We've had another dry week in South Wales, meaning river levels have remained fairly low on both the River Mellte and River Sychryd in the Brecon Beacons. Although the weather has been dry, the ground is still saturated, meaning any rainfall will effect river levels and water flow throughout the Brecons and South Wales.
Current conditions are good for both Canyoning and Gorge Walking however you will need to be very aware of any rainfall in the mountain areas of the Brecon Beacons in the hours before and during any activity as the previously mentioned saturated ground will lead to flashing on the rivers and increased water flow almost instantly. If conditions remain dry you will need to be aware of the depth of the plunge pools on the waterfalls and plan your activity and route accordingly.
With so many variables it's vital you do not attempt to enter the water unless you are on an organised activity being run by experienced professionals who understand the area. Even those not taking part in Gorge Walking or Canyoning and just enjoying the landscape of the Gorge and waterfalls need to be aware that the banks and freeboards of the rivers will be very soft and susceptible to collapses.
The strong winds and big swell are returning to the South Wales coast this weekend, making any Coasteering activity difficult and quite probably dangerous.
Swell is going to be up around the 10ft mark at points and on top of that we've got strong Southerlies and Westerlies across the weekend, gusting over 30 knots at times - these are not the conditions to be on a rocky coastline in! Your best bet is to head inland to the gorges and waterfalls in the Brecon Beacons and take part in a Gorge Walking or Canyoning activity, which will give you the outdoor, adrenaline packed experience without the coastal conditions to contend with.
The experienced surfers out there are in for some great conditions along the whole of the South Wales coast, with the popular surfing spots in Porthcawl and Swansea all offering you big swell. The winds are going to be strong in a South / South West direction, so you will be best heading to some of the more Easterly facing bays along the South Wales coast to give yourself some protection. Coney Beach in Porthcawl and Caswell Bay in Swansea could be a couple of your better options.
Those who are less experienced or weaker swimmers will likely find the conditions too challenging this weekend and our advice would be if you have any doubts whatsoever to stay out of the water. There's plenty of other outdoor activities available to you across the South Wales region, including Canyoning and Gorge Walking in the beautiful landscape of the Brecon Beacons.
We're still running a number of outdoor activities over the weekend across South Wales, including Cardiff, Swansea and the Brecon Beacons, with a number of the favourites, including Canyoning, Gorge Walking, Rafting (and Raft Building) and Beach Activity days.
Our usual mix of Stag Do's and Hen Parties from Cardiff and Swansea will be joining us in the Brecons for both Gorge Walking and Canyoning activities. We've also got a couple of groups celebrating birthdays with some fun packed outdoor activities along the South Wales coast and into the inland regions on the Brecon Beacons.
