Gliding High Above the River Dee - a canoeist's dream in North Wales
Grizzly
Canoe
Tours
We take a well earned break from the office, and spend a Friday afternoon outdoors in a tranquil setting with the Grizzly Adventurer on top of the world.
A
Grand
Day
Out
We were able to persuade many of the Foundry office to step out for the afternoon, in the middle of our glorious 2026 summer.
Located about 20 minute drive from town, we managed to park up at the main Pontcysyllte Aqueduct car park on a hot Friday afternoon - finding a spot was easy. Then it was a short 10 minute walk across the aqueduct itself to meet up with the Grizzly Adventurer.
Grizzly is based on the far side of the world famous aqueduct at the quiet Froncysyllte Lift Bridge on the Fron side.
Here, beside the calm waters of the Llangollen Canal, you’ll spot his distinctive van and trailer of green canoes marking your meeting point. Grizzly believes in sustainable and safe guided tours, limiting both numbers of boats and passengers on his trips.
After a friendly safety briefing from Grizzly and basic paddling instruction, we gently glided away from the bank, for a trip of beauty and a lasting memorable experience.
The
Stream
In The
Sky
We had all signed up for the 'entry level' experience offered by Grizzly, which is aimed at all levels and ages from beginner and above.
The journey’s highlight is crossing the “stream in the sky” not once, but twice. The initial passage across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct delivers an unforgettable surge of adrenaline as we started our crossing for the first time, following a busy queue of narrowboats doing just the same.
Suspended 38 metres above the River Dee in Thomas Telford’s iron trough, as you start to cross you feel the wind hit you and are dwarfed by the sheer scale of this UNESCO World Heritage marvel and industrial heritage masterpiece of engineering.
The return crossing, however, offers a different kind of magic. Now that we were more familiar with the height, and being later on in the day - with no traffic at all - we could fully relax and absorb the panoramic Dee Valley views in a more reflective calm way, creating a completely different experience.
Calm
&
Charm
Between these exciting crossings, the canal stretches reveal a quieter charm. Grizzly's expertly guide trip offers up to 6 miles of excursion, conditions permitting.
The water is often glassy, reflecting the lush green banks where nature thrives. We spotted families of ducklings paddling in our wake, who somehow knew exactly when to get out our way at the last possible moment.
Lots of wildlife inhabit this protected waterway which Grizzly explained is often crystal clear first thing in the morning, before the narrowboats disturb the sediment below.
The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful yet profoundly quiet, broken only by the dip of our paddles, the sounds of birds from above and a cry out from one of our boats who successfully found the only brambles located anywhere on the whole canal.
This 2 hour guided trip requires no prior experience, offering a unique perspective on North Wales that balances the thrill of height with the peace of nature. We can't wait to try another trip out with the Grizzly Adventurer.
Cross the Stream in the Sky
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Offering fully insured private tours, your expert guide Grizzly Reeves offers packaged and tailored tours to meet the needs of your group.
For great days out on the water – and experiences well worth ‘bearing’ in mind – you’ll want to book a day out with the
Grizzly
Adventurer
Fuelled by an intense enthusiasm for exploration and a devotion to nature. Located in the breath-taking scenery of North Wales, Grizzly's story started the moment he first got his paddles in the water and became captivated by canoeing.
About
We met up with the talented Grizzly Reeves who is both a qualified canoe instructor, an experienced timber mill worker and professional photographer - who now lives near Wrexham.
Originally from Staffordshire, Grizzly attended university at the University of Wales down in Newport where he studied Photography and where his love of Wales began. He has now settled in North Wales for the past 6 years.
Offering guided tours for small groups in canoes at nearby Poncysyllte Aqueduct, Chirk Tunnels, River Dee and further afield over at Bala Lake – Grizzly brings a personable service.
Extend your visit to Wrexham with an exhilarating and authentic outdoor experience, by choosing a leading independent business and tourism provider.
Canoe Trips
When we met in the Visit Wrexham offices Grizzly explained to us about his growing canoe experiences business. He said, “I actually want people to get into nature and canoeing, and I only focus on delivering this for smaller groups, as I want people to form lasting memories and come away with a positive experience.”
Offering fully insured trips, Grizzly is both Canoe Coach Qualified and Leader Guide certified for Open Water along with being White Water Qualified – meaning he can offer all his customers memorable experiences – in a variety of different settings.
This is an inclusive experience and Grizzly added “If you can sit in a boat, we can take you!”
Grizzly has an infectious nature and passion for nature and loves the beauty of the Wrexham area - and is keen to get customers to try his experiences out in an unhurried way and safe environment.
Future Plans
When we asked Grizzly about his plans for the future he explained “We’re looking to grow again this year, we are on the lookout for corporate sponsors and by the end of 2026 we’d like to be putting on a number of different routes and options for customers including trips on the River Dee, where we believe everyone can enjoy river canoeing”.
We love to always help businesses like Grizzly Adventurer grow by connecting them with other businesses that we know and profile here on Visit Wrexham – so if you would like to partner with an exciting, growing and authentic holiday experience company, then get in touch as we would like to cover your joint story.
Book your trip with Grizzly Adventurers direct and have a day out that you’ll never forget!