Pont Rhythallt pylons to Caernarfon
The River Seiont flowed gently from its start at Pont Rhythallt, its waters murmuring secrets of ancient times as it wound its way through the rugged landscape of North Wales. Among the kayakers who dared to traverse its tranquil yet captivating waters were Nick and Oscar, two adventurous souls eager to explore the historic beauty of Wales and it was good to see them on the water.
As they paddled downstream, they passed under the shadow of Pont Rhythallt, an old stone bridge that arched gracefully over the river. Its weathered stones whispered stories of travelers who had crossed its span over the centuries, their journeys intertwined with the history of the land.
Very soon the group descended to the tricky falls about 10 minutes into the trip. Someone has felled all the over hanging trees and made the S-shaped rapid far easier than normal. Discussion ensued to whether is now a hard grade 3 or easy grade 4.
The river was dropping to a low medium and probably into Low by the end. There were a few more rocks visiable than in previous higher levels. The rapids are however very continuous and nowhere is it boring. There are numerous fishing weirs providing great fun and can all be paddled on sight.
In the lower reaches there are several riverside campsites and static caravans. We came across three fishermen who were probably tourists on a weekend break and all were very friendly. After 13km of grade 3 on a top quality, continuous grade 3 read-and-run river Seiont then reaches the sea and Caernarfon harbour.
The castle rose majestically before us. As closer, we had a feeling reverence for the historic landmark that had witnessed centuries of Welsh history. We took out at the steps at the end of the harbour and sheltered from the rapidly increasing breeze. Martin, Nick and Sarah headed off to retrieve the cars from the top. Keith remained in his boat trying to keep warm. Boats were then swiftly loaded on the cars. Free parking is avaialble just a short walk away from the ANPR Castle carpark. We even managed to find toilets open in Wales on the weekend and then one of the best cafes serving a great “Mac n Cheese”. This is on of my favourite grade three rivers in the UK.
