LCC Alpine Holiday with Staycation alternative for 2021
This year we were all set to go to France again. All the planning had been done, restrictions checked and most of us fully jabbed. With the third wave and a month to go we started to look for an insurance option, just in case. We provisionally booked campsites in St David’s, Pembrokeshire, and the Scottish Canoe Association Campsite on the River Tay at Grandtully. With two weeks to go and the UK Government decided to add France to the Amber plus list meaning compulsory isolation for all on return. Fortunately, we had our insurance option, Plan B as travel to France was now unrealistic.
Alps Alternative Week 1 Pembroke.
Day 01 Cardiff WW Course 8 Cumecs
Some of us left early and took a slight detour to visit Cardiff International White-Water Course. This was to be our river option for this week with 4 days where the course was offering “Park and Play” sessions for paddlers. 6 of us met at the course for the afternoon session. It was pumping 8 Cumecs (cubic metres a second) and true to form the course filled up and we had a great time doing laps.
On getting our wrist bands we put our boats on in the bottom pool and took the escalator to the top and set off on the course. Some of the drops and eddies were exciting and the boiling water gave a few problems for some. We had all watched the safety video beforehand and there were two people from the centre on the middle island with throw ropes to rescue any unfortunate swimmers.
At this level several of the other playboaters were performing 360-degree forward loops. As our confidence grew, we started to play a little more in each of the features. We particularly liked the bottom wave where the flow pours into the bottom pool. Two and half hours of 8 Cumecs was enough for most and we drove to the campsite fully contented with our new find. Filtered, blue, clean and warm water with good features and a user-friendly approach for paddlers. Now that is worth paying a tenner for.
