NAME OF RIVER: Goedal
WHERE IS IT?: A496 near Blaenau Ffestiniog
PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: A good place to park is in the lay by above the put in - 52.978210, -3.949359. The put in is at the bridge just down the road. The get out is just below a set of falls at the next foot bridge, it's a 5 minute walk to the get out lay by - 52.969036, -3.950968.
Access - 52.977137, -3.947771
Egress - 52.969100, -3.951054.
APPROX LENGTH: 1 km.
TIME NEEDED: 1-3 Hours.
ACCESS HASSLES: The locals don't seem to mind. You do paddle through somebody's garden at the start so as always, be polite. I think the folk who own the garden on the right at the get on also own the slabs on the left of the Norway type drop.
WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: If the top waterfall looks like it has some flow for it not to be scrapy then it's a good level. If the slabs on the left of the waterfall are covered then it's medium high but fun. If it looks huge, then it probably is. Can still be flowing a couple days after heavy rain because of a dam further up. There is no gauge.
GRADING: 5.
MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: All of it, keep your wits about you and scout everything. Don't drink the water either.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This river is rarely paddled but with the right small team its a fantastic short blast. It starts with a bang on a 30ft Norway style slide to drop. Beware of the ledge on river right at the base of the falls. The river then continues going from G2 then cranking up to continuous G3+/4- for 1km before reaching a set of waterfalls. There are few and small eddies above this drop on river right. The first waterfall is around 10ft and is relatively clean but has been known to hold a paddler behind the curtain out of view from friends. Good safety is recommended here, this can also be portaged on river right. Following the 10ft drop is a series of smaller drops and holes. 50m below there is a foot bridge, get out on the left below here and walk up the path to the get out lay by.
OTHER NOTES: There's a very large waterfall which lands on rock above the get on, don't be mistaken and get on here. The river continues further down into a very dangerous, and dare I say, unpaddleable gorge.
Ieuan Peace on the Norway style drop at the start. (Photo by Pete Sanger).
Ieuan Belshaw on the Norway style drop at the start. (Photo by Joe Rae-Dickins).
Joe Rae-Dickins on the last drop, see photo below for scale. (Photo by Chris Griffiths).
The falls at the get out.
CONTRIBUTED BY: Ieuan Belshaw
