I'm no expert.

But I know one who is and he's happy to put on a pack rafting taster adventure including all training and coaching from the basics to get you out on your own for anyone interested around Betws-y-Coed and the River Conwy over a weekend in November for those interested.

The plan is flexible and is open to suggestions.
Please note that this may be postponed at short notice if the weather is poor.

Your will need to have and bring your own bike packing luggage to strap the pack rafts and gear to your bikes, including back packs for some of the gear may/will also be required.

We have the overnight use for £15 which includes car parking at a nearby pub (inc in the £15) of a 55 acre ancient oak woodland with parking, shelter for cooking kit (including approved open fire pits) just 10 minutes from Betws-y-Coed to use as a base.

Plan A
Meet up on Friday evening, bivi out at the base, load up pack rafts and all gear on to your bikes and ride out, un-load rafts from bikes blow up rafts load up bikes and paddle back to the start. Or paddle first and ride back once done.

Plan B
Travel out by cars, paddle for longer, maybe ride bikes with rafts strapped to them

Price for a day paddle will be £100 each for 5 people (4 persons, plus me) for the days coaching and gear use, the price will include rafts, inflation kit, life vests, paddles etc.
6 people would bring it down a fraction to £95 per person plus £15 over nighting and car parking.

So, if you are interested please let me know and get your name down.

Suggested weekends Friday 9th/10th/11th or Friday 16th/17th/18th

Paddlers
JohnClimber
99% Chimp (Mark)
BearbonesNorm
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Reserves
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Ooh I could be up for this John but need to check dates first. Is one of those dates the preferred one?

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Ooh I could be up for this John but need to check dates first. Is one of those dates the preferred one?

Either day is free at the moment

Slight edit to post 1,
The car parking at a pub just a 10 mins ride away and the use of the over night private woodland will be £15 each,
it's not free as I thought, but there's an pub for a meet up pint and maybe a bite to eat on the Friday night.

Email just in
"There is parking 10 mins ride away.

I (Jas) would meet you, take you to the site (you’d never find it otherwise! It’s totally secluded) get you oriented. Meet you Sat AM give out boats etc then meet you at the start of the paddling section at a prearranged time. Guide you along the water. And meet you back at the site. There are plenty of good off road routes running out from Betws as I’m sure you know. You would be able to plan one to suit.

We could do a section of the Conwy or a multi lake trip depending on tides and what you wanted.

Please note: we don’t accept any responsibility for bikes whilst on rafts. Just so you’re aware!

Price all in: 1 night camping in woods (you provide own bivvy kit) Plus Packraft guiding on water sections (including rafts, paddles and pfds) you self guide on bikes (you don’t need me for that!)

Happy to go to 6 total if you required

We’d need 50% deposit non refundable to secure, balance within 30 days of trip (if weather cancels we will reschedule)
We can send out booking info forms to you once you have takers. Can you collect payments and send through once you have them?"

FYI this is the company I'm talking to https://www.tirio.co.uk/
I'm going for a 1 to 1 session with him later this month.

I could be up for this. The second weekend would be better for me.

Potentially interested in the first weekend.

Charles and Taylor can one of you move your weekend and we'll go with that weekend please?

Hi John,
I can't make the first weekend (childcare that weekend and a mates birthday bash is already on the cards).
Second weekend (16th-18th) might be able to do it depending on final plans. I can ride down the valley to meet up in the pub or the woods).
Cheers, Mark

It would have to be the second weekend for me, too.

I'm out then

Please don't let my prevarications dictate one date or the other....

Taylor - there might be other days we can organise that might involve some moving water guiding too...

Found this too - lots of info in here that looks good

http://www.bikepacking.com/plan/bikerafting-guide/

I don't know if the date is free but can we all do Saturday 24th November?

December will be out, so we'd have to make it in the spring otherwise.


I had a splash this weekend on calm water locally, although I do think I need confidence and training for moving river waters

Think I could do that weekend

Sorry Taylor.

Can the rest of you do Friday 16th/17th November?
Message sent

As a couple can't make it and the lack of other interest lets cancel this now.

Maybe one for spring or summer next year eh?

Compliments for trying it John. Was very tempted - this new fangled raftpacking has suddenly(?) taken off - but too much family shenanigans at moment. Was lucky to get my BaM in at all this month.

Cheers Reg,

I'm happy try again in spring if people fancy giving it a try

Yes, good work in stepping forward John. The world of cat herding is never easy or smooth running but you can't just let the cats run wild

It's even harder trying to milk the blasted things after you've successfully herded them . Not everyone likes to be organised of course (punk rock bikers...) but when someone gives it a go it should be important to acknowledge the top efforts .

Cheers all. Please note there is nothing in it for me, I'm having some river training this month and will be doing more bike rafting trips over the winter and spring.

So, want about a date in April say Saturday 20th?
Not the weekend before, not the weekend after but Friday the 19th and Saturday 20th?

Just as a heads up John, that's the week the kids will be off for Easter so anybody with children will probably be otherwise busy.

Taylor wrote:Just as a heads up John, that's the week the kids will be off for Easter so anybody with children will probably be otherwise busy.

Bollox...

OK give me a date when people won't be off and we'll try that one