Faq

Many of our customers have never experienced any of our activities, so we have tried to answer the most common questions here. If you don't find the answer you want please email us on enquiries@jjraftcanoe.com or telephone us on 01978 860763 any day between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm

Can I buy a gift voucher?

Yes, we do offer gift vouchers. Pick up a leaflet in the centre, which contains a voucher, or telephone the centre and we will send you a quality gift voucher in a card which you can personalise with your own message.

Online – Click on the gift voucher icon on any page - you can now pay on line.

Gift vouchers are valid for 12 months and require an activation code issued at the time of purchase.

Equipment Hiring and Coaching

 

Do you hire out single kayaks?

 

-           Yes, we will hire out single kayaks to experienced paddlers only at a cost of £15 for 3 hours this price includes a paddle and spray deck.   Ask for proof of their competence. If we have coaching courses running these take priority on all of our kit, this includes kayaks and paddles etc.

 Can you hire any other equipment? 

-           Yes we can hire out paddles, safety gear, and some clothing at a cost of £3 per item per day, dependent on availability. If we have coaching courses running these take priority on all of our kit, this includes kayaks and paddles etc.

 Do you need to be experienced to hire equipment? 

-         Yes.

 

What level is the Kayak and Canoe coaching to?

 

-           We offer a range of Kayak and Canoe courses, including Swift Water Technician course, development coaching and Slalom Coaching, as well as British Canoe Union training and qualification courses.

 

Can you hire out open Canadian Canoes?

 

-           No, we do not hire out Canadian canoes. Inflatable open canoes may be hired by experienced paddlers only.

  

Licensing and Insurance

 Are you licensed by any association? 

-           Yes. We are licensed by the Adventure Licensing Authority, which licenses us to safely accommodate children under the age of 18, though we ensure the same safety measures are given to all participants (Copy of license found in ‘My Documents’).

 Do you have public liability insurance? 

-           Yes, we carry insurance relating to third parties and public liability. Any additional insurance against accident, injury or loss of possessions should be taken out by the participant (Copy of Insurance found in ‘My Documents’).

 Do you have cancellation insurance? 

-           No, if there is a possibility that you may cancel, then you need to take out cancellation insurance, for instance from your travel agent.

What grade White Water do you have? Will my insurance cover it? 

-           We typically have Grade 2 - 3 (Medium) moving water. If the water level is exceptionally high then our guides will be forced to cancel trips.

-           You should refer to your own insurance policy to check whether it will cover this grade of moving water.

Payment and Bookings

 How do I pay?                   -           Payment can be made by debit / credit card , cheques or cash. All Payments must be cleared before the activity date and in Line with our terms and conditions. Do I need to pay/book in advance? 

-           Yes. Full payment, which is non-refundable, is required in advance. Bookings should be made as early in advance as possible, to ensure that we have guides, and booking space available.

 Can I pay on the day? 

-           Generally, no as we have to ensure we can have guides available, and there may be no space for extra participants for that day. But it is worth asking just in case.

 Can I get a refund? 

-           We do not give refunds. If the session is cancelled because of water levels or an incident at the centre, we will give a voucher. If a client cancels their booking then we are unable to refund them because of the cost of hiring a guide for the trip and due to lost potential customers.

 

Do I have to pay a deposit?

 -           We do not take deposits, and the full payment must be made up-front.

Food

 Is there food available? 

-         We do have food available at the Riverside Café. We offer hot and cold food, homemade cakes, as well as daily specials. Buffets are available for large groups, provided there is at least 3 days notice.

-         Barbeques can be arranged in the evenings for group bookings of 12 or more.

  Is lunch included in the price? -           No. All food must be bought separately. (The exception to this is full day of site courses where a packed lunch is included in the price)

Getting Here

 How do we find you? 

-           We are situated approximately ¾ of a mile from Llangollen town centre, on the A5 towards Corwen on the right. We are at Mile End Mill, opposite the Wild Pheasant Hotel.

-           Llangollen is signposted from the A483 and from the A5.

 How long does it take to reach you? 

-           As a rough guide, the following is a list of approximate travelling times from major towns and cities by car to the centre:

 

      Wrexham                    -           20 mins – 15 miles

      Shrewsbury                 -           45 mins – 30 miles

      Chester                       -           40 mins – 25 miles

      Liverpool                    -           1 hour – 50 miles

      Manchester                -           1 ½ hours – 66 miles

      Birmingham                -           1 hour 40 mins – 78 miles

 How do we get there? 

-           Train services are available to Wrexham General Station and also to Ruabon     and Chirk.

-           Bus services run to Llangollen town centre.

-           The centre is a 10 to 15 minute walk along the A5 from Llangollen town centre. -           Please note that your own transport is required for all activities except White Water Rafting, Kayaking and the Obstacle Course.

-           Quad Biking, Laser Clay Shooting and Paintball are located near Welshpool, about a 45 minute (26 miles) drive from Llangollen.

Accommodation

 Do you have accommodation? 

-         No, but we are happy to arrange accommodation, with a number of excellent local hotels and B&Bs. We can often beat their standard rates.

 What’s the local tourist board number? 

-         The nearest Tourist Information Office is in Llangollen, ¾ of a mile away. The telephone number is 01978 860828.

 The town’s website is - www.llangollen.org.uk

General

 

What activities are there?

 

-           The centre offers White Water Rafting, Kayaking, Gorge Walking, Climbing / Abseiling and a Problem-solving Obstacle Course.  We also take bookings for Archery, Quad Biking, Laser Clay Shooting and Paintballing.

 How long do the activities last? 

-           White Water Rafting, Problem Solving, Archery, Laser clay and paintball lasts for 2 hours.  Gorge walking and climbing / Abseiling lasts for 3 hours.  Kayaking can last for 2, 3 or 6 (all day) hours.  Quad Biking lasts for 1 ½ hours.

 What time do sessions start? 

-                White Water Rafting, 2 hour kayaking and Problem Solving start at       9.15am, 11.45am and 2.15pm.  Gorge Walking, 3 hour kayaking and        Climbing / Abseiling start at 9.30am and 1.30pm.  All day kayaking     starts at 9.30pm – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 4.30pm.  Customers should       arrive 20 – 30 minutes before the activity starts. 

 Do I need my own transport? -                     You will need your own transport for Gorge walking and Climb / Abseiling and also to get to the site at Middletown, Welshpool. For all other site based activities your car is useful for locking up your belongings as we do not currently have lockers on site.  

How much are the activities?

 

-           The following is a price list for all activities:

       Activity                                               Price

      White Water Rafting                             £50 – Sunday to Friday           

                                                                  £55 - Saturday                       

      Kayaking          2 hours                        £50 – minimum of 2 people

                              3 hours                        £60 – minimum of 2 people

                              3 hours                         £75 – 1 to 1

                              6 hours (all day)            £120 – minimum of 2 people

                              6 hours (all day)            £150 – 1 to 1                          

      Climbing / Abseiling                              £50                                         

      Gorge Walking                         £50                                         

      Problem Solving/Obstacle                     £50                                         

      Laser Clay Shooting                             £50                                         

      Archery                                                £50                                         

      Paintballing                                           £50                                         

Quad Biking                                         £60

£5 discount can be given for each extra activity

How much does it cost to go on the water all day?

 

-           The cost is £5 in Water Fees, paid at the café. Business customers should sign in the group book and pay on invoice, £8 per day per person.

 

What are the extents of the course?

 

-           The course is approximately half a mile long, running down from the railway bridge upstream to the visible extent of the course downstream from the centre. Participants move around the course encountering different areas of white water.

 What size groups can do each activity? 

-           The maximum group size varies depending on the activity as follows:

 

                        White Water Rafting             – Normal Maximum of 48 people, into rafts of 6

                        Kayaking                                – Maximum of 12 people

                        Obstacle Course                    – Maximum of 24 people

                        Gorge Walking                       – Maximum of 24 people

                        Climbing/Abseiling                 – Maximum of 24 people

                        Maximum of 24 for Gorge walking and Climbing / Abseiling in total, i.e. 10                                 gorge walking and 14 climbing / abseiling

                        Quad Biking                           – Maximum of 20 people

                        Laser Clay Shooting              – Maximum of 20 people

                        Paintball                                  – Maximum of 45 people

                        Archery                                   - Maximum of 40 people

 

* Please note that a maximum number of participants for Gorge Walking and Climbing/Abseiling at the same time may not be possible, dependent on guide and equipment availability.

 Are there a minimum number of people needed? 

-         Rafting - There is no minimum number of participants required, and individuals can be mixed in with other groups although you do need 4 people to run a session

-         Climbing / Abseiling – Minimum of 2 people and Gorge Walking – Minimum of 2 people but if we have a session running individuals may join it.

 Do I need any experience? 

-           Experience is not required. Participants must declare whether or not they are able to swim.  People can still participate if they cannot swim.

 What do we need to bring? 

-           All participants need to bring with them a swimming costume, towel, thermal clothing if it is particularly cold, and trainers or wetboots and vouchers if booked through a voucher company

-           Safety equipment and wetsuits are provided.

-           Additional dry clothing may be required if participants are taking part in more than one activity.

What is the minimum age you can do the activities? 

-           Paintballing and Archery are available from the age of 12 upwards.

-           Quad Biking is available from the age of 6 upwards.    

-           All other activities are available from the age of 8 upwards. (Ironbridge rafting is from age 6 years upwards)

-           The minimum age may vary in exceptional river conditions.

 Can I change the date/time of my session? 

-           This will be dependent on booking and guide availability, and may not always be possible.

Can you accommodate disabled people? 

-           We are able to accommodate disabled people, though it may require additional equipment and/or specialist help. Details as to the type and severity of the disability should be provided so that we can arrange for this.

 What does the Quad Biking involve? 

-           Up to 250cc Quad bikes on a hill trek.

 

Can you canoe down the river through town?

 -           No, as this involves trespassing on angling areas adjacent to the centre.

Discounts and Vouchers

 Are there discounts for families or groups? 

-           The online prices are for individuals but we can offer discounts (£10 off child prices for Rafting, Climbing, Canoeing and Gorge Walking) (For groups of more than 18 one person goes free) if you call the office.

 Are there gift vouchers – how do you get hold of them? 

-           Yes, we do offer gift vouchers. These can be purchased on-line at www.whitewateractive.co.uk

-           Gift vouchers are valid for twelve months after purchase, and can be redeemed on-line at www.whitewateractive.co.uk  

-           The cost of a gift voucher depends on the activity.

      -           Expired vouchers can be extended for 3 months for £15

 Do you do discounts for cash? 

-           No we do not discount cash payments.

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