Collected Musings of a Hill Wanderer

A circular walk wasn’t what I had in mind, let alone some sort of horseshoe itinerary. The original idea had been to walk from Minffordd to Dolgellau by way of Cadair Idris. It simply was to be a case of following the Minffordd Path up and the Pony Path down before making for my destination either by road or a mixture of tarmac bashing and traversal over rights of way through fields. However, I changed my mind along the way because the distance between Cadair Idris and Dolgellau can be deceptive and the time that I had until my bus to Machynlleth looked more limited on the top of Penygadair, a summit that I wasn’t so bothered about reaching after managing the feat next to three years ago. Minffordd looked the nearer and I wanted to make sure of my way home, not at all a problem on the day.

My choice of Wales was based on the fact that an east moving rain belt might leave earlier to afford a drier day’s walking than might be had further east. It seems that I made the right decision and especially so when you consider that a rain belt was ensconced over Ireland during their August bank holiday weekend, not at all what they need right now. The Cadair Idris idea was in mind for a while after a previous attempt came to naught and less involved transport arrangements only added to its appeal.

The trouble with both Cadair Idris and the Rhinogau is that they are great collectors of clag whenever there is any uncertainty with regard to the weather conditions. Their proximity to the Irish Sea is what I think to be the cause and I seem to have made more visits when the tops were shrouded than when they were clear. However, a Spring Bank Holiday weekend "invasion", made trickier by the Cadair Idris hill race when it came to accommodation, a few years back proved that there are days when air clarity reigns supreme. Saturday’s incursion wasn’t to be one of those with low cloud smothering the summits from time to time. Even so, that reduction in visibility never obscured the presence of those fearsome inland cliff faces that surround Cwm Cau so all was safe.

Apart from safety concerns, the presence of so much cloud didn’t bother me so much because its absence could make for the sort of day when lazing rather than more strenuous activity would be the more tempting. So, while temperatures weren’t what they might have been, it was still hot sweaty work on the way uphill from Minffordd. In hindsight, my starting point probably should have been the car park at the junction of the B4405 and the A487 but I pottered down the former to following my intended right of way as the map showed it. You could say that I was taking a safety first approach on my first visit to the locality but it offered the opportunity to find my bearings and that can never be a bad thing, even if road traffic required a little negotiation.

My route away from tarmac was soon located and a mental note made of the off-road alternative. The path underfoot was well made with plenty of steps easing the way uphill through the woodland with waterfalls to my right. It was also quiet, an undeniable bonus when steep inclines are to be negotiated; there’s nothing like the freedom to determine your pace and rest stops without the nuisance of leap frogging that blights so many popular tracks through upland areas. Views of the hills surrounding Llyn Mwyngil (also known as Tal-y-llyn Lake) took up the time spent stationary. Cloud denied opportunities for photography but you can’t knock beauty when there’s no sun.

The gradients took to being kinder after the treeline was crossed and I was presented with a choice: staying with the Minffordd Path as planned or diverting around by Mynydd Moel instead. Having seen an information board before the uphill action commenced, the latter was tempting but I decided to keep with the original course and continued towards Llyn Cau on a path that was at times boggy and unclear. That may have been the cause of my approaching the corrie rather nearer than might have been intended but it was nothing that a spot of doubling back couldn’t fix and it was on open access land after all. In fact, I could have continued around the lake to embark on a steep ascent that reminds of the Devil’s Kitchen path in the Ogwen Valley. Some might find its like exhilarating but there are times too when making it harder for yourself than it needs to be is not in order.

The slopes of Craig Lwyd saw my footfall instead of the above more adventurous alternative whose presence hadn’t come to my notice by then anyway. There were a goodly number of folk plying the way hereabouts but not so many as make it feel like the walking equivalent of the M6 or the M25. The gradient was energetic but the coolness at above 600 metres in height kept the sweating in check. An extra layer was needed when things levelled off; steeper gradients never last. Airy ground became the order of things with views down to the lakes beneath competing with the slopes, craggy or not, for attention. Still, the ridge-like feel wasn’t sufficient to scare though it did provide every encouragement for keeping away from sharp steep stony deathly drops.

Craig-Cwm Amarch looked quite impressive when it came into view. Low cloud was wont to envelope me and anyone at this ca. 700 m height from time to time and the 791 m summit in question got cloaked too; the accompanying drop in temperature was the reason for my wrapping up warmer. Keeping a respectable distance from the edge, I left the peopled Craig-Cwm Amarch to cross Craig Cau for Penygadair. This may have meant a very noticeable height loss and subsequent regain but my legs weren’t complaining too much as Cadair Idris’ highest point came quickly enough.

Like many others there at the time, I lingered on the summit for a while. On my visit in August 2006, it was a breezy spot that felt more exposed than it felt on the return trip. Higher cloud abounded that day but with no sign of blue sky to complement it. For the second visit, the low cloud stayed away for long enough to allow glimpses of Barmouth and the mouth of the Mawdach Estuary from on high. In fact, there were decent views all around but the sense that you were under a cap of cloud that wasn’t everywhere was inescapable. It was a reminder of Kerry folk and their saying that Brandon on the Dingle peninsula has "his" cap on. The cause would be the same: moist unstable sea forming into wisps and clots as it rose in height.

It was a look at my watch put me off the idea of continuing to Dolgellau, in spite of the attractions of following a known path in conditions with occasional lack of air clarity. Thoughts of rushing things overpowered any such adavantages so I opeted for a shorter option that took in more summits, one of them being Mynydd Moel, and returning by the path that tempted me earlier. Along the way, I crossed nameless tops with ample views to the north. Whatever numbers of people had accumulated dissipated quickly as I continued to the east. While I questioned the sanity of the enterprise, the easy slopes to the top of Mynydd Moel were surmounted with one last look around before I started to pick my way down.

Looking at the map now, following the fence that I crossed to reach the said summit downhill wouldn’t have been so foolhardy if mapping can be trusted not to hide some unpleasant obstacle among the otherwise none too frightening slopes. On the day, I dropped down the hill’s eastern slopes on a well defined if occasionally challenging path to reach an informal one going south along the eastern bank of a watercourse. The down-slopes didn’t look so threatening from then on and I crossed the Nant Caenewydd near a wall that I followed west to pick up a maintained path taking me back towards the junction where I had that earlier quandary. My old Explorer OL23  showed the course of the formal Mynydd Moel path but that seems to be omitted from the Quo data that I have. That makes me wonder what a newer map might be missing but it’s all access land so no one should be hollering at any devil may care cross country wanderers like myself.

The way down steepened but it was known to me from earlier in the day and I knew that no rushing was needed. It still wasn’t busy and took me back to level ground in good time. This time, I followed the path to the car park that I had rejected earlier and reached my waiting point for the bus with time to spare, never a cause for complaint. However, your brain really doesn’t need to take to wandering into questions like whether you are at the right place to stop a bus when it is unmarked and whether the bus would be excessively delayed on its way south from Caernarfon. All such concerns proved to be unfounded, a good way of ensuring that they didn’t sully a fabulous day out.

Travel arrangements:

Return train journey from Macclesfield to Machynlleth and 32/X32 return bus trip from Machynlleth to Minffordd.

In marked contrast to July, I seem to have got in a proper hill walking outing right on the first day of August. It was a case of first deciding that I was going somewhere and then finding a dry spot on the weather map. That took me on a train journey to Machynlleth in Wales by way of a wet Wolverhampton. More specifically, I ended up walking what might be termed a Cwm Cau horseshoe and that took me over Cadair Idris. Starting and finishing at the Minfford Hotel meant that I ended up avoiding Dolgellau, a perhaps more usual starting point but with a longer walk in to the hills, too. When I finally begin to get the lead out with my trip reports, I'll tell you more about the escapade but a good day was had with a cap of cloud keeping both sunburn and heatstroke at bay. That might have limited the photographic output but there was still plenty of that too with the sun coming through at times.

Yesterday saw me pulling out the bike for an afternoon run around Macclesfield. Given that I was (and am) still feeling the effects of Saturday's exertions in my legs, steeper inclines were avoided on a spin that took in places such a Siddington, Marton, North Rode, Oakgrove and Sutton. The weather was reminiscent of what I enjoyed in Wales the day before so it wasn't unsuited to a spot of activity. Some roads like the A537, A34, A54 and A523 had their fair share of traffic but Cheshire has its allotment of quiet country lanes too. They can be both narrow and twisty so keeping so being alert in readiness for the occasional car is always clearly in order. Even so, sufficient opportunity for relaxing progress was on offer and the surroundings were resplendent to boot.

All in all, the weekend made an excellent start to August (and autumn? Well, some are wondering…) so long as you picked the right spot. It has been a bank holiday one in Éire and Scotland so I hope that they were able to make something of it. July hasn't been so kind to us so the only hope is that the predicted mixture of rain and sunshine allows some drier interludes for enjoying the countryside at this point in the year and there's a bank holiday weekend for England and Wales at the end of the month.

The idea of going over the hill from Dolwyddelan to Capel Curig has lain in my mind for a while with one attempt at doing it being scuppered by railway tardiness. It only takes a few hours so that makes it a good option for a short winter’s day. With the extra daylight of a spring day, I decided to extend it as far as Llyn Ogwen. That made it a lower level walk around and by a number of hills. First up was Moel Siabod with the Glyderau and Carneddau coming later.

The name Dolwyddelan means the meadow of Saint Gwyddelan; I suppose that Ireland’s proximity made for many a Gaelic incursion into Wales and this Irish saint was yet another of them. It’s certainly well located in pretty and tranquil countryside with its castle too. That appears not unlike the one near Llanberis but I never glimpsed it on this walk but rather on a train journey to Blaenau Ffestiniog instead. After spending a little time organising myself, I made my way from Dolwyddelan’s train station to the track that was to carry me to Capel Curig.

The climb from the A470 is a keen one that can easily take your breath away. Initially, I was little unsure of my navigation but it soon enough started to fall into place: I was where I thought I was. My progress was set to be through forestry for a while and with enticing views to Moel Siabod in the morning sun too. Others were about but it was no throng, just a mixture of gentle strollers from my home country and other more active walkers like myself. Even with a good deal of camera action on my part, I wasn’t to be deprived on my personal space for a spot of reverie. A temptor turned up in the form of a sign saying Moel Siabod but this was left behind me in favour of my planned itinerary.

The forest may not have been overrun but things were even quieter after I left it for open hillside. Cloud had bubbled up and was obscuring the sun at times but my descent to Capel Curig was far from unpleasant. After some tarmac bashing, I was back on softer turf again with a plan to follow a public footpath all of the way to Plas y Brenin before crossing the A4086 to join a bridleway heading towards Llyn Ogwen. In the event, I ended up on the A5, perhaps because of lack of clarity on the ground. In hindsight, that may have been just as well because it alerted me to the heat of the day, the strength of the sun and my lack of a hat.

On my way to the A4086 junction, I passed one outdoor emporium, a former service station by the looks of things, and was kicking myself for not realising my want. Since there were two at the aforementioned junction, that was no travesty and a hat was duly acquired. In a departure from my usual habit of using peaked caps, I went for something more substantial with a good wide brim all the way around. Having the extra protection that this sort of thing provides has been in the back of my mind and it isn’t before time that I finally took the plunge. The new acquisition was a Trekmates item and features Gore Tex for keeping off the rain too while a chin strap stops the wind from carrying it off on me. Somehow, I have a certain feeling that it will see a good bit of use.

With an ice cream in my hand and the new hat on my head, I set off along the bridleway to Llyn Ogwen. As I rounded Cefn y Capel, I gazed across the A5 towards through which I have wandered on previous walks starting from Capel Curing. One of these took me around by Llyn Cowlyd on a day when the hills conspired to collect clag while all about them was sunny. By the time that I had passed Moel Eilio to reach Coedty reservoir, the weather had improved to produce a fabulous evening that would have been an incredible predication earlier. Even the humps and bumps of the Carneddau that I could see had cleared. If my memory serves me correctly, I believe that I may have ended up in Tyn-y-groes before a combination of buses and trains returned me home. That wasn’t the only stroll staring from Capel Curig that landed me in the Conwy Valley with another hike that I think finished in Trefiw after passing Crimpiau, Llyn Crafnant and Llyn Geirionydd. Now that I cast my mind over this past excursions, the haziness of my recollections is in stark contrast with anything that I have shared through this blog. Things that you find on here may be for sharing but setting something down in writing does mean that you still have it for jogging your memory afterwards.

Looking over a map in search of those past excursions does make me wonder at how contorted some of the routes were. These days, I tend to appreciate the idea of less intensive footpath navigation with episodes like a recent amble from Congleton to Leek perhaps being the exception. The track that I used to get from Capel Curig to the shores of Llyn Ogwen was very much of the clear and relaxing variety. Traffic from the A5 was surprisingly not so intrusive at all and I only started to encounter humanity again at and after the campsite at Gwern Gof Isaf. The sky was hazy at times and cloud often intervened to provide respite from the heat of the sun. Picking out one hill from another, especially on the opposite side of the A5, was a tricky endeavour and I think that I need to get in among them to be really sure. Looking at maps now reveals an intriguing route to the top of Carnedd Llewelyn via Y Braich and Pen Yr Helgi Du so there’s some scope for a spot more exploration around here and much of the countryside is Open Access land too.

There was another campsite to pass before crossing the A5 not far from the craggy buttress of Tryfan; I was very much approaching countryside that I have visited before. The path along the lower slopes of Pen Yr Ole Wen and above Llyn Ogwen had less of the clarity of the track that brought me to Nant y Bedlog. Once past the farmstead of Tal y Llyn Ogwen, conditions underfoot were often boggy and another way of losing any line of any path was over rocky portions. Broadly heading in the right direction was the approach that I adopted so my remaining on the right of way probably was a hit and miss affair. The clambering that was involved on my return to tarmac convinces me that I can’t have got it right and walking it in the opposite direction mightn’t be such a bad idea. Even so, any time spent looking across the lake at Tryfan easily compensated for any effort, especially when the sun escaped from behind the copious quantities of cloud that were by now filling the sky.

My walk was completed with time to spare before the next bus to Bangor was due, never a bad thing and much better than being in a major rush. After acquiring some refreshments, I certainly had the time, even with a coach load of young people nearly overwhelming the small shop, to go confirming my suspicions about some of my route finding but the thought never even entered my head. Instead, I ventured along the path towards Llyn Idwal, another spot familiar to me from previous visits; I have walked from here to Llanberis by way of the Devil’s Kitchen path and Yr Aran and in the reverse direction using a different route that omitted the said hill. Time wasn’t sufficient for me to get to the cwm but a some more photographic action was allowed before I made sure of catching my bus, the last one of the day going to Bangor in fact. Not reaching a small target that may have come to mind late in the time was no bad end to what had been a good day out and casting eye over maps since then has added more ideas, including a higher level route around the Glyderau, that can be held over for other opportunities that may come my way.

Travel details:

It might have been an idea to get a rover ticket for this one but it wasn’t such an extortionate journey anyway. A train journey got me to Dolwyddelan with changes in Manchester and Llandudno Junction. The latter allowed for some photographic activity and the purchase of a hot bacon butty. The S6 Snowdon Sherpa service operated by Silver Star conveyed me to Bangor, from which another train journey got me home with changes in Crewe and Stockport.

There is a certain distraction occupying my life at the moment so that’s why that trip report from my Easter visit to Aviemore has yet to make its debut. Nevertheless, my weekends have been left sufficiently free for some sampling of the springtime awakening that surrounds us right now. Yesterday saw me pay a visit to Derbyshire for the first time in what feels like an age. My amble started in Baslow and took me through the Chatsworth Estate en route to Matlock by way of the Derwent Valley Heritage Way. The weekend before saw me heading west to Wales for a yomp from Dolwyddelan to Llyn Ogwen. Both walks saw dry mild weather with cloudiness obstructing the sun at times and had plenty to offer the wanderer. Today’s chilly dampness may be a contrast to all of this but there a prospects for some decent weather over the coming bank holiday weekend. Only time will tell if that’s hopeless optimism on the part of weather forecasters or becomes reality. After an enormous bank holiday howler made by Met Éireann a now frightening number of years ago, I won’t be holding my breath but I remain hopeful of being ready for any opportunities that arise. In the meantime, I suppose that I’d better get to doing those trip reports and processing accompanying photos (picking what to include or exclude often takes more time than the Photoshop work itself…).

By the end of last week, I was gagging for blue skies and sun so, being the outdoors type that I am, it was maybe inevitable the I would find myself among hills at the weekend if there was a chance of any sun on offer. Suitably enough, Saturday was offering and my mind turned to another excursion to Welsh hill country where I hadn’t been for over a year and a half. I was to spend a few good hours in the vicinity of the Rhinogs with low cloud stopping any ambitions to ascend a hill in their tracks.

That’s not to say that their wasn’t sun too but the clag attenuated things somewhat. On train journey from Macclesfield, I saw plenty of sunlit hill country while we crossed Shropshire and I might have been tempted to stop off at Caersws at the same time as another bunch of walkers if the Rhinog plan hadn’t crystallised strongly in my mind. From there west, great wads of cloud were about and often obscured the sun too. Skies were clearer after passing Machynlleth and I assumed that Cadair Idris was in part responsible to the lumps that pervaded overhead. Still more were ahead of me after reaching Dyffryn Ardudwy, following a journey that took in busy trains. An alternative culture event (manga or anime, anyone?) in Telford certainly drew folk in droves but the school mid-term break might have it hand in this too. Things were set to be far, far quieter on the return leg.

The first thing that I needed to do in Dyffryn was acquire a map, a need that is so unlike me. Having maps is a task that is always on the to do list so this mishap was unusual. Nevertheless, I soon fulfilled my needs in the Village Store and I was very grateful for the chance. Needing to get a new map was not even close to the end of the world since I have some ideas worked out in my mind anyway and the one that I already had did predate the advent of the Open Access areas that allow such piece of mind in exploring more remote parts. Saying all of that, I would have felt very "naked" without one and it’s certainly not something that I’d leave to chance again.

My cartographic needs duly fulfilled, I set off on my wander. My first stop turned out to be burial chambers of a type that is familiar to me from Ireland. We call them dolmens and it was intriguing see similar constructions along the west coast of Wales, even if they were not of the same size; our ones are capped by boulders that cause one to wonder how they were placed where we find them at all. After that piece of prehistory, it was back to the modern task of hiking along public footpaths and quiet roads.

The tarmac mercifully ran out after Cors y Gedol Hall to be replaced by a hard core track. Behind me, I left the coast while the countryside in front of me contained significant and not so significant attractors of clag. Moelfre was one of these while Diffwys was shrouded too. On a fairer day, the temptation to mount the latter might have been there but the shrouds kept ambitions on a short leash.

I stuck with the track bound for Llyn Bodlyn until it passed the summit of Moelfre and I then began to ascend its shoulder after that few kilometres of gravel bashing. Sound grassy hillside more than capably replaced it and I continue until I found the wall through which I was to pass before taking a left turn to motion towards the top of Moelfre. As it happened, I decided not go all of the way to top. Standing in the midst of murk didn’t seem worth the effort and there were rather more stone walls about than was suggested by my OS map. I probably had the best views anyway and could see Llyn Erddyn across the valley from me.

Having satisfied myself, I began my descent to reach a bridleway that I had planned on using. My northbound course took me from one valley to another and with new hills to see. Foel Ddu lay across from me while Rhinog Fawr, Rhinog Fach and perhaps Y Llethr nestling behind lesser bumps. These heights weren’t so clag-bound as those that I been seeing earlier but cloud remained abundant, limiting sunshine to spouts from any openings.

Once the bridleway had returned me to tarmac, I had decided to start returning to Dyffryn Ardudwy using a mix of quiet single track roads and rights of way. The tarmac element was well gated to keep sheep where they were put so the possibility for any traffic was much reduced so the countryside still could be enjoyed and admired without there being any interruption. Looking at the map now, I suppose that going to Llanbedr might have made more sense but that wasn’t what my train ticket said so I stuck to the original plan. Not long after passing Moelfre, the sun escaped from the clouds to yield a magical display and allowed time for a spot of photographic activity. It didn’t last so long though, which was probably just as well since I need to continue on to bring a good day’s walking to an end before night fell. Sun and blue skies may have been in short supply at times but there was easily enough of both to keep me happy.

Travel arrangements:

Return train journey to Dyffryn Ardudwy, changing at Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton and Machynlleth on the outbound portion while the return trip only involved a change at Wolverhampton.