GUIDE TO THE AFON TEIFI
(Llandysul to Cenarth Falls)
NAME OF RIVER: Teifi.
WHERE IS IT?: OS sheets 145. The location is in mid Wales. Time to get the atlas out!
PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: Access is from the bridge in Llandyssul. Egress on river right below (or above?) Cenarth Falls, which is well signposted.
APPROX LENGTH: Endless, if you measure a river by its flat sections. About 12 miles in total for this stretch.
TIME NEEDED: 3-4 hours.
ACCESS HASSLES: The river is used for the annual 'Teifi Tour'.
Greg Brock (www.gregbrock.co.uk)...'River Teifi; I just wanted to add that we went to get in at Maesycrugiau bridge - GR473411 (as suggested by the Canoe Wales website and the Welsh Rivers guidebook) this weekend (5th Feb 2005) and the guy who lives near the bridge came out and told us to go away as we were trespassing on his land. We tried to put our point of view across but he didn't listen and kept saying it was the law we were not allowed to paddle this river.
Gareth Bryant, River Advisor - www.llandysul-paddlers.org.uk for full access info on the Teifi.
WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: Unknown.
GRADING: There are rapids of grade 3 and grade 4+, but it's mostly grade 1 or 2. 'Touring' paddlers could enjoy this trip with a few portages.
MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: A dangerous weir, which has caused a fatality during a Teifi Tour. Cenarth Falls.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a long trip which may bore adrenaline junkies, but which has plenty to commend it for those who believe the kayak is a mode of transport rather than just a thrill machine. There are half a mile of grade 2 and 3 rapids below the put-in, which you can walk down and inspect on river left from the get-in. The river then enters a long easy stretch. After two miles, look out for a railway bridge. Below the bridge is a large weir, responsible for a fatality during a past Teifi Tour. We portaged on river right (in high water) but judge for yourself whether it is safe and runnable on the day.
Two more miles brings you to a spot where the river steepens towards Henllan Falls. This Grade 3-4 rapid splits either side of a rock island and drops a metre or so. There is an enjoyable narrow section just below, with playing potential in high water.
The river is easy again until Newcastle Emlyn (a possible egress point) where a series of small weir steps provide surfing waves and stoppers, Grade 3. The section through Newcastle offers some narrow stretches with waves and eddies to play. Once again, the river becomes easy until...
Cenarth Falls. Here a rock reef across the river forms the hardest rapid of this trip, easily avoidable by getting out above on river right and finishing the trip. If you want to paddle it, river right forms a 1.5 metre drop into a Grade 3/4 channel. river left of the rock island is much more dodgy, with a difficult to inspect or protect channel, through some big stoppers, Grade 4+. In high water, more people were getting caned than not! Jolly good fun. Egress on river right.
OTHER NOTES: There is pleasant touring paddling above and below this section.
CONTRIBUTED BY: Mark Rainsley, also Gareth Bryant and Greg Brock.
