Ride the rapids of the Tryweryn when you go white water rafting at Bala! This picturesque spot in North Wales is a popular place for white water sports lovers. Access to the river is easy and once you’re in it those fast flowing waters have plenty of playspots for paddlers.
The River Tryweryn is quite unique. It’s source is in the Snowdonia National Park and 19kms later it flows into the River Dee just beyond Bala where this white water rafting company is based. Upstream from Bala there’s the Llyn Celyan Dam. This is used to stock water in winter so it can be released in regular quantities at regular times during the summer months. All that means pretty decent white water flows all year round on the stretch of the Tryweryn from the dam to the Dee. And that in turn means great white water rafting for much of the year too!
The five kilometre straight of the Tryweryn you’ll be rafting down has been graded as 2-4 with grade 1 waters being gently flowing and grade 6 being un-runnable. In essence you’re in good middle range standing when it comes to the force of the white water – perfect for just the right amount of exhilaration for all levels of rafter.
It’s a pretty steep descent and the sides are fairly rocky too so you will need to keep your wits about you while you raft back down to Bala. But re-assuringly your rafting host will be at the back of the raft helping to steer and making sure you don’t get tipped up and soaked – unless you want to of course in which they’ll be game for it too!
Along your five kilometre ride there will plenty of drops and stoppers to keep you and your rafting comrades on your toes. Mind that overhanging tree steer round that gurgling eddy and power over that swirling water. With the likes of ‘Long Left’ ‘Bouncing Rock’ ‘Dump Truck Eddy’ to tackle it’s going to be fun on the white waters of Tryweryn.
And watch out for the crescendo to your white water rafting – the Bala Mill Falls. This is actually one of the steepest drops on the entire length of the River Tryweryn and makes for a fabulous flourish to finish your rafting experience.
