the Treweryn before but hadn’t had the required skills to tackle Bala Mill Falls a few months prior. However, now, taking on board the coaching and pointers I had been given in earlier trips I was able to successfully run the rapid, my first grade 4! What had looked quite scary a few months before went exactly to plan and really filled me with confidence and gratefulness for the club’s support and training. A pub meal and a pint or two followed the get out and we watched as some of the coaches took on Town Falls whilst wise President Clive told us how it was actually quite straight forward when you knew how to identify the best routes by reading the water accurately, I’ll choose to believe him for now... The Saturday saw a fuller compliment of members tackle the Conwy. We split into two groups with a mix of paddling abilities, coaches throughout to support and advise as we made our way down. The water was high and the trees low which gave a new but rewarding challenge. I paddle by the mantra, “if you aren’t swimming you aren’t trying” and a momentary lapse of concentration saw me catch a quite obvious boulder before I took the opportunity to perform a half roll, the kind of roll where you go upside down and get out just to check the water quality (obviously entirely deliberately). A formula one esq pit stop followed and I was back in my freshly washed boat within 5 minutes and powering down the river to the next rapids. We moseyed our way further along, chatting all the way, to a larger rapid where the more experienced members showed us how it was done with impressive efficiency while we enjoyed another cup of tea and a yoghurt bar (other snacks available) from the comfort of the bank. Back on the water we continued at a leisurely pace to the get out. The late afternoon and post a quick trip to the delightful local farm shop saw members search for liquid sustenance in the form of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and tall stories of daring and valour were shared between the flat water and white-water paddling groups. A hasty return to the hostel found dinner served, members contributing their best culinary efforts to the cause. My only complaint of the whole trip was not being able to get a portion of Kennys now legendary Beef Redang Curry, possessing more Waitrose and artisanal ingredients than a main course at the ritz. More chatting followed before we retired to bed, to sleep the sleep of the dead with tired arms and full stomachs. Next morning, breakfast enjoyed, beds stripped and vans and cars loaded we headed home, some members braved the wettest Welsh weather of the weekend for a final jaunt on the Dee but I chose one last look at the mighty Town Falls and a quick mooch about the shops before heading back to the shires.
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