The WCA provides an access service which is free to members, and is available in limited form to non-members. WCA negotiates access agreements on behalf of members and undertakes to inform members of the terms under which those agreements are made. This includes many hours of voluntary work by local and regional access officers, liaising with statutory bodies, landowners and fishing interests. The cost of administration, travel, information sheets, signs etc. is borne by the members of the WCA via the Access budget. The voluntary access effort is supported by WCA staff.
All voluntary officers work without payment to maintain this and other permissive access agreements in Wales. Their work is financed in large part by the individual members of the WCA; they give freely of their time and expertise in order to promote canoeing in Wales.
Please leave sufficient time for them to reply when you contact them for information. Though many will accept phone calls, it is WCA policy to try to reply with written information whenever appropriate. Voluntary Access Officers have many other commitments, so do not expect them to reply at your convenience. Please remember that the information may change in response to conditions or incidents on the river - only the Local Access Officer will have an up-to-date picture of the current situation. If the LAO is not available or not in post, contact the RAO; if this is not satisfactory contact the WCA Office. In particular be aware that privately published guides often have out-of-date access information and even river information may be suspect - this is an inevitable consequence of the passage of time after their publication.
WCA produces access information leaflets for major canoeing rivers for which it has obtained access agreements. Where access leaflets exist, the format of these has been followed in this booklet. While this does not provide a uniform approach, it allows the information to be presented in the way each LAO considers to the be most appropriate for that river. Wales is divided into regions:
North Wales
West Wales - Dyfed and the Gower
River Usk /Wye Catchment
River Taff/Ogwr, Severn & Tributaries (in Wales).
In addition the River Severn which flows into England offers good canoeing in its upper reaches and on some of its tributaries.
The game fishing season runs from March until October but in some areas from January until October.
All Access workers are approved by the Welsh Canoeing Association. When seeking information please do so in writing, enclosing a S.A.E. Allow plenty of time for a reply. Please do not telephone unless a number is given for you to do so.
If you encounter problems or conflicts, or wish to report environmental damage or incidents, 'phone WCA on . If you cannot contact the Local Access Officer for a North Wales river, 'phone Canolfan Tryweryn - , and someone will try to help you.
Ashley Charlwood
c/o Canolfan Tryweryn, Frongoch, Bala LL2 3 7NU
Tel. Mobile Email:
Regional Officer (Acting)
Local Officers
Afon Dyfrdwy (Dee)
Mike Dalton, Lyndonhurst, Abbey Rd., Llangollen.
Afonydd Mawddach, Wnion, Eden , Gain
Afonydd Dyfi, Dulas, Twymyn, Dysynni
Anglesey and Stanley Embankment
Regional Officer
vacant
Regional Officer, Wye, & Local Officer Usk
Local Officers
Wye - Marteg to Builth/Newbridge
Afon Llwyd & Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal
West Wales (Dyfed & Gower)
Regional Officer (& Local Officer Afonydd Dulais, Egel, Sawdde, Tywi, Upper Twrch, Loughor and rivers in National Park)
Local Officers