Travelling on the rivers of Denbighshire, a county in North Wales is always an interesting experience. Along the River Elwy, a number of caves penetrate deep into the riverbank where remains of our long lost relatives, the Neanderthals, have been found. Teeth belonging to five individuals have been dated back to around 230,000 years ago, and lie among the remains of ice age fauna such as reindeer and woolly rhinoceros. Another river, the Clwyd, is notable for its Atlantic salmon runs and mediaeval castles. But the river that we want to talk to you about here is the River Dee, not for its historical or biological significance, but because it’s one of the best places in the whole of Wales to go white water rafting.

The River Dee flows from the highlands of Snowdonia, draining the rainfall and snowmelt from a huge area. By the time it gets to Denbighshire, it’s a torrent of white water, rapids and spray. You’d be a fool to try and take a boat down the river, because the keel would catch on submerged rocks and the rigid hull would be in danger of breaking. Rafting, on the other hand, isn’t for the foolish, but the brave. There is a difference between the two, because a raft is the perfect craft for these conditions. They come in different shapes and sizes but they all rely on an inflatable structure to stay afloat and this, combined with the fact that they sit up high in the water, means they can handle the obstacles of a white water river. It’s a bumpy ride, but if you have the bravery to take it on, the reward is thrilling, fast descent, complete with bumps, splashes and a whole lot of fun.

What’s it like to go rafting in Denbighshire?

To enjoy a wild ride down the River Dee, you need to head for Llangollen, a small town less than half an hour by car from the city of Wrexham. Once in Llangollen, you’ll travel upstream to start your rafting adventure. There are two routes down the River Dee, a longer and a shorter. The short one, which lasts about 2 hours, starts at a series of falls called Tombstones, where you drop like a tombstone from pool to pool. You have to do your best to stay upright, and facing in the right direction, because two more waterfalls are coming up - Middle Fall and Factory Falls. The next part of the river is calmer, but still fast moving as the current carries you around an island in the river and towards Llangollen. But that’s not the end of the ride - in the centre of the town, you have to take on the Town Falls before you can finally step onto dry land by the old stone bridge.

If that doesn’t sound like enough for you, you can add an hour on to your trip by starting further upstream at Horseshoe Falls, a man made weir in the shape of a horseshoe that funnels the water of the River Dee into torrid current of white water. Hold on tight to your raft, and don’t lose your paddle, as you plunge down the 1 metre drop and start your Denbighshire descent. After Horseshoe Falls, you’ll be carried under the landmark Chainbridge and forced, whether you like it or not, onto the Serpent’s Tail, a legendary series of rapids. If you make it through these, you join the shorter route at Tombstones.

Rafting operators in Denbighshire also run trips to the River Tryweryn on the edge of Snowdonia National Park. The mixed route of calm and white water, including an optional stretch of very intense rapids, takes around 2 hours to complete. But with the travel to a from northwest Wales factored in, it’s a half day excursion.

What kinds of rafts can you try?

• Full size raft: Rafting can be a great team activity if you choose one of these rafts. They’re the classic white water rider, with big, cushiony, inflatable sides and room for 6 to 8 people. Everyone will have a single bladed paddle, which aren’t much help when your crashing down falls, but can help you to avoid the biggest rocks in the rapids. The good news is that it doesn’t matter if you hit a couple of rocks, tree trunks, or other rafts, because you’ll bounce right off - hopefully without losing your seat in the raft!

• Tubing: Anyone who’s been to a waterpark knows that the most fun slides are the rubber ring rides, and they’ll be thrilled to hear that you can face the white water of the River Dee in one of these. You’re even more at the mercy of the current in one of these, and you’ll be partially submerged for the duration, but that’s just part of the fun! And just because it’s an individual raft doesn’t mean you can’t go down with your friends - just hold hands and drag them down with you.

• Bugging: Another individual rafting option, but even more intense, isa bugging descent. You’ll use something like a big inflatable bodyboard and go down the river headfirst. That’s right, the water will be just inches from your face as you go over rapids and down waterfalls - so be prepared to get a couple of mouthfuls of water and a whole lot of spray in your eyes!

Who can enjoy this experience?

It doesn’t matter if you’re going down the River Dee in a full size raft, or splashing over the rapids in a white water tube, you have to accept that you’re going to get wet. Obviously the bigger rafts, with full hulls, offer the most protection against the water. For that reason, this is the best choice for families, and children as young as 7 or 8 years old can join the fun in a full size raft. If your kids are keen to go tubing or bugging, you’ll have to explain to them that they’ll have to wait until they’re older - but only by a couple of years. From the age of 12 years old they can take these rafts for a spin.

Whether you’re with your family or your friends, you’ll appreciate they’re company on a white water descent. Riding together in a six person raft is a great way to have fun together, and tubing and bugging are great group activities too. The River Dee is pretty accommodating when it comes to groups: six rafts can go down it together - meaning a maximum group size of 36 people, and groups of up to 20 can go tubing or bugging at once.

What do you need to bring with the day of the activity?

You don’t need to have any specialist equipment with you to enjoy this activity - just the stuff that you’d take if you were going swimming, plus a pair of lace up trainers that you're prepared to get wet. Your guides will give you the kit that will allow you to face the conditions on the rapids - a wetsuit to keep you warm, a helmet to protect your head, and a buoyancy aid to make getting back in the raft easier in case you fall in.

Are you ready for the ride of your life? Don’t hesitate to book this adventure.