We've had some pretty good weather for Gorge Walking and Canyoning this week, although that means we're having a terrible summer here in South Wales. We've had fairly consistent, but light rain, meaning river levels are good and ground water levels are also good. This means the river is flowing well and the waterfalls are constant.
As the ground is already saturated we do need to be aware of the possibility of flash flooding if we get a period of heavy rain so as always it's vital to check the weather in the previous 12 - 18 hours in the mountain regions before you start any Gorge Walking or Canyoning activity. The recent weather also means that river levels are already fairly high, so any long period of light rain could have a very noticeable effect on levels and water flow force.
With current conditions you should be able to enjoy a fun, but challenging, Gorge Walking or Canyoning activity, however current conditions mean the river will be flowing fast and the water flow force is strong so it is essential you only participate in an activity being run by knowledgable, experienced professionals who know the local environment.
We may find acceptable conditions for Coasteering on Saturday. Swell could be low and although we are expecting Westerlies and Southerlies they may be gentle enough to find some protection on some of our east facing bays, such as Caswell Bay in Swansea. That being said you will need if wind strength is slightly higher than forecast or swell is on the high side of what's forecast it will very quickly make it unsafe for Coasteering, so you may find it better to plan a different activity this weekend so there is less uncertainty about the event running. Perhaps you could join us up in the Brecon Beacons for some Gorge Walking or Canyoning.
Sunday is out for Coasteering. We've got some big swell, up at 6ft and strong onshore winds. No where on the South Wales coast is going to provide you with enough protection from those conditions to run the event, again you'll need to think about heading to a more inland activity if you want to get out and about.
Well, what's good for Coasteering is bad for Surfing and what's bad for Coasteering is often good for the surfers. Saturday may provide you with your best conditions. Swell could get up to around 4ft in places and wind strength isn't expected to be too strong in the early part of the day. Our usual spots may provide you with the best Surfing conditions, those being Oxwich Bay in Swansea and Coney Beach in Porthcawl.
Swell size and wind strength are due to pick up on Sunday, so you may want to stay out of the water unless you are an experienced surfer and confident you are able to cope with the extra swell. We could see Westerly and Southerly gusts up to 25+ knots so if you are thinking of heading out on Sunday you'll want to find the protected, easterly facing bays.
We're as busy as usual this week. We've been running a few events down out Dinas Rock, taking a group of scouts and their leaders Gorge Walking. The children ranged in age from 9 - 14 years old showing that Gorge Walking really can suit a wide range of people. We've also taken a couple of groups on the more demanding Canyoning activity this week and run a Beach Day for another group.
It doesn't stop this weekend either, we've got more Stag Do's, and Hen Parties from Cardiff, Swansea or Porthcawl coming down to have a go at both Gorge Walking and Canyoning and moving into next week we're also running another of the RLSS (UK) National Water Safety Management courses for those wanting a better understanding of safety around water.
