Thursday August 29th 2024. Talsarnau-Soar. The sun shone today for a lovely circuit from Talsarnau. A group of 27 led by Elsbeth met near the Ship Aground pub in the village.

The walk first led across fields and the Cambrian railway to the salt marshes of Glastraeth on the Traeth Bach opposite the mid-channel tidal island of Ynys Gifftan, uninhabited since the 1960s. The tough marsh grass here used to be prized for turfing football pitches and bowling greens. There were fine views across to Portmeirion, giving a different perspective of the local landscape from a recent walk on the Portmeirion Headland.

The route then followed the Coast Path south-west past the farms of Draenogan Mawr and Bach, turning south-east over a dyke and recrossing the railway. The path crossed the main road at Pont Fuches Wen in Glan y Wern and continued to Pont y Glyn. Near here is the Glyn Cywarch estate, an historic home of the Wynn family dating from the 17C. The walk now followed a delightful wooded path north-east along the south bank of the Afon y Glyn with the bold scarp of the Black Wood rising steeply on the other side.

After a short stop for a panad a footbridge took the party across the river to climb a steep path into the scenic village of Soar. Some winding grassy paths took the party through interesting gardens and allotments on the outskirts of the village, climbing gradually into more open landscape.

A knoll at the highest point, a delectable spot for lunch, opened up a magnificent panorama of the mountains of Eryri, glinting brightly in the sunshine, extending from Moel Hebog to the Moelwynion, either side of the cloud capped massif of Yr Wyddfa. At Cefn Trefor Farm, the route cut sharply down a country lane, turning off on another pleasant wooded path to Maes Gwyndy and back to the high street and main road through Talsarnau.

This was a most enjoyable walk of about 5mls and 1200ft of ascent over 4hours. Noel Davey.

Sunday August 25th 2024. Ty’n y Groes – Coed y Brenin. A group of 7 ramblers led by Eryl met at Ty’n y Groes for a pleasant circuit in the southern part of Coed y Brenin. It was a wet morning, but forecast gusts of wind up to 50mph did not materialise in the shelter of the forest and low hills.

The walk started on a forest path leading north-east with a steep ascent of some 500ft in the first half mile which took about half an hour. At Penrhos Uchaf this entered a characteristic woodland area dripping with moss, a symphony of astonishing greens. A substantial and well appointed bothy at the old farmhouse of Penrhos Isaf, maintained by the Mountain Bothies Association, provided a welcome place out of the rain for a morning panad.

The route then continued in a northerly direction by a network of forest tracks and paths at around 600ft elevation, skirting to the west of Bryn Merllyn past Friog and Mynydd Cae’n y Coed. Some heather clad clearings brought wider views of the forested valley and misty peaks. The route then descended gradually 400ft to the Afon Mawddach, which tumbled spectacularly over boulders in a deep and narrow tree-lined gorge. A track followed the eastern river bank, passing the confluence with the Afon Eden. It eventually crossed the river by a footbridge at Ganllwyd where picnic tables provided a convenient if damp spot for lunch as the rain dwindled to a stop.

In the afternoon, the walk crossed the A470 past the striking black corrugated iron clad Community Hall, a mission church built about 1900 and restored by the National Trust in 2006. A network of paths then explored the estate and house of Dolmelynllyn, now also in the care of the National Trust. The interesting Hall was built in 1796 for William Maddocks, the founder of Porthmadog, but subsequently much altered and extended. It is presently under refurbishment as a small hotel. The estate covers over 500ha, including rare temperate rainforest and ancient woodland, notable for a wide variety of epiphytes and lichens. An interesting feature here is a wall of bee boles, small square openings used for wicker hives (skeps) before the advent of wooden beehives.

A path circumnavigated a small ornamental lake. Steps took the party back up to about 500ft before turning down again by a metalled lane at Berth Lwyd, the site of a former goldmine. This was a relatively easy walk of around 7miles with 1270ft of ascent over 4.5hours, a good choice on a damp day. Noel Davey.

Thursday August 15th Afonwen Farm-Lon Goed. Today’s walk was postponed from the last programme because of poor weather. This time it was again wet and windy, but at least warm and not unpleasant. Nia Parry led 13 club members on an easy circuit from Afonwen Farm.

The walk first followed a farm track down to the coast at Sŵn y Don, turning west along the Cambrian Coast railway past a line of peak holiday season touring caravans, appearing rather bedraggled in the damp. A slippery bridge took the party over the railway, doubling back over a footbridge and path down to a wide rocky beach, crossed intermittently by storm groynes. A firmly planned new section of the Wales Coast Path is awaited here. The exposed foreshore was wild and windy with rough seas. The original intention had been to walk right along the beach to Glanllynnau Farm, but this was aborted after half a mile in view of the conditions. Instead, the party clambered onto the massive stone embankment protecting the railway from coastal erosion, and returned over a difficult gate back to Afonwen Farm.

A rather noisy and unpleasant, but more protected route was taken on the cycle lane alongside the busy A497. This passed close to a gorse-covered mound known as the Tomen Fawr, a defensive Norman ringwork enclosure, later used by the Welsh Princes; excavations during bypass construction in 2004-6 also found evidence of its use from both the Bronze Age and Romano-British periods. It was a relief to turn off the main road at the whitewashed Old Toll Gate Cottage, a vestige of an earlier version of this important coastal artery.

The walk followed a quiet wooded country lane north, close to the Afon Dwyfach. This passed Plas Talhenbont, a mansion built in 1607 by the Vaughans of Corsygedol, later owned by the Ellis-Nanney family, and more recently developed as a wedding venue and holiday cottages. The route then turned south onto the Lôn Goed, a celebrated tree-lined track originally built to supply inland farms with lime fertiliser in the 18C. This lush and stately avenue is a delight in any season and provided cover for a damp lunch. A couple of miles further on the route re-joined the A497 cycle lane back to the start point. Despite the weather, this was a welcome outing of some 5.5 miles over 3 hours giving ample scope for social chat. Noel Davey.

Sunday August 11^th  Trawsfynydd-Foel Fawr. A warm sunny day tempered by a moderate breeze brought 11 ramblers to Trawsfynydd for a leisurely circuit led by Hugh in the hills to the east. The walk started from the carpark near the power station entrance, first braving  the roaring A487 to plunge into the mossy tranquillity of a delightful tract of Atlantic Oakwoods. Field paths led to Tomen y Mur, site of the  important Roman Fort, dominated by the mound of the much later Norman motte.

The route followed a section of the Roman Road of Sarn Helen, past the surviving grassy bowl of the ancient amphitheatre where the garrison’s soldiers were once entertained. It then turned across a landscape of  rough, hilly and largely  trackless moorland which dominated the rest  of the day. The party climbed steadily through boggy grass and bilberries, passing Lyn Craig y Tan,  to the top of Foel Fawr at about 1750ft elevation. This vantage point provided marvellous  views back down to Llyn Trawsfynydd, guarded by the squat  twin towers of Basil Spence's power station, with a backdrop of the Rhinogydd mountains. To the north lay the forest of Hafod Fawr and the high peaks of  Eryri.

Pressing on to the east, the route passed Llyn Graig y Wen, one of several lakes damned in the 19C to serve local mines and quarries. The nearby peak of Graig Wen, at 1850ft the highest point of the day, provided a lovely spot for lunch with time to take in the splendour of the encircling mountain landscape,  from the Cadair range to the Arans in the south, to the Arenigs and Berwyns in the east, fading into haze of the Denbigh moors, and the dome of Manod Mawr, commanding the bogland of the Migneint to the north.  The afternoon leg tracked down to the interesting remnants of the Prince Edward Gold Mine, which operated from the end of the 19C until 1935, contributing 278oz of gold, partly used for royal rings, from 123 tons of ore.

The homeward path turned west, eventually hitting a rough track which turned into a road along a former tramway at the Braich Ddu slate quarries, still in small-scale use for ornamental slate. Finally the route rejoined the outward path back to the power station.  This was a good day out in a little frequented area, covering 8-9 miles and 2230ft of cumulative ascent over 6.75 hours;  the terrain and unaccustomed warmth made the walk feel quite tiring, while  good visibility made the most of the exceptional mountain views. Noel Davey.

Tuesday August 6th 2024. Trans- Carneddau. This traverse of the Carneddau was originally programmed for the end of June, but was postponed several times awaiting better weather. At last, a suitable clear sunny day in August arrived and a party of 5 (out of an original 10 who wanted to go) led by Gareth Hughes were able to do the walk.

An early start was made from Glan Dena on the A5 just to the east of Llyn Ogwen. The ascent alongside Afon Lloer was steep and rather slow, but eventually the turn west at Clogwyn Mawr was reached above Cwm Lloer and Bryn Mawr, leading onto Pen yr Ole Wen, the first of the day’s 5 peaks over 3000ft. From here there were brilliant views across to the formidable tower of Tryfan, its rugged walls sharply etched in the morning sunlight. The route now led onto the easier terrain of the great arc curving north and east round to Carnedd Dafydd and eventually onto Carnedd Llewelyn, the two highest peaks of the day, both near 3500ft. The northern edge of the rocky ridge between the two peaks plunged precipitously down the dramatic Ysgolion Duon (the Black Ladders). To the south, there were now spectacular views across the heart of Eryri, from the grey mass of the Glyderau opposite, rising to Yr Wyddfa and Crib Goch beyond and the more distant Nantlle Ridge and Yr Eifl.

With a brisk SW wind and a spell of heavier cloud the party were glad of the shelter of a stone refuge for lunch at the summit of Carnedd Llewelyn. By now the walkers were making a much better pace and the afternoon segment on mainly grassy paths across the high level plateau, making light work of the peaks of Foel Grach where there is a refuge hut and Carnedd Gwenllian (renamed from Carnedd Uchaf in 2009 to commemorate the Welsh heroine and daughter of Llywelyn ein Llyw Olaf, Llywelyn the Last ). Splendid vistas now opened up towards the Conwy Valley to the east and to the Menai and Ynys Môn to the north. The final leg turned west crossing near rocky outcrops of Yr Aryg, the Beras and Drosgl, gradually descending across Gyrn Wigau. The focus of the view was now the peaks of Elidir and Carnedd y Filiast and the tracks snaking down in Penrhyn Quarry.

The mountain landscape gave way to walled smallholdings and old quarry paths as the route led down into the Gerlan and the town lanes of Bethesda, the terminus of this linear walk. This was a memorable and strenuous day out, covering about 12miles in 8 hours with almost 5000ft of cumulative ascent, and well worth the wait for suitable weather. Noel Davey.

Thursday August 1st 2024. Porth Ceiriad. The walk today was a circuit on a fine section of the Wales Coast Path south of Abersoch. 28 club members led by Louise Fletcher Brewer met at the hospitable Porth Tocyn Hotel on yet another beautiful warm day, tempered by a light onshore breeze.

The walk first headed down to Machroes and west along the ‘Lôn Haearn’, the embankment left from the railway which in the 19C ferried ore from the local metal mines to the wharf at Penrhyn Du. At the junction with the track down to the Golf Course, the party turned uphill on a very narrow wooded bridleway (theoretically open to all traffic, but motor vehicles beware!). At the top lies the hamlet of Bwlchtocyn, still with its modest Independent Chapel built in 1796. Field paths were then followed south via Corn Farm and Riffli, giving fine views down the peninsula towards Porth Neigwl (Hell’s Mouth), Rhiw and Ynys Enlli. An uphill section on the Cilan road past Bryn Celyn Uchaf led to an easterly field path to Nant y Big, where the campsite owner kindly offered walkers use of the ‘facilities’.

The walk now followed a glorious section of the Coast Path running above the magnificent cliff-lined bay of Porth Ceiriad and then north along the edge of Cim Farm. After a good pull up it was time for a leisurely lunch on the grassy headland of Trwyn Yr Wylfa from where there were splendid views looking over the sands of Porth Ceiriad, surprisingly quiet today, to the cliffs of Pared Mawr, its iron age fort, and the plateau of Mynydd Cilan. A pair of kestrels hovered nearby. The Cim path, high above black crags and caves pounded by restless blue seas, brought an even more spectacular panorama of the twin islands of St Tudwals just across the water and, beyond, the great sweep of the Welsh mountains from Yr Wyddfa to Cadair Idris.

All too soon, the path turned down past the old mines back to the Port Tocyn after a delightful coastal walk of some 5-6 miles over 3-4 hours. Noel Davey.