Afon Dwyfor
Nearby Rivers: Porthmadog Area
| Map: | 115,124 and 123 Snowdon, Dolgellau and Lleyn OS sheets |
| Grade: | III to IV |
| Length: | 12 km |
| Access: | A487 Porthmadog to Caernarfon rd |
| Notes: | one weir - portage in high flows; trees ++ |
| Quality: | 
lower gorge only |
The lower section in big water is an excellent blast, a bit like a bigger and better Tryweryn.
Llanfihangel y Pennant to Llanystumdwy
12 km class III to IV; portages
Cwm Pennant can be reached either by working your way upstream, with the use of an OS sheet, from Llanystumdwy, or from where the A487 crosses the river higher up.
Draining Moel Hebog and the southern aspect of the Nantlle Ridge, in times of heavy rain the Dwyfor can get into a huge flood. Though paddleable from the end of the road in Cwm Pennant during high water conditions, this is a real pain because of the number of trees. Even further down, in high water the trees are immensely dangerous and the upper sections cannot really be recommended. A day or so after rain they are much more manageable. The bottom gorge, however, is a superb run in big water conditions.
Access can be made below the bridge in Llanfihangel y Pennant GR526450. The drop immediately at the bridge is a difficult one for starters because of the number of trees blocking the line. The river is only grade II until the main A487 trunk road bridge, but there was one set of wires under the Brynkir road bridge which required portaging.
A little way beyond the main road bridge is a weir that should be fairly obvious from the river. Two large central stanchions and weir buildings on the right, plus a definite horizon line, should alert the warning bells. This can be shot with speed when low-ish, but looks lethal when in flood and is a definite portage. Below this weir, rapids begin to build up and become grade III and IV in high water. These are absolutely superb rapids but they are a total nightmare because of the numerous trees ruining the lines.
Things improve remarkably once you have passed the bridge at Pont Rhyd y Benllyg, and indeed this is where I now get on. From here down, superb grade III to IV rapids lead all the way into Llanystumdwy. In good water, this is like a bigger volume, more continuous Tryweryn, and there are excellent stoppers and waves to shred. The big weir below the bridge in town can be shot left or right, but it is easier to egress up the small steps GR474385 near the cemetery on the right.