Getaways - Caer Beris Manor Hotel

publication date: Oct 27, 2007

by Paul Sharman

Every now and then in our travels we come across a place that just feels right. Caer Beris Manor hotel in Builth Wells, Powys certainly matches that description. A great location, beautiful building and grounds, friendly staff and access to some great fishing right on the doorstep! What more do you need?

The occassion for visiting was the annual get-together and awards dinner of the Angling Writers Association and as this was my first year as a member I thought it would be fun to get away for the weekend and see somewhere new. A quick blast down the M4 and over the Severn Bridge, we then followed the valleys of the Usk and then the Wye upstream like the salmon who hopefully took advantage of this years wet summer to do the same.

Arriving at the tree-shrowded entrance gate to the hotel, we followed the gravel drive that shadows the course of the River Irfon in its horseshoe meander around the grounds which were showing some signs of autumn colour. A quick unpack and I was back at the car in a flash, climbing into waders and grabbing my 4 weight and some flies for a quick shot at the river before dinner. The Irfon is a lovely looking little river, just what I like to find. A perfect mix of glides, pools, riffles and rocky areas, almost like a whole river has been condensed into this one small stretch. There was some fly coming off now and then so I tied on a duo of a green Klinkhammer and a small spidery type pattern below. Despite the fly movement there were no obvious rises anywhere until just before dark when a very splashy rise in a shallow run just above a small natural weir gave me something to aim at. With a very fast run close the bank I was on, it was a longish cast on the 4 weight and the rod held high to allow the flies to work a little before being caught by the current and dashed downstream.

It only took 2 or 3 casts for the culprit to make themselves known as they slashed at the Klinkhammer but in the end got caught by the spider below. A lovely wild fish with a nicely varied coat of red and dark brown spots accented with a splash of yellow on its cheek and belly; a nice welcome to Wales. I spent a little more time just walking the river over the course of the weekend and spotted good sized browns, grayling and a huge chub of around 4 or 5lb that glided past me down a long deep run. Defintely all good reasons to return for a dedicated fishing trip sometime. With the Wye nearby also it is a great area for combing both fly fishing with coarse fishing and salmon fishing according to the seasons of course. Other Association members reported some great days coarse fishing for dace and chub inparticular on the Wye, both of which I'd like to catch on the fly sometime.

And what of the awards I hear you say? Well Fish & Fly are proud to announce we came away with the inaugural Fishing Website of the Year award!

Info

You can check out the details for yourself on the Caer Beris Manor Hotel & Restaurant at their website or you can call them on 01982-552601. They also run fishing weekend packages hosted by well-known angling writers and experts. The owner Peter Smith can also provide information on the local fishing and the Wye/Usk passport scheme details of which you can find at www.wyeuskfoundation.org .

If you do visit, be sure to check out the collection of angling memorabilia in the corner of the bar loaned by angling personalities including our own John Bailey!