Swiss Valley / Lower Lliedi Reservoir now accessible to paddlers

Canoe Wales is excited to announce the opening of another blue space for paddlers near Llanelli in South Wales.

Until recently, the Swiss Valley reservoir has only been accessible to registered providers, clubs and organised groups with appropriate safety protocols in place; however, Llanelli Rural Council who manages this body of water has been working hard with advisors to make Swiss Valley / Lower Lleidi more accessible for paddlesports. We can now confirm that individual paddlers are welcome to self-launch as long as they book by email and follow all safety protocols and biosecurity procedures.

Our Places to Paddle Manager, Phil Stone, comments:

"Canoe Wales is pleased to see this open water venue being made available for paddlesport. Llanelli Rural Council has worked hard with water safety specialists and insurance companies to find the right approach for paddlesport to go ahead. Hopefully, this is a model that can be adopted at other open water sites in Wales. We look forward to working with Llanelli Rural Council to help them develop the site further."

For the moment, self-launch access is FREE - until a booking portal has been developed and fees agreed. However, you must still book to get on the water by contacting Graham Williams on Llanelli Rural Council via graham.williams@llanelli-rural.gov.uk

Safety considerations

• Those using the water are expected to be fully equipped and competent for the activity they are taking part in. 
• Red marker buoys indicate an angling zone and exclusion safety zone for paddlers.
• If accessing from the North car park (between the upper and lower reservoirs), recreational paddlers are permitted to launch from beach areas within the angling zone but must immediately paddle out of the angling zone.
• Please liaise with any anglers on the beach before launching.
• Angling from a kayak or canoe is permitted within the angling area with the relevant rod licence and permit.

Stop the Spread

We ask that anyone accessing the water follow the onsite guidance for safety and biosecurity in order to stop the spread of any non-native invasive species (i.e. Check Clean Dry). You must ensure that your paddlecraft and equipment have been cleaned thoroughly before getting on the water and again when you leave the water. If you are unable to use the provided washdown equipment, everything must be washed as soon as possible before getting onto any other water.