SITE HIRE INFORMATION PACK National White Water Centre Frongoch Bala Gwynedd LL23 7NU 01678 521083 sitehire@ukrafting.co.uk
THE NATIONAL WHITE WATER CENTRE The National White Water Centre is an excellent base for white water rescue training courses with fantastic white water, year round. If your course involves classroom based learning, we have modern classrooms on site which provide somewhere quiet and sheltered to go over some theory. All prices in this pack include VAT. Why choose the National White Water Centre as your training venue? Wild mountain river with reliable water releases and natural hazards. Self-contained section with a range of authentic white water features: strainers, eddies, recirculating waves, weirs, rocks and hydraulics ideal for teaching swimming, entrapment rescues, hazard identification and risk assessments. Realistic bank based rescue options from rocky shores to upland, wooded terrain. Access to centre facilities: changing rooms, showers, toilets, first aid, café and parking. Rescue training is only permitted when we have a water release of at least 7 cumecs, this applies to all sites on the river. You can find out information about water releases on our website (www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk), by phone (01678 520826) or by email (sitehire@ukrafting.co.uk). 2
WATER RELEASES AND RESTRICTIONS Natural Resources Wales control water releases to the River Tryweryn. We find out about the release schedule a few days in advance, usually. At certain times of the year we must adapt our use of the river and site to accommodate the environmental and seasonal needs of the river and its natural inhabitants. As such, the following restrictions apply: January to May Top Site: Open from immediately below Fishtrap Weir to the Chipper (Chipper gate will be open). Lower River: Access to the Lower River will be open. May to October Top Site: Open from Welsh Water gate to the Chipper. November to December Top Site: Closed. Rescue training can be carried out between the raft take out steps and the pool immediately below Chapel Falls during this time. Upper River: Open from first gate downstream of the Chipper to below Chapel Falls. Lower River: Closed. The above locations can all be found on the map overleaf. 3
TOP SITE MAP Irish Bridge Fishtrap Weir Chipper Turning circle Welsh Water gate Gate/Stile 4
TOP SITE HIRE The Top Site is the best place for rescue training on the river, we limit the number of users and it is a selfcontained section of the river allowing you to set up rescue scenarios focusing solely on your group and not other river users. You can hire the Top Site on a per person basis; there are a maximum of 24 places available per day, hire charge is 12 per person per day. If you d like to hire the Top Site for exclusive use the price is 240 per day. 5
CLASSROOM HIRE The National White Water Centre has 3 satellite classrooms along the river which can be hired out for your course. If you re likely to be in wet kit for the duration of the course, Aran is the best room to hire as it is kitted out for wet people just off the river and has a drying room available. Hire charges for the classrooms are as follows: Aran Classroom - 126 per day This room can accommodate roughly 12 people comfortably around tables. This room is ideal for groups who will be in kit for the duration of the course but you want to have some classroom based teaching during this time. Berwyn Classroom - 126 per day This room can accommodate roughly 12 people comfortably around tables. Arenig Meeting Room - 162 per day This room can accommodate roughly 18 people comfortably around tables and roughly 30 people seated in rows. Facilities include: Projector and whiteboard presenting options Kitchen with tea and coffee Changing rooms Toilets Outside area for scenarios 6
CATERING Manon s Riverside Café can provide a delicious breakfast, lunch or tasty snacks for your group while you re at the centre. All catering must be booked in advance and if anyone in your group has any specific dietary requirements, just let us know so that Manon can accommodate your whole group. Breakfast What s included? A choice of: breakfast bap, porridge or toast Fruit juice Tea or coffee Cost: 8.40 per person Packed Lunch What s included? Homemade sandwich A packet of crisps A sweet treat A piece of fresh fruit A soft drink Cost: 7.20 per person Hot Lunch What s included? A selection of hot meals (homemade chilli, locally sourced burgers, jacket potatoes etc) A sweet treat A soft drink Cost: 13.80 per person Buffet What s included? A selection of homemade sandwiches Homemade quiches or frittatas Pastries A selection of snacks Fresh fruit A sweet treat A soft drink Cost: 15 per person 7
HOW TO BOOK SITE HIRE In order to book the Top Site, classrooms and/or catering for your rescue training, you ll need to call the centre on 01678 521083 or email us at sitehire@ukrafting.co.uk. Upon booking we will need the following information: Main Contact Name (usually the rescue trainer) Company name Company address Email address Phone number Invoice address (if invoice required) Invoice email address (if invoice required) Purchase order number (if applicable) Date required Number of people in the group (coaches and students). 8
ON THE DAY When you arrive on the day, you will need to sign-in at reception. If you are being invoiced, you will need to provide your purchase order number at this time because the signing in sheet will also act as your invoice (see below). Once you ve signed in you will be given keys to the areas you ve hired and you ll receive your parking ticket(s) for the day. 9
AT THE END OF THE DAY Once you ve finished for the day, you have access to our changing rooms and hot showers. If you ve borrowed keys you ll need to drop them off at reception before you leave. On midweek days, the main centre closes at 16:30pm, if you re finishing after this time, please ensure you post the site hire keys through the letterbox of the main centre before you leave. 10
CONDITIONS OF SITE USE Location The Top Site section of the River Tryweryn is from the Welsh Water gate below the stilling basin to the Chipper. No fences or gates should be crossed outside of this area to use any other sections of the river. Access to the right hand side bank is via the stile on the downstream side of Irish Bridge. There is no access above the Welsh Water gate. Water Levels The River Tryweryn at the National White Water Centre (NWWC) can only be used when there is a water release of 7 cumecs or greater for any activity. Organisers are therefore required to check water releases prior to their event by phoning the Water Information Line on 01678 520826 or checking the website at www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk/water-information. Conditions of Use There is a booking system for shared or exclusive use of the Top Site. This will need to be booked with the NWWC on 01678 521083 or by email at sitehire@ukrafting.co.uk. If the Top Site is booked for shared use, there will be a maximum of 3 groups (or up to 24 people) operating in the location. Instructors must ensure that participants in their group are sufficiently experienced and equipped to use the Top Site. Instructors must ensure that members of their group do not knowingly suffer from any medical condition which might render them unfit to participate in their training at the NWWC. Instructors must ensure that their group are aware that white water activities and training are assumed risk, water environment contact sports that may carry attendant risks. Centre staff reserve the right to refuse participation for anyone considered to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The NWWC is unable to accept liability in respect to loss or damage to property, however caused, whilst at the Centre. All groups must be signed in by the instructor at reception and pay the appropriate fees or provide a viable purchase order number. All coaches and rescue trainers working on the Top Site must be qualified to the appropriate level and must not work outside of their remit. Should you encounter unauthorised users on the Top Site, please inform centre staff at your earliest convenience. You can ask Centre bus drivers to pass on a message for you, if convenient. Please keep the turning circle and farm access track over Irish Bridge clear at all times. Please ensure you park only in the suitable car park (as marked on map on page 4). The entirety of the Top Site should be treated as farm land. As such, dogs should be kept under control at all times. Notes for Instructors All instructors should ensure that their group are aware of the conditions of use. It is the instructor s responsibility to ensure that their group abides by these conditions at all times. The Top Site is a shallow water site with some steep banks. River levels can change seasonally, dependent on debris build-up on the Chipper and whether the Chipper gate is open or closed. All NWWC Duty Managers are happy to advise on suitable locations for practising specific safety and rescue techniques. Seasonal Restrictions January to May: Top Site will be open from immediately below Fishtrap Weir to the Chipper (the Chipper gate may be open). May to October: Top site will be open below the Welsh Water gate to the Chipper (you can access this section through the top gate from the car park, as marked on the map). November to December: Top Site will be closed. Rescue training can be carried out between the raft take out steps and the pool immediately below Chapel Falls during this time (please ask Centre staff for clarification if you are unsure of this location). The top gate from the car park to the weir is only accessible from May to October. Outside of these times, please refrain from using this access route. 11