Afon Arddu
Nearby Rivers: Bangor, Caernarfon and Area
| Map: | 115 Snowdon and Surrounding Area |
| Grade: | IV to V |
| Length: | 3 km |
| Access: | From A4086 Llanberis Road |
| Notes: | Some portages though all but one of the drops have been shot. |
| Quality: |  |
The Arddu is a wonderful expedition. From the shadows of the great cliffs of Clogwyn a wild ride can be had down into the town of Llanberis. What better use of one of those unique Summer storms than to trek into and ride out of the heart of Snowdonia.
Halfway House to Llanberis
3 km of IV to V; some portages
Turn off near the Llanberis railway station and head up the steep road that parallels the Snowdon mountain railway. Reaching as far as is possible by car, one then has to carry the boats in for another one to two kilometres. Access can be made above a series of super drops (GR592570). After the initial flurry, the river drops down to about a class II as it rushes downhill.
An old iron girder gives warning of a series of five drops; class V with some rock bouncing. The final drop is sheer magic - a Corsica-like fall between smooth boulders, into a seemingly bottomless pool.
Some 500 m of class III or so lead to the railway bridge. Here are the Llanberis Falls. The first drop is yet to be done to my knowledge - an extremely nasty fall. The main falls have seen a few audacious descents but the middle drop is one of the country’s most perfect waterfalls and was run years before the main drop was first done. Incidentally, the other river dropping in from the left before the falls has some interesting if radical drops which have been run. Realistically it may be best to portage this whole class VI area. The section below the falls is perfect for photographs but beware the two main falls which have railway metalwork in them - both shootable.
