Afon Alun
Nearby Rivers: Lake Bala to Llangollen Llangollen to Chester
| Map: | 117 Chester, Wrexham and Area |
| Grade: | II to III |
| Length: | 14 km |
| Access: | A483 Chester to Wrexham road |
| Notes: | Weirs - a couple are prudent portages |
| Quality: |  |
The Alun is not a bad river at the grade; it never really hits the mark but is well worth doing if you are in the area.
Hope to Rosset
14 km II to III; various weirs; some prudent portages
About two and a half kilometres north of Cefn y Bedd it is possible to turn off towards Hope crossing the river as you do. Using some stone steps by the bridge allows good access to the river GR302585. The river needs a good flow to make it worthwhile. In flood it moves quickly along. Easy meandering water with the occasional fence, brings the paddler down to a beautiful little bridge. About 500 metres past this, and just below the next bridge (built in1838), is a large, angled weir that can be easily shot. The people in the mill house on the left bank are particularly friendly.
About a kilometre below this is a short section with a natural weir drop that just, at a pinch, reaches class III in big water. A large double bridge is next, followed by the Cegidog spilling in its mucky flow from the right. Further down on the right are two mounds of orange rock which presumably contain some kind of iron. Easy water under the next and then B5425 road bridge leads to a large bend south and then north through a large estate. A few houses on the left are followed by a small bridge with a "bouncy rapid-like thing" below. This is about a grade III - the wave below the bridge is superb for surfing or looping in. Just below is a barbed wire which can just about be sneaked. A few 100 metres further on is a boxed-in weir - shootable down the left channel in a low to medium spate, the right side in flood looks particularly unpleasant. If any doubt portage. Passing under the next bridge the river straightens up through a wooded area. Take care here, as a little way below is a small, odd weir which is very quiet but has a big towback in spate - beware. This towback is about 15 foot in high water and just quietly rushes back to the foot of the drop carrying all kinds of rubbish. Although it is probably "punch-able" at medium water, I recommend a portage! 50 metres below is another one, but this can be shot on the right down the tongue, where the banks have fallen in.
Below here the water rushes down through a few easy rapids and under the next bridge. There is one further weir which can be safely shot on the right before Burton weir is reached. This large weir is next to the main road at the suggested get-out point. It can be easily shot far left but in flood the central salmon steps look extremely nasty. Egress onto the small road below the weir GR360572.