Nant Clydach and Rhondda Fawr (Heritage Park section) October 2010

Nant Clydach and Rhondda Fawr (Heritage park section)
So we had had a lot of rain and and heavy heads after the night before. But Sam and I decided it would be a waste to not get a paddle in. After getting up at around mid day we headed over to Up and Under to pick up a couple of big river runners as we only had play boats. I selected a Dagger Mamba and Sam a Liquid Logic Remix. After this we went to Sam’s to get all our kit and then drove up into the Valleys of South Wales in search of water.
Our first port of call was the Nant Clydach; a small ditch near Pontypridd. With heavy rain however this turns into an excellent class 4-5 1km long run of almost non stop rapids. Sam and I were both nervous on the way. After a summer of paddling in CIWWs friendly class 2-3 rapids this was going to be our first proper paddling in some time. Neither of us had paddled big boats in almost a year and the amount of rain suggested the river would be huge!
We arrived and were relievedd that the river was just at a good medium level. We hiked to the top (stopping breifly to inspect the notorious 'slot' rapid, which looked fine if very narrow!) and got in just above the first major rapid.
The rapids all kind of blend together on this river and I can't remember specific orders of anything. All I know is the whole section is over before you know it. The run finishes with a fantastic rock slide which looks massive when you look back upstream to see the other flying down it!
We had two runs of the Nant with no incident before jumping in the van and heading over to the Rhondda Heritage Park on the other side on Pontypridd to have a couple of blasts on the Rhondda Fawr.
This 500m section is a unique urban experience. We arrived and the river was in very high conditions requiring wlaking to the top rather than a series of ferry glides normally possible. We go to the top and got in just above the railway tunnel. There are three tunnels and we opted for the far right. The flow pics up rapidly through the tunnnel before dropping about four feet at the exit. Both of us eddied out quickly and decided to walk back up to do it again before running the rest of the rapids. After a second run we continued down. A big rock slide avoiding a large hole is the first rapids followed immedietely by a second big rapid. Sam eddied out and I carried on down stream. On the final large rapid I hit a wave slightly off angle which turned me sideway. Rather than turning back and charging at the huge hole infront of me I attempted to brace into and over it. In such a buoyant boat the result was inevetable. The hole took hold of me and put me into a vicious side surf, bouncing up and down I managed to claw my way to the edge of the hole and paddle out into an eddy. Phew!
Sam joined me a couple of mins later raving about an incredible wave upstream. We both hiked up and sure enough there was a good large wave with a nice shoulder on the left. However the far left was a powerful hole and reaching the wave required suring out across the hole in order to reach the clean wave. Sam went first and flushed quickly. I did the same. A couple more goes like this and Sam managed a 10-20 beating in the hole on the shoulder before popping off backwards. Now I should mention that a swim here almost certainly means your boat being washed away, hopefully to be found in Cardiff Bay the next day, and the boats we are using don't belong to us! I paddle in for one final run and immedietely catch a back edge and am thrown into a series of window shades, cartwheels and loops (all unintentional) in an eight foot boat! For 30 to 40 seconds I am tossed around like a rag doll in the huge but very shallow water. All I can think about is not swimming and losing Up and Under's boat (and possibly myself) to the raging torrent as my head and back is pumelled off the river bed and I gasp for breath! Eventually the boat is thrown into the air and free of the hole. I roll up and paddle into the eddy. By this point it is almost dark and a swim could have been very unpleasent.
I know had to tackle the hole that had given me a beating previously. This time I made sure I hit the shoulder as hard and straight as possible. Reaching over the top and pulling hard through the pile. Even then I felt the boat get pulled towards the centre. Just a gente rapid down to the road bridge and get out now. Phew!
A great afternoon and evenings paddle. By the time we got off the water it was well and truly dark!


Ross Tiley