The big Sewin keep on coming, here's a superb 10lb+ sewin / sea trout
landed by Mr Rene Alleyne from the Golden Grove Beat of the River Towy,
Wales.
The Golden Grove Estate is aptly named as it is the most stunningly
beautiful place to fish. Overlooked by romantic castle ruins along its
length the Towy valley is
actually quite wide here, comprising rich pasture interspersed with
occasional traditional farmsteads. There is abundant bird and other
wildlife as the river is well away
from any main roads.
Formerly in the hands of Earls of Cawdor for generations, the Estate is
now under new ownership and completely new management. A number of
improvements have been carried
out to improve access and the fishing, to include the purchase of Lord
Dynveors water, and rods are now being strictly limited on each beat. A
full time ghillie is employed
to show rods the fishing and generally assist. One to one guides can be
provided if required.
The fishery comprises some seven beats and extends to over nearly fourteen miles of double bank fishing.
On the whole vehicular access is excellent, often using the disused
railway, and any walking is generally along grass banks and pasture.
The top four beats are considered the prime fishing and are available
to let. They rotate on a daily basis which changes at 0700 hrs. Rods are
strictly limited on these and
you are spoilt for choice as to where to fish. The lower three beats
are currently let to angling associations etc.
Wading is required for night fishing and can be quite deep. However
access down to the riverside is usually very easy and the wading is
generally excellent, being on wide
open water on a shingle base, although there can be odd larger stones
and rocks, and occasional mud banks. At summer levels one can usually
wade across the river at
selected places. A ghillie is employed to show rods the fishing and
generally assist. One to one guides can be provided if required.
Beats 1 and 2 are fished on a daily rotation.
Beat 1: Glanyrafon
Beat 1 - Glanyrafon, runs from Llandeilo Bridge down to Pentrecwn Farm.
With Dynevor Castle on the skyline, it is approximately 2.75 km long
and contains some nine pools
including the Dragons Head. It has a formidable reputation for
producing large sewin.
A beat map for Glanyrafon can be found
here
Beat 2: Cilsan
Beat 2 - Cilsan (pronounced 'Cilsane') continues for approximately
3.25km down to Cilsan Bridge. This beat also includes what was
previously Lord Dynevors water and so is
now all double bank. It contains the Whistle Pool, argued by some to be
the best pool on the upper half of the river, and several classic long
glides protected by good tree
cover such as the Flats and College Pool.
A beat map for Cilsan can be found here
here
Beats 3a & 3b: Ro-Fawr beats
Beats 3a and 3b are fished on a daily rotation.
Beat 3a - Upper Ro-Fawr and Beat 3b - Lower Ro-Fawr.
These are situated on Ro-Fawr Farm where excellent accommodation is available
here
Upper Ro-Fawr is just over 2km long. It contains seven main pools, of
which the best known is probably the Stakes, another classic glide that
runs for several hundred
yards.
Lower Ro-Fawr, is approximately 1.3km long and similarly has seven
pools and good numbers of fish lie under the trees growing along the
disused railway embankment.
Beat map for the Ro-Fawr beats can be found here
here
