Afon Twymyn

Access Officer: Vacant - Contact National Access Development Officer
Ashley Charlwood
c/o Canolfan Tryweryn, Frongoch, Bala LL2 3 7NU
Tel. 01341 422692 Mobile 07817 761125 Email: Cwmbychan@aol.com

Nearby Rivers: West Coast and Machynlleth

The Twymyn is a charming little river that allows a perfect warm up, through beautiful gorges, before a final flourish down the harder Glyntwymyn gorge.

Tafolwern to Cemmaes Road bridge

9 km class III to IV; no portages

At the S bend in the A470 turn off to Tafolwern (there is a new road since ‘98). Access may be made to the river just upstream of the first bridge where there is a convenient path GR898025. It is sensible to change discreetly so as not to upset the friendly locals. When the two rivers join just below, you are on the Twymyn proper.

The water is grade II to III depending on flow. Echoes abound as you pass under the first railway bridge and bounce happily along through excellent little drops and stoppers. However, I have it on very good authority that, in major floods, the grade of a few of these drops can suddenly crank its way up to a IV+ to V! That said ,don’t worry too much, as this doesn’t happen very often. The longstanding traffic lights have now gone and, halfway along the new road, there is a lane down to the side of the river by which is found a picnic site. This is an alternative point of access. The river continues at a similar grade all the way until Commins Coch. Here you pass under the road and a railway bridge, and then a second railway bridge with a small weir beneath it. This heralds the approach of the well-known Glyntwymyn gorge.

As the walls close in, you may want to inspect the gorge from the path on the right bank. The paddling is normally at the top end of grade III, but can be quite serious depending upon the amount of damage left by winter storms. When I last paddled this, the final fall in the gorge was partially made up of a huge tree trunk which was easy to shoot, but would certainly not have been nice to swim. Once the gorge finishes, continue downstream to below the main road bridge GR825046, where you can struggle up onto the left bank. Alternatively, continue down to the B4404 bridge over the Dyfi.