Matt, Phil, Nick B, Paul Mac, Chris W and David, me and Kirsty from Rhondda Paddlers made this trip. I think the stretch was this one: afon-tywi-junction-pool-to-dolauhirion and here's the link from Chris Sladden's guide: afon-tywi-dolauhirion. Basically this is mainly a touring stretch of river, normally Grade 2. The water level was pretty low on the day but high enough for it not to be a scrape.
We'd had windy weather so there were some branches in the water. One blockage caused some amusement and Nick B, being lower in the water than most, failed to get over a partially submerged branch in one of the gorge sections, necessitating a roll. The main excitement came just before the get-out where there was a Grade 3 rapid/small fall. On the day we paddled the difficulty came from the drop river left requiring a little chinking to fall into the slot. I ran first and positioned myself two eddies down, river left. I was followed by Phil who thought the run was difficult enough to warrant some safety cover so he tried to get out of his boat to climb back up with his throw line. When Nick came down he was much amused to see Phil in the water (deeper than expected), holding his boat and struggling to climb up the very slippery rock. Luckily, with no help from me or Nick he made it because the last but one paddler to come down didn't manage the little chinking manoeuvre and instead of dropping into the slot facing down stream shot over it to become broached above the fall, luckily the right way up and with head out of the water. Matt joined Phil with his throw line and I eventually managed to scramble up to join them. After some experimentation, we at last shifted the boat by getting the paddler to hold a throw line while we pulled back. Unfortunately, a capsize and failed roll ensued but with no harm to the paddler. It made a nice discussion point!
A good day out on the river.
Hywel
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