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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nThe trip kicked off on Thursday, with cars full of enthusiastic paddlers heading to the River Dee. After a smooth drive (shoutout to the 10% of club members who can parallel park without crying), we geared up and hit Serpent\u2019s Tail. Some took it in style. Others took it in… spirit. Town Falls followed, big cheers to those who sent it straight away, and an even bigger shoutout to those who sensibly waited until they\u2019d reevaluated their life choices on Day 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That night we arrived at the bunkhouse and did something unheard of: went to bed early. We\u2019d love to say it was due to discipline and tactical rest, but realistically, everyone was just shattered from tying paddles onto roof racks four times in one day.<\/p>\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nFriday morning was Tryweryn day. The Lower delivered some juicy lines and the occasional unplanned freestyle performance at Bala Mill Falls. Meanwhile, a lucky few demoed boats on the Upper (courtest of Radical Rider<\/a>). There was definite \u201cnew boat energy\u201d in the eddies, with at least one paddler claiming the Ripper 2<\/a> had single-handedly improved their skill level overnight (jury\u2019s still out). Our inters gave the Upper a proper go in the afternoon; challenge eddies were caught, rolls were (mostly) hit, and several creative new ways to backwards-surf Caf\u00e9 Wave were discovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saturday brought a change of pace with a trip to the Glaslyn. Think stunning views, tight lines, and enough ferry gliding to make a GPS dizzy. A solid skills day all round, and especially good for our canoebies, who put their newfound whitewater knowledge to the test. We scoped out Aberglaslyn Gorge afterward, but with low water and vertical rock walls in play, we decided to give it a miss. It\u2019s not going anywhere. Next time, maybe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sunday, we returned to the Upper Tryweryn, this time as a full club convoy. Watching beginners confidently eddy-hop through Graveyard and surf like pros at Caf\u00e9 Wave was one of the best parts of the trip. There\u2019s something pretty special about seeing paddlers who swam on Day 1 now styling the same features with dry hair and big smiles.<\/p>\n\n\n There were, of course, the usual battle wounds: one paddle (almost) lost to the river gods, a few bruises with great backstories, and a couple of unfortunate run-ins with rocks (spoiler: the rocks won). But considering the group size, we came away in remarkably good shape. We rounded off the day with an Easter egg hunt that quickly descended into tactical warfare. Chocolate was secured. Dignity was… optional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Monday, we squeezed in one final Dee lap before heading home. Serpent\u2019s Tail? Crushed. Town Falls? Conquered. The difference in confidence from our now-seasoned canoebies was seriously impressive; same river, same paddlers, just with four days of carnage, learning, and tactical swimming under their belts.<\/p>\n\n\n This trip also saw the birth of Fresher Cam<\/em>. Turns out, sticking a GoPro on an enthusiastic kayaking fresher makes for some quality content. Watch below as canoebie, Kieran takes on the Dee in his trusty Z.One<\/a> on our final day in North Wales. This first instalment documents the effects of four days of paddling on both kayaking technique and general grip on reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-29-at-14.58.25.png\")
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