Winter Wonderland on Lake Bala

I was lucky enough this week to be joined by good friend and fellow paddler Chris Charlton, along with a group of first year degree students from UCLAN (University of Central Lancashire) who were studying a mixture Outdoor Leadership and Adventure Sports Leadership. We were based out of  Ty’n Dwr Hall in Llangollen North Wales.

We had spent some time discussing our aims  and had decided that a journey on Bala Lake was going to be the order of the day. It was a cold and frosty morning as we loaded the boats and sorted the kit, and this cold theme was to continue throughout the day. After a short drive through a wintry landscape, we arrived in Bala and made a quick stop for the all essential brew kit, chocolate biscuits and marshmallows to accompany our Kelly Kettle. Chris and I had introduced the group to and given them a few top tips and handy hints on how to light it the day before whilst paddling at Ellsemere.

Bala Lake or LLyn Tegid (Lake of Serenity) as its know in Welsh, is Wales’s largest natural lake and  measures 4 miles (6km) long by a 1 mile (1.5km) Wide. It is crossed by the River Dee  and its waters are famously deep and clear. Bala itself  is located within Gwynedd in the Snowdonia National Park, partway between Llangollen and Betws y Coed and is easily accessed via the A5 which runs through North Wales.

As we arrived at our launch point I noticed the in car thermometer reading a cool -9 outside! Today was going to be a tad chilly. We had chosen to launch a short distance from the normal shoreline due to the ice on the ramp down to the water. Instead we had opted for a layby approximately 200m further down the road on the Western side of the lake. This proved easier access with only a short boat carry down some steps to the water’s edge. There is a launching and parking  fee payable for using the lake, so its a good idea  to visit the Lake Wardens Office at the Bala end of the Lake, above the public conveniences prior to launching. You can then be advised on where to launch, weather and any events etc that may be happening. There is also a Watersports Centre (Bala Watersports) based on the lake with hire facilities.

As Chris and I got down to the waters edge, the view was stunning and reminded me of the sort of thing you might expect to find on a Christmas card, very white and crisp. There was a mist hanging around over the water producing a very picturesque scene, with every now and then a quick glimpse of the sun. The students even commented on its resemblance of  a scene out of  Narnia.  I have only experienced theses near perfect conditions once before on Bala Lake and it really is hard to try to describe them. I guess you would just have to have been there!

Boats loaded, group briefed we set off into the mist and headed south down the lake keeping the western shore to our right even though we couldn’t see it! It really was cold as we paddled into the magical silence except for the occasional splash from our  paddles.

As we paddled along there were more frequent breaks in the mist and glimpses of the sun all adding to the ambiance. During one of these breaks we caught a glimpse of a small cottage on the shore. This seemed like an ideal place for a leg stretch, some lunch and a brew courtesy of our Kelly Kettle.

Kelly Kettle’s always seem to go down well with groups. I tend to show people how to light them using Birch bark and a firesteel. My preference for a firesteel over matches or a lighter is that it will still work even when it is wet.

Lunch over with it was time to continue on our journey. So boats were packed, launched and we continued, but first we spent some time revisiting some of the core skills needed for paddling a canoe tandem.

I had chosen my two favorite deep water paddles for the day, both of which were hand made for me by a friend. I am hoping that in the new year he is going to educate me in how to make my own. So Andy if your reading this, big hint!

Both paddles are well suited to cruising on deep, flat water due to their low aspect. I suppose you could even consider them as your 4th & 5th gear, as opposed to a white water paddle being 1st & 2nd gear. The reason for the Voyageur’s distinct yet simplistic shape is two fold. Firstly it was easy for the Voyageurs to carve with its straight sides when on the trail, and secondly the obvious shoulders makes sure that any water drips run off here, rather than running down the shaft to the paddlers hands.

As we paddled once again into the mist the sun and blue sky was now becoming more frequent, and it wasnt long before we reached the eastern shore not far from Llangower Point. From here we headed North up the lake before finally heading back to our start point.

Once back safely on shore it was time for one last brew from the Kelly Kettle and an opportunity to finish off the chocolate biscuits and marshmallows.

A great ending to a great day, especially in those conditions. I shall leave you with my final view of the day as the sun set.

You can see all the photos from our day on the Voyageur Facebook page here.

See you on the water…

Jules

www.voyageur-coaching.co.uk