River Usk - Talybont to Llangynidr

[Mark R]

Read full River Guide

[morsey]

This section has good water today. Rain is due to set in through the night, which should make this section flow at good levels through the weekend. :-)

[Crumble]

Is this the section that has the new get-out at a country hotel? Apologies if this shouldn't be for discussion - feel free to delete after replying! :)

[morsey]

There are several exit points. The most obvious is at Llangynidr bridge. There is a footpath river right. You can get out virtually onto the bridge. The alternative get out seems like a monumental faff and I'd rather be inclined to paddle all the way to Crickhowell.

Llangynidr falls today at 12pm, all rocks covered :-)

[Dave Thomas]

The alternative get out seems like a monumental faff and I'd rather be inclined to paddle all the way to Crickhowell.

It's hard work lugging boats up the hill (particularly opens!) but I reckon it's worth it in very low conditions or (particularly in opens,again) with a strongish easterly blowing - the final mile into Crickhowell can become a right slog then! Worth doing the longer stretch, though, in my view - there's plenty of pleasant, enjoyable bouncy water below Llangynidr Bridge.

[morsey]

This section has good water today. Rain is due to set in through the night, which should make this section flow at good levels through the weekend. :-)

Five days of good levels and the sun was out today making paddling an absolute joy. :-) Waved and chatted with locals who house backs onto the river, they been enjoying a swim in the pool below the Crawnon. A couple of chaps were strimming clear the fishing points river left below mill falls. Silently passed an angler above Llangynidr bridge and got out at the bridge. Summer boating, white water, sun and warmth, lovely. :-)

[morsey]

Video of Mill falls on 1.02 metres on the Llandetty gauge.

[stonercanoe]

Paddled this section Sunday 8 July. Just be careful, Llangynidr Bridge, second arch from right is blocked with a strainer, at high levels might not be obvious. Jason

[morsey]

Second arch river left has been blocked since the winter.

[morsey]

Loads of water this afternoon and the weather is set to stay through the night. Means things will be paddleable for certain tomorrow. :-)

[thekidsafish]

Paddled Talybont to Crickhowell a couple of weeks ago, it was big and bouncy - http://www.riverwarrior.co.uk/103816906 - and we got out river left, just above the bridge at Crickhowell.

[The Reverend]

At Llangynidr bridge last Sunday, 2nd arch river left blocked with several trees.

[Will K]

Bridge all clear of trees!

[David Foley]

Where is the current best place to park at the Llangynidr bridge take out? Been years since I've paddled this section. I'm assuming one of the side roads between the Usk and the canal somewhere is alright?

[SimonMW]

This guide is a bit misleading. Nobody takes out at Llangynidr bridge any more. Instead paddle past the bridge and enjoy a number of bouncy rapids and surf waves, as well as the Speulers Folly ledge drop (some fun stoppers at higher levels), then get out river right about half a mile down stream from that by a public footpath.A little dickie bird tells me that the Vicar at the Church of St Tetti (near the water measuring station) is pro paddler and will allow people to use the path by the church to get to the river if asked nicely and you use it discretely. This cuts out the laborious flat section from Talybont.But don't just use the path without permission or with massive groups.

[SimonMW]

It's a shame this guide is so derogatory about this section. It is the best section on the Usk! The first part from Talybont can be a slog. But Mill falls and beyond is a joy. Mill Falls itself can be run multiple times, with different lines and plenty to do. There's a good ledge drop for boof practice, and two other lines of Rapids for eddy slalom style practice. The middle of Mill falls at the same of the middle rapid has a great play hole, too. Just below the falls is a great little boulder garden, too. A short flat section leads to a choice of three routes. Far left is a bouncy G2 ride. Far right, and there's another little ledge that can be played in. Another short bit of flat past the confluence with the Corwen leads to an extensive G2-3 rapid, with some great surf waves (at anything but the lowest levels). Some small G2 then leads past Llangynidr bridge, where another bouncy rapid awaits followed by another ledge, which can form a sticky hole! Below this G2-3 offers more surf and play opportunities before arriving at Spulers Folly. Another good ledge drop for boof practice, or a left line at low levels for some technical practice.

In high water this entire run is a hoot, with big water G2-3, with wave trains well over head high, and maybe Mill Falls pushing a 4. There's far more to do on this entire section, even at low levels, than on the Sennybridge and Brecon sections of the river.

[stonercanoe]

Simon if you know the locals' sneak you can run this in a summer evening.
If you check NRW river gauge at Llandetty the minimum for a kayak run 0.70, minimum for a canoe run 0.75. I want to leave some Royalex on my boat! Running it in massive water in a trad boat is a good test and great fun.
Jason

[Mark Gawler]

If anyone wants to update this or any other guide please get in touch with me via private message or email.

[morsey]

It's an awesome section.

[stonercanoe]

Ran Mill Falls sneak today (Sunday). The gate has barbed wire all over it. Going to take a piece of carpet next time to protect drysuits and boats.
Level lovely 0.9, however Llangynidr bridge, second arch from left is blocked by a tree. At this level no way through that arch.
Saw two fly fishing. No grief.
Jason

[stonercanoe]

Warning for Mill Falls. River left just after the eddy under the house noticed a rock just sticking up out of the water with a circular hole in it. The hole is wide enough for a foot and leg. Would be horrible if arm or leg got threaded in it.
Never noticed this hole before.
The level today was 0.9
Jason

[Canoe Wales Access]

Please avoid damaging the crop in the field at the get-in: there's plenty of room to walk around the edge of the field - we risk losing access here if crop damage continues...

[Chris Bolton]

It's a bit sad that paddlers have to be told that - avoiding crop damage should be automatic.

[stonercanoe]

I have had 2 different mates watch paddlers walk over the crops, and drag boats over the crops. When approached about it they didn't give a dam.
Jason.

[AlexN]

There is a tree below Spuhler's Folly below Llangynidr. It is immediatley below the ledge river right of centre. At 1.50 on the Llandetty gauge on 23/12/19 some of it was visible above water.

[stonercanoe]

Mill Falls section will run this evening, maybe tomorrow?
Jason

[twopigs]

Just been told of a tree down across the width of the river just upstream of the gauging station at Llandetty. Not a problem at present with low flows, but might be if the river gets up.

[G7AFM]

Tree no longer there it's clear all the way as of yesterday sunday 5th Dec.

[Antmayer]

Footbridge has collapsed into the river. Blocked it completely!

[twopigs]

Footbridge is still blocking the river - but it has a fair bit of tree debris attached to it now.