Afon Sawdde, Saturday 31 December 2011

A new river for all but one of our paddlers - me (Hywel), Matt, Phil D, Nick B, Rhys Evans (no.1), Becs, and Tom, the odd man out who'd done it before. It took us about 2 hours and 40 minutes of driving (there and back) for about 1 hours 30 minutes paddling. Having met at Asda at 9.30am got on the water around 12, putting in at Pont-ar-llechau, and off at 13.30 at Bethlehem Road Bridge.

The first feature, the slot drop shown in the UK Rivers Guide site did indeed grab the tail of a couple of us. Given the water level was pretty low (4 on the gauge downstream), it does lend support to the though it might backloop you at higher levels. (The chart shows the levels at Felin-y-cwm, somewhere on the Sawdde).

Once past that we were in a gorge which went on and on, and contained various other little drops and rapids. All agreed it was brilliant and at the water level we had a pretty easy run (only Becs having to put in one roll for real when caught out at one of the drops).

A pint at the Lord Rhys in Llandovery finished off a nice day and provided a good end to the year.

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda.