One of our most exciting slalom courses. Not as scary as the name makes it sound, but quick and tight. The problems come thick and fast, and the way you handle one gate must set you up for the next. Chris Sladden says it's an excellent, continuous class III+/IV- rapid which has recently been improved by the introduction of some key boulders which have given the rapid a little more bite! (The Welsh Rivers, also on CanoeWales.Com)

The river accelerates from the warm-up area into a series of small drops, enters a mid-course pool - a classic location for breakout gates and crosses - then plunges again down a fast drop before slowing along a tricky, boulder-strewn channel to the finish.

The course is part of the Welsh National Whitewater Centre (Canolfan Tryweryn) and if you go up there to train before race day you will have to pay to get on the water. There are hot showers in the Centre, which justify the fee all on their own in cold weather. Take your BCU/WCA/SCA/Canoe England card for lower rates, and check on water before you go - there is confirmation on planned releases and opening at http://www.ukrafting.co.uk and the Water Information Line is on 01678 520826.

The water levels - 7 to 12 cumecs - don't sound very big, but the gradient makes them challenging. This is not the course for your first Div 2 race unless you have quite a bit of whitewater experience, but it is a great place to build up top-level slalom skills.

To reach the centre turn right off the A494 as you enter Bala from the direction of Llangollen, and then turn left off the A4212 about 1 mile north of Frongoch. The centre is well sign-posted.

POSTCODES: Because increasing numbers of people use satnav to find unfamiliar places, we have added postcodes to the slalom details. But please be aware that bits of river don't have postcodes: we have shown the postcode for the nearest address we can trace. Using these postcodes should get you somewhere near the site but you might find yourself half a kilometer away, and even on the wrong side of the river. If you can offer a better postcode for any of the courses, email it to .