Thursday February 13th 2025. Caernarfon-Y Foryd. Judith Thomas led a party of 28 on a pleasant circuit on the western side of Caernarfon. This patch of Wales was lucky to enjoy bright, if cold, sunshine on a day that was overcast elsewhere.

The  walk started from Parc Coed Helen located in the grounds a former  estate named after Elen,  the legendary Welsh princess and wife of Magnus Maximus (Macsen Wledig) who rose to become Roman Emperor in the 4th century AD. The route took the Aber Swing Bridge, a pedestrian crossing over the Seiont built in 1970, replacing an earlier from 1900, allowing passage of masted vessels. The great grey bulk of Edward’s castle battlements loomed intimidatingly above.

Urban paths led along the river bank past the modern terminal of the Welsh Highland Railway and then onto the hidden  wooded path of Lôn Eifion, doubling as a cycle route alongside the rail track. After recrossing the river on the outskirts of the town, the route turned west  across the rich rolling green fields of Hendy and Tyddyn Alice farms, dotted with mature trees.

There was a pause for morning coffee on a rocky mound with fine views across the Menai. Field paths continued inland via Tan y Graig, eventually regaining the shore where the charming little  church of St Baglan has stood in idyllic isolation for almost a thousand years. It is surrounded by a walled graveyard in regular use, notably the burial place  of Tony Armstrong Jones overlooking the Strait. This was a memorable site for lunch in the sunshine.

The afternoon leg  followed the road some two miles  along Y Foryd, hugging the water’s edge. This is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Local Nature Reserve notable for its winter wildfowl and waders, such as widgeon  There was a grand spectacle across the choppy waves of the bay  to the  lowlands of Ynys Môn and one of the best views of the Castle on the approach to Caernarfon.

This was an enjoyable  walk combining urban interest and attractive  countryside and covering  just under 6 miles in 4 hours on easy and mostly flat terrain. Afterwards, many of the party retired for a sociable tea at  the nearby café at Fron Goch Garden Centre. Noel Davey.

Sunday February 9^th, 2025. Mariners’ Path. Today’s walk followed the Llwybr Morwyr/Mariners’ Path 10.5 miles across the middle of the Llŷn from Nefyn to Abersoch. This now popular trail was set up a few years ago by Nefyn Town Council to celebrate a route once used by sailors walking down to the small seafaring settlements on either coast.

A dozen walkers led by Debbie and Sally  met at Stryd y Plas car park in Nefyn. (Sadly none of the O Ddrws i Ddrws buses parked here were available for hire today as hoped, so the party  had to shuttle by car from Abersoch). It was a day of misty sunny  periods and  light winds, which showed off the lovely inland landscape of the peninsula at its best.  The route led south out of Nefyn across broad field tracks below the dome of Garn Boduan, crossing the B4412 into the Cors Geirch National Nature Reserve, an extensive area of wetlands rich in fenland habitats. Passing the listed and now rather decrepid house of Penhyddgan, the path continued through a pleasant woodland area via a new permissive route; a series of intermittent boardwalks did little to ease the way across  intervening muddy sections.

A garden at Dinas Brân generously provided a spot for a morning panad near Nant y Gledrydd.  A short country road section brought the path up into open fields and moorland, climbing steadily to a height of 770ft through the wide bwlch between the prominent craggy  peak of Garn Fadryn and its smaller twin of Garn Bach. The views across the peninsula from here were magical in the misty sunlight, just reaching the shining silver bay at Porth Neigwl, towards Rhiw and Penarfynydd looming to the west  and the chain of small hills stretching from  Saithon to Mynytho via Carneddol in the east.

There was a stop for lunch by a stream on the southern slopes above Garn Fadryn village. The pleasant fields lower down featured affectionate ponies and striking brown tracts of reedy elephant grass planted by the Nanhoron Estate, supposedly for use as horse bedding. Skilled craftsmen were at work reconstructing archetypal cloddiau  A  new path circled around the top of the Nanhoron quarry to the road across the Inkerman Bridge (Pont Llidiard y Dŵr), a reminder of local losses in the Crimean War.

A haul across the expanse of Mynytho Common led through the scattered settlement sometimes unfairly  labelled as ‘Upper Abersoch’. The route then plunged down to Abersoch itself through  the strange glacial valley known as  the Nant Fawr,  passing the ‘old reservoirs’, now well  maintained lakes for the private use of the Bryn Cethin Bach holiday park above.

The day was a great six hours of walking in delightful landscape and congenial company on relatively easy if sometimes muddy paths.  Noel Davey

Thursday January 30th 2025. Tremadog Hills. Despite the prior advice about mud, bog, difficult stiles and a significant climb, 23 members led by Noel turned up in Tremadog for a circular walk in the hills above the town.

The day was bright and dry with sunny periods. The walk started from Y Sgwâr, the elegant centre  of William Maddock’s creation, climbing past Tan-yr-Allt, the house where he lived, later occupied by Shelley and more recently a Steiner school. A  metalled access track continued north up the broad valley of Cwm Mawr, passing the farm of Cwm Bach. Rough paths led below  Y Fedw, one of several conspicuous scalloped peaks which crown the southern scarp of the Tremadog Hills. There was a lovely vista  back down to Porthmadog with the sun glinting  brightly over the bay.   At 800ft this was the highest point of the day, reached in about an hour and time for a panad  beside the stones of a substantial farm ruin.

The next section led across the wide plateau extending to Cwmystradllyn with fine views towards Moel Hebog and the Nantlle Ridge. The  paths  here were tussocky and boggy  with a number of awkward and slippery stiles. A narrow metalled road led westwards  to the lonely house of Cae Glan yr Afon where the route turned off onto field paths and a muddy track.

There was a stop for lunch in the shelter of  extensive farm ruins close to the  farmhouse of Gesail Gyfarch, nestling below the northern edge of the prominent hill of Craig y Gesail. This was built about 1830, superseding a sequence of three much older houses, successively linked to the same family, later the Wynn family of Gwydir, and  including a 15C Snowdonia house of gentry status, subsequently used as an outhouse.  An inscribed  6th century gravestone is carefully preserved near the drive entrance of the present house.

The route continued gently down along the western slope of Craig y Gesail, eventually reaching the easy bridleway running below the rocky scarp from Penmorfa past the Alltwen Hospital back to Tremadog, following the track of the former railway serving the slate quarries of  Cwmystradllyn and Cwm Pennant.

Despite its challenges, this  was an enjoyable walk of about 6 miles over 4 hours in an attractive area of little known hills. Noel Davey.

Saturday January 24th  2025. Tanygrisiau -Moelwynion. The  programmed Sunday walk was switched to the day before to benefit from a forecast lull between two weather ‘bombs’. This proved a good call as the Saturday was gorgeous.

Gareth Hughes led a party of 9 on a venture into the Moelwynion. The walk took a  familiar route through the village paths and streets of Tanygrisiau  and then at a good pace up the track through Cwm Cwmorthin, alongside the lake and past  the towering waste tips and intriguing ruins of the quarry at around 1000ft elevation. A further 500ft climb  through Bwlch Cwmorthin led past a waterfall in full spate onto the wide expanse occupied by the remains of barracks and workshops once part of  the remote Rhosydd Quarry.

After a panad, rocky inclines continued steeply onto the Moelwyn plateau a further 300ft up. A moorland path led south past Foel Ddu and Moel yr Hydd, passing the great open pits of the East and West Twll.  Here the walkers split into two parties.

The non-moutain party of four took the relatively level and well engineered path, contouring south-west at around 1500ft  along the side of Moelwyn Mawr above Llyn Stwlan. Lunch was taken in the sun, alongside the path, overlooking Llyn Stwlan. Lunch with a breathtaking panorama before us. Then it was over to Bwlch Stwlan and the tarmacked descent to Tanygrisau.

The mountain party made the steady slog up the grass path to the peak of Moelwyn Mawr at 2530ft. It was well worth the effort: from the windy trig point the views were stupendous in every direction, taking in a large part of Eryri,  from the snow capped peak of Yr Wyddfa  to the north, to the Arans in the south and the Arenig to the east. Far beyond lay the Clwydian hills, while the magical lands of Llŷn stretched westwards into the misty horizons of the Irish Sea. Up here in a brisk wind it felt like -6C, so  the group soon turned down, taking the tricky stony paths  carefully  across the craggy ridge of Craig Ysgafn.

There was a welcome stop for  lunch in a sunlit, sheltered eyrie beside a  white quartz boulder above Bwlch Stwlan. This spot provided splendid bird’s eye  glimpses  down to Blaenau, Llan Ffestiniog and Trawsfynydd. Most of the group made the final ascent of Moelwyn Bach, taking the relatively easy, though at times icy, path on the north flank there and back in about half an hour. Fast work was made of the  final leg down to the dam at Llyn Stwlan and then the hairpin bends of the metalled access road leading back to Tanygrisiau.

The lakeside café reunited the two groups for a welcome coffee after an excellent day in the hills, covering around 8 miles in  5 hours. Noel Davey.

Thursday January 16th 2025. Porthmadog – Tremadog - Borth-y-Gest. A group of 28 ramblers turned out on a gorgeous winter day for a circuit around Porthmadog led by Colin Higgs. The walk started from the Lidl car park, taking the mile long straight path north-west on  a former rail track via Pensyflog to Tremadog. The high  street  led east  through the centre of  Madocks’ visionary little town built  around a central Maes commanded by the Market Hall. A detour  was taken through the delightful Nursery Woods at Bodawen; originally established as a tree nursery to supply timber for  local shipbuilding, these are now  an attractive amenity of mossy woodland paths and streams.

After a coffee stop here, there was a  short stretch along the verge of the A498 below the dramatic crags of Tan yr Allt. A track south crossed the reclaimed fields of the former Traeth Mawr via Farm Yard  Farm, over the Welsh Highland Railway and through a commercial area to the scenic Cob Crwn  path around Llyn Bach to the east of Porthmadog. There were spectacular views of the mountains, pin sharp in the bright sunlight.

Across Porthmadog High St by the Ffestiniog Railway Station at the north end of the great Cob, the route continued past  the harbour and the site of former slate wharves, warehouses and shipbuilding. The paved  path led through an area of prosperous housing down into the attractive village of Borth y Gest curling round a sheltered bay and once  the crossing  point over the tidal sands before the Cob was built.  

It was high time for lunch in the sun with the fine prospect of the Rhinogydd mountains across the estuary. The return route to the town took the higher road with good views of Cei Ballast, an artificial island created by the jettisoned ballast of ships returning empty from taking slate all over the world. Steep steps led  down back to the harbour through a line of fine 19C houses.   

The final leg cut along streets and paths on the eastern  side of Porthmadog, passing the historic Snowdon Mill,  now at last being redeveloped as apartments after many years of disuse.  This was a pleasant, varied and interesting 6.5 mile walk over 4 hours on a flat and easy route, giving ample scope for a good  chat. It was rounded off by coffee in the Leisure Centre café. Noel Davey.

Sunday January 12^th, 2025. Trawsfynydd - Gellilydan. The walk today was a figure of eight circuit in the attractive landscape to the north of Llyn Trawsfynydd. The day was calm and dry, 5-7C, with cloud giving way to sunny periods. Gwynfor Evans led 17 ramblers, starting from the power station carpark.

The route initially led west on a paved road along the north shore of the lake, passing the austere hulk of Basil Spence’s modern ‘Welsh Castle’: since 1991, after just 25 years of nuclear power generation,  the plant has been subject to a century-long  decommissioning plan, but there are hopes that it will be successfully revived soon as a site for smaller reactors (SMRs), which would sustain this  source of employment and economic activity so vital to the local area.  Lingering icy patches required a cautious pace.

Near the lake dam a path, now part of the Cambrian Way, was taken northwards through the formerly forested area of Coed Caersaeson; following recent clear felling,  this has reverted to an open upland area, giving distant views of misty snow-covered peaks of the Moelwynion. A short section on country lanes brought the walk to another path heading north to Gellilydan. On the outskirts of the village there was a convenient stop for an early lunch amid the ruins of a substantial farmhouse.

A walk past the school and through the village led west on a lane towards Maentwrog, rejoining a section of the Cambrian Way. A flock of charming alpacas and a menagerie of other  animals were a feature of the visitor attraction of Snowdonia Alpacas at Bryn Awelon Farm. There was a glimpse of the great mansion of Plas Tan y Bwlch nestling in woodlands on the far side of the Vale of Maentwrog  below.  

A short steep path turned off south near a house at Frondeg.  Near Penyglannau there was a stop for an early afternoon panad providing a splendid vista of snowy peaks, now glistening in the sunshine, extending east to Ffestiniog, Manod and the hills beyond. The final leg back to the power station included a delightful path lined by mossy walls running through oak woodlands, an extension of the Atlantic rainforests of Ceunant Llennyrch National Reserve just to the south.

This was an easy and  enjoyable walk of about 7 miles over 4.5 hours through pleasant  countryside. Noel Davey.

Thursday January 2^nd, Tanygraig-Clynnog.  A cold and sunny day (at last) tempted out 19 members led by Ann Jones   for a linear walk along the northern side of the Clynnog Hills from Tanygraig to Clynnog village.

Starting from Rock Cottage on the old A499 road, the route followed a permissive path newly opened up by the AONB/AHNE volunteers. This follows the 300-350ft contour below the scree and along a former quarry tramway of the former Gyrn Ddu and  Tyddyn Hywel granite quarries  which operated for about a century till their closure just after WWII.

The path is presently clear of the bracken, brambles and gorse  which had made the route virtually impassable for many years. The route is now relatively easy, but  there are a number of uneven and rocky sections, some of which were slippery in the near zero temperatures. It makes a good scenic alternative to the present official ‘Coast Path’ section/cycle route  running alongside the traffic of the busy A499 main road. Although most of the path  was in the shadow of Gyrn Ddu and Gyrn Goch rising above, there were lovely bright sunlit  views  down to the coast, to Yr Eifl and the adjacent hills, and across the bay to Ynys Môn.

The path continued through the fields of Ystumllech Farm and joined an established right of way coming out at Pont y Felin just to the east of Gyrn Goch village.  Lunch on the slopes above with a view of the coast  was brought to an abrupt halt by a squally but brief shower. A short section along the main road brought the party to the interesting village of Clynnog, dominated by the  magnificent cathedral-like church of St Beuno rebuilt from the late 15C in fine Perpendicular style, a reflection of its importance as a key staging point on the great medieval pilgrimage route to Ynys Enlli. Nearby stands the Ffynnon Beuno, a well preserved holy well within a walled enclosure once renowned for its supposed curative powers.

A muddy track was then taken towards the coast to take a look at the Bachwen Burial Chamber, a neolithic tomb standing  in a splendid position in the middle of a field overlooking the sea with a backdrop of the  Clynnog hills; its capstone is particularly noted for its decoration with numerous ‘cup-marks’ of uncertain significance.

Back at the village, the majority took the bus back to the start point after a pleasant walk of 4.25 miles over  3 hours; two opted for a fast 2.75ml one hour walk back by the ‘Coast Path’ running alongside the A499.  Noel Davey

Sunday December 29^th 2024. Cwm Cynfal - Bryn y Castell - Llyn Morwynion. A dozen ramblers, led by Noel, all eager to walk off the excesses of the season, gathered near the top of Cwm Cynfal gorge, high above Llan Ffestiniog on the road to the Migneint and Arenig. After several days of gloomy weather, the hoped for sun failed to break through at this level around 1000ft up and it remained damp and misty much of the day.

The party first walked 100 yards up from the carpark to admire the spectacular waterfall of  Rhaiadr y Cwm, celebrated in Welsh folklore and culture, a slender cascade of water, dropping 400ft as it flows through the narrow gorge between the upper and lower courses of  the Afon Cynfal. A controversial hydro scheme is presently under consideration here for the fourth time, raising concerns about  the risk of visual damage to the falls and surrounding landscape as well as to its ecology.

A boggy path was then taken to the top of the falls to follow a narrow and precipitous section of the Slate Trail, running right down  the edge of the gorge high above the river. This provided dramatic views back up to the falls and far down the valley to Cwm Farm. From there a level wooded track led west alongside the river, providing  a spot for  a morning panad. Nearby were the ruins of an old chapel and its ‘modern’ replacement built in 1904, now sympathetically converted to a dwelling.

The route turned north onto a narrow metalled lane, forming part of Sarn Helen, the Roman highway built from Caer Llugwy near Capel Curig to the Roman fort at Tomen y Mur near Trawsfynydd.  A wonky stile and open grassland path tracked   the probable course of the road  across the B4391 and up a track to the Dwr Cymru water treatment plant. This is the reputed site of Beddau Gwyr Ardudwy, the legendary graves of the Men of Ardudwy. Nearby, the inscribed ‘Cantiorix’ stone (a replica of the original now in Penmachno church) provides evidence of lingering Roman influences possibly form the late 5C.

The next objective was the small hillfort  of Bryn y Castell where archaeological excavations in the early 1980s identified remarkable evidence of  local ironmaking dating from 300BC. The partially restored workshop, houses  and ramparts provided an interesting site for lunch and some shelter from the damp and chilly wind, though misty conditions shrouded the otherwise splendid views.

A well engineered track climbed   up to the relics of the Drum Slate Quarry, worked for 30 years from the 1860s. A small lake at Llyn Trum and a deep quarry pit marked the highest point of the day at around 1500ft. From here the walk turned south across a col, joining a grassy path eventually leading to Llyn Morwynion and a track back to the cars.

This was an varied  and worthwhile outing of just over 6 miles and 1450ft of ascent in 4.5 hours with relatively easy walking, although the disappointing weather, often poor visibility and some  muddy terrain conditions perhaps made it seem more arduous and failed to do justice to the area. Noel Davey

Thursday  December 19^th 2024 Llanystumdwy-Rhoslan-Betws Fawr. For the Club’s last walk before Christmas Dafydd led 16 members on a well researched circuit from Llanystumdwy. The day was cold and windy, but  there were bright sunny periods and promised showers kept off, apart from a brief flurry of hail.

The walk set off from the village up the ‘back’ road passing Lloyd George’s grave perched in a dramatic setting above the Afon Dwyfor. A long tree-lined track then led north towards  Trefan Hall,  passing the former home of the celebrated author Jan Morris. Fortunately  the  many trees felled by Storm Darragh ten days ago had by now been cleared away. A short section along the Caernarfon road, crossing the  Dwyfor by Pont Rhyd y Benllig, brought the route to a concrete drive leading north to Cefn Isa, the parallel field path being closed. A further obstructed right of way meant that the walkers had to divert across a field to reach the path beyond Cefn Coed.

This continued west to Beudy’r Gromlech, a small cottage probably dating from the 18C listed as a well-preserved representative of a smallholder’s dwelling once typical of Llŷn. This was a good place to pause for a panad and mince pies kindly baked by a club member for the occasion. A few leftover  pies were donated to Will, the 92 year old occupant of the cottage. In the adjacent field a  fine small burial chamber, the Rhoslan Cromlech,  has stood for 5000 years, its balanced capstone surviving intact.

About 300m along the busy main road, the walk turned onto a track at Tyddyn Ysguboriau, passing a restored chapel, and after a particularly muddy section joining a pleasant country lane. The parapets of the Pont Bryn Beddau over the upper Dwyfach provided a quiet spot for lunch.  The lane was followed south, past a number of interesting buildings, including Betws Bach, a 17C gentry house, Betws Fawr and Capel y Beirdd. There was a glimpse through the trees of the castellated walls of Plas Gwynfryn, a Victorian pile completed in 1876 for the MP Hugh Ellis Nanney, largely burnt out in 1982 and long awaiting some sort of redevelopment.

The route next followed a delightful 300m section of  the famous Lôn Goed, the great tree-lined avenue  running from Afon Wen  created by the agent to the Talhenbont estate in 1817 to serve inland farms. The road back to Llanystumdwy passed through the rich woodland planted by the estates which once dominated the countryside around Llanystumdwy. A final section through the scenic village brought this enjoyable outing to an end after some 7.8 miles over 41/4 hours on easy terrain.  Noel Davey

Sunday December 15th 2024. Talysarn-Cilgwyn-Moel Tryfan. A select group of seven ramblers led by Hugh met at Talysarn for a circuit to Cilgwyn and Moel Tryfan, an area particularly noted for its slate heritage. The day was mostly cloudy with some mist, but it stayed dry, mild and calm with occasional bright periods.

The walk headed north from the village up through a maze of narrow paths between the small walled fields and cottages built by  Cilgwyn quarrymen from the late 18C  onwards. These led to the now reclaimed Cilgwyn landfill site and onto the bare grassy dome of Mynydd Cilgwyn where a modern cairn marks the 1138ft summit.

Following a brief stop for a panad, the route continued  north-eastwards, skirting the village of Y Fron and the lake at Chwarel Braich where a party of divers were preparing to explore the waters. There were views to the north to Caergybi and the west coast of Ynys Môn, lit by distant shafts of sunlight.  A track led though a bleak misty landscape of slate waste piles and pits, associated with Cors y Bryniau quarry, to the rather disconcerting sound of nearby rifle shots, apparently aimed at clay pigeons. There was then a climb to the rocky crown  of Moel Tryfan, at 1400ft the highest point of the day.  This Site of Special Scientific Interest is noted for its complex geological qualities which  helped sow the seed of Darwin’s theories when he visited in 1842.

The route now circled back south- west, offering a welcome stop for lunch in the shelter of hills  of slate waste. Next, an often muddy path led across the exposed heather moorland of Rhos y Pawl, celebrating the legend of a young man forced by a  local farmer to sleep naked on the moor on a January night to get permission to wed  the farmer’s daughter.

A fine vista opened up towards the cloud shrouded summits of Mynydd Mawr and the Nantlle Ridge, as the sun at last took hold. Below stretched the fascinating slate landscape of Nantlle, centred on the Pen yr Orsedd and Dorothea quarries, one of six areas forming the newly established World Heritage Site. Paths and tracks wove back to Talysarn through the slate workings, past deep quarry lakes, castle-like bastions of quarry buildings and the crumbling remains of  quarry houses, all now long invaded by woodland and ivy.

This was an excellent day out of some 8-9 miles and 1500ft of ascent over about 5 hours, providing relatively easy walking and a wealth of interest. Noel Davey.

Thursday December 5^th 2024. Llanberis - Ceunant. Tecwyn Williams led 16 ramblers on a circuit above Llanberis on a  cloudy and showery  but mild day. The route started from the northern end of Llyn Padarn, turning into Glynrhonwy and the Council-managed woodland known as Coed Doctor. This was a major area of slate quarrying in the 19C and later owned by the Ministry of Defence, but now the delightful oak woods are a haven for wildlife. After skirting a campsite, deserted at this  time of year, the path climbed past Llyn Tomas Lewis, reaching an area of upmarket houses in the upper reaches of the town. The route then descended into the older centre of Llanberis, passing the impressive structures  of Capel Coch and the church of St Padarn, both built in the late 19C,  as the heyday of slate quarrying began to give way to tourists, attracted by the grandeur of the landscape.  

The route turned up again, passing under the arches of a sloping 800m long viaduct of the Snowdon Railway. A slippery path on a soft bed of damp oak leaves led through a deep gorge alongside the Afon Hwch to the foot of the magnificent Ceunant Mawr.  This is one of the finest waterfalls in Wales plunging over a hundred feet, a dramatic  spectacle in full spate after recent rains. After a precarious pause for photos on damp rocks amid the road and spray, the party climbed up to another fine viewpoint at the top of the falls.

More exposed moorland paths circuited south at around 800ft elevation and then back down, crossing the river and railway. There were misty views down to the town, the lake and serried quarry workings on Elidir Fawr beyond, but the high ground rising to Yr Wyddfa above was enveloped in cloud. The descent along the Llanberis Path was unusually deserted on this dank winter day. It was a relief to find the hospitable Pen y Ceunant Isaf Tea House enroute open and willing to host a now damp and  bedraggled  party of ramblers for their lunch with coffee and bara brith in the warmth of a roaring fire.

On reaching the grand Victoria Hotel in the town, the last leg of the walk led briskly along the banks of  Llyn Padarn, passing the grassy site of the now sadly demised Electric Mountain. In spite of the damp weather this was an enjoyable and varied outing of 5-6 miles over 3 hours. Noel Davey  

Sunday December 1^st 2024. Tryweryn-Craig y Garn. Adrian Thomas led 9 club members on a walk from Canolfan Tryweryn -  the National Whitewater Centre – near Bala.  It was a mild autumn day, around 12C, mostly cloudy with bright periods and light showers.

The route led north climbing gently up a pleasant wooded path on the west bank of the Afon Hesgyn. After a mile or so a  footbridge crossed the river, along the southern flank of Craig y Garn. There was a stop for a panad amid the ruins of a substantial rural structure at Garn at around 1000ft elevation. An easy ascent then took the party to the craggy summit of the Craig y Garn at 1550ft. From here there were fine views across the attractive countryside of the Tryweryn valley towards the village of Frongoch, today a muted patchwork of green fields and the reddish brown of bracken covered hills. The corner of Llyn Celyn  was just visible to the west, commanded  by Mynydd Nodol and the Arenigs beyond.

The path continued north-east to the farm of Maesgadfa, then turning south east across muddy fields.  There was a stop for lunch beside the ruins of Beudy Frongoch, one of a number of relics of the large  estate of Trawscoed once associated with the Vaughan family. The afternoon path led back south-west to the Canolfan across more waterlogged fields. There was a welcome stop for a coffee at Manon’s café.

All then joined a final short detour westwards along  the delightful wooded Tryweryn Trail as far as the weirs and a former salmon fishtrap  below the great green wall of the reservoir dam. There were no white water canoes or rafts  out on the rapids today, as river levels were low at this time year, awaiting NRW’s planned  releases of water into the Dee for downstream abstraction to supply thirsty Liverpudlians mainly in the summer. A major project is underway to construct  an additional spillway on the dam to reduce the risk of any catastrophic downstream floods; this was a poignant reminder of  the notorious flooding of the Tryweryn valley 60 years ago, a disaster for ever etched into the nation’s collective memory.

The return path followed the track of the former GWR branch line from Bala to Blaenau, scheduled for closure even before the dam was built. This was an easy and relaxed walk of about 6 miles over 4.5 hours, well suited for a short winter’s day. Noel Davey

Thursday November 21 2024. Nant Gwrtheyrn - Pistyll. Meri Evans and Rhian Roberts led a group of 18 ramblers on a popular circuit between Nant Gwrtheyrn and Pistyll. The weather was cold, 4C or less, feeling colder in any wind, but dry with sunny periods  and good visibility.

The walk started at Mount Pleasant above Llithfaen, taking the dramatic twisting road down the steep side of Vortigern’s Valley to the former quarry village, transformed into the National Language Centre almost 50 years ago. The conifers here have  all been felled recently , leaving the valley looking startlingly bare, but deciduous replanting will in time return the valley to its woodland setting, while the old cart track is being restored as a route through the trees for walkers and horses.

The path led between the well preserved and interesting buildings of the village, descending to the coast at Porth y Nant and then climbing steadily through former quarry workings  and some straggly oak woodland at Gallt Bwlch. Beyond Ciliau Isaf, there was a further ascent to the headland of Penrhyn Glas, the rugged site of Carreg y Glam quarry. It was from here, legend has it,  that Gwrtheyrn  jumped from the cliff to his death in despair at the loss of his empire to Germanic tribes.

This vantage point was chosen for lunch in the shelter of a wall. From here there were spectacular views to Caergybi across the waves and to the imposing peaks of Yr Eifl. The afternoon path descended  gradually to Pistyll below the slopes of Gwylfa, passing  intricate walls thought to have been connected with a  medieval leper colony. The goal was the little gem of the 12C pilgrim church of St Beuno, nestling above the sea beside a wooded stream.  This features a rare leper window, while the tradition of spreading the floor with rushes and sweet-smelling herbs is maintained. The tombstone of Rupert Davies, the Maigret actor, is to be found in the graveyard.

Now the route turned back, taking a gently ascending  field path north-east past the farms of Cefnydd   and Ciliau Uchaf and then crossing a wilder  upland plateau at about 1000ft  back to Mount Pleasant. This was a pleasant and relaxed walk of some 6 miles and 1500ft of ascent over about 4.5 hours. Noel Davey.

Sunday November 17, Tanygrisiau-Llyn Stwlan. A dozen  walkers led by Eryl Thomas made a circuit from Tanygrisiau to Llyn Stwlan on the southern edge of the Moelwynion. It was predominantly cloudy, but the forecast heavy rain proved relatively light and intermittent during most of the day.

The walk followed the eastern bank of the Tanygrisiau Reservoir, developed from Llyn Ystradau, as part of the Ffestiniog Pumped Storage power station commissioned in 1963.The path taken crossed the weir and spillway of the reservoir and at its southern end crossed both the former route and new track of the Ffestiniog railway after its diversion around the enlarged lake. A rough path then headed north-west, crossing Nant Ddu by a footbridge with a stop for a morning panad near remnants of the Moelwyn slate mine.

After a steady climb, the walk reached Llyn Stwlan  where a massive  34m high concrete dam now walls off  a cirque basin created by glacial erosion,  to form the upper storage reservoir of the Ffestiniog scheme. Water can be released at a minute’s notice  to run the turbines 1000ft below for up to 4 hours at times of peak energy demand. There were misty views  back down to Tanygrisiau and Ffestiniog.

Lunch was taken at a sheltered spot on the north-eastern corner of the dam below Craig Stwlan. Then 4  of the group took the option of the paved access road winding back down to Tanygrisiau, while the main party climbed onto the Ceseiliau Moelwyn, taking an initially  rougher path at around the 1600ft contour  close to  Clogwyn y Bustach and below Moel yr Hudd. This reached a grassy plateau, leading to the spectacular remains of the slate quarries at Wrysgan. These date from the 1830s with a large mill fed by a small reservoir and leet built in 1865.

From here two walkers clambered down a steep slate path to the Cwmorthin track, while the remaining 6 opted for a more challenging route through a short and steep rocky tunnel, requiring  head torches, and then a precipitous 600ft descent down a slippery and crumbling stone incline.

A short step along the Stwlan access road and a short detour to view the falls reunited the whole party at the welcome lakeside café. This was a short but at times taxing walk of some 5-6 miles and 1500ft of ascent over 4 hours, giving a fascinating insight of how development has moulded a dramatic landscape over the last two centuries.   Noel Davey

Thursday November 7, 2024. Pwllheli hinterland. Margot Jones lead 26 ramblers on a most interesting and well-researched walk in the hinterland of Pwllheli. The principal theme of the walk was Cynan, the celebrated and charismatic local poet, linking together a number of locations and plaques marking his life and poetic inspiration.

Soon after the walk began the sun and blue skies returned at last after many days of gloom.  The walk started from  the Marian y De/South Beach  near  Café Largo, so named after Cynan’s ballad about a famous fisherman of Pwllheli.  The route went west in a clockwise direction, passing Talcymerau Mawr and taking a wooded path alongside and then over the Afon Rhyd Hir by  an old  slate bridge. Across the Ala Road, the route  skirted the grounds of the manor and estate of Penmaen and continued to Lleyn St,  where there was a pause to note the  ‘soul restoring water’ of the  Ffynnon Felin Bach, immortalised by  a couplet in Cynan’s crowned poem  ‘Mab y Bwthyn’.

There was a stop for a panad in pleasant open country near Gwynfryn Farm. A country lane was  followed  east next past the sizeable cemetery at Denio, descending by field paths above the Bro Cynan flats. Along Pentre Poeth, maybe recalling charcoal burners,  was the site of the former Free Grammar School and later for a while  the Magistrate’s Court. A steep climb followed up Troed yr Allt past the quirky Picton Castle, a private house, and the Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor at the top on Penrallt.  Then came the rocky Garn, at all of 232ft, the highest point of the day, providing sparkling 360 degree views over the town, the sea and the countryside of central Llŷn, an ideal spot for lunch in the warm sunshine.

The afternoon leg took the party back down the broad Ala Road, passing the former workhouse and now derelict clinic  awaiting a buyer. The route through the  narrow streets and hidden courtyards of the town included a quick visit to the early 17C inn at Penlan Fawr, the oldest building in the town - no time for a drink, but a chance  just to view the odd photo of Lloyd George and Hitler posing side by side.  The final section walked down the broad embankment of Ffordd y Cob, diverting to admire the Inner Harbour before getting back   to the café.

This was an ingenious walk offering a wealth of fascinating historical interest. It covered some 7 miles over 4.5 hours, but allowed plenty of opportunities to ‘escape’ for those who wanted a shorter walk. Noel Davey.

Sunday 3 November 2024. Trawsfynydd. Tomen y Mur & Nuclear Power Station. This was an alternative to Noel’s 10 mile programmed walk in Bethesda. Nine members met at Trawsfynydd car park 150 yards from the A470 near the old lake café which is sorely missed, especially so the sumptuous Victoria Sponge’s! It was a rather overcast and sunless day but dry.

The route went back towards the noisy A470 and before reaching it went right and through the car park of the old café to a delightful, wooded track. This meandered through the woods for a short distance before reaching and turning right onto a tarmaced country road running north-south which soon reached the lake-side. After a further half mile or so the A470 was reached and crossed with some difficulty, to the old road. There was located an iconic 17^th century road bridge, which was crossed and the road quickly deteriorated into a brambly path running parallel to the present A470. It emerged in a short distance on a tarmac road which crossed the old track of the Bala-Blaenau Ffestiniog railway which was a victim of the Beeching closures in the 1960’s.

From here Tomen y Mur came into view and an uphill track, mainly through fields and wet in parts was followed to the fort. This was built in AD78 possibly to safeguard a Roman Road (Sarnhelen) which passed nearby. It was re-used by the Normans in the 11^th century as a motte. One or two declined to ascend the steep hillock, one in particular having suffered following an unintended descent on a previous visit. From its summit there were excellent views of the nearby Trawsfynydd Lake and furter away the Rhinogydd Mountains.

Following lunch on the roadside going south, after half a mile a stile was crossed left into a large field and the route lay south west and downhill to the furthest corner. This area was particularly boggy after which the path soon reached the A470 once again, at Uticah Chapel. Here it was left towards Trawsfynydd and immediately across the road and right onto a lane leading to a farm, Ty Gwyn, which could be seen some 300 yards ahead. Passing behind the farm, the path continued south through a wooded area on a rather obscure path which after a short distance came to a T junction. Turning left the Nuclear Power Station, which is being de-commissioned, came into view and the pleasant path emerged close to its entrance. Frome here it was a mere half a mile or so back to the car park.

This was a pleasant walk of some 6 miles over four hours in good company. Dafydd Williams.

Sunday November 3rd 2024, Bethesda-Penrhyn Quarry-Mynydd Llandegai. This was one of a recent string of calm, warm and dry, but sunless November days overlain by a pall of anticyclonic gloom: good for walking, but a bit disappointing for views. The walk evolved from an idea to make use of a recently reinstated right of way through the Penrhyn Quarry, achieved only after many years of effort.

A party of 13 led by Noel set out from Bethesda, taking a new community path through the former grounds of Bryn Meurig, once the house of the surgeon at Penrhyn Quarry. This pleasant woodland walk joined a steep gravel path to a delightful mile long section of Lôn Las Ogwen, which follows the track of the former Penrhyn Railway, passing the bubbling waters of the river at Ogwen Bank. A new kissing gate led onto a long twisting gravel track, climbing almost 1000ft over 1.5miles to the top of the quarry. This was also the destination of ZipWorld’s army trucks toiling up to 1500ft with their customers brave enough to be launched on a hair-raising 100mph ride down the mile long zip wire, or else to navigate the go-kart track that spirals down alongside the access track. From the top, the riders’ screams, whether of terror or exhilaration, as they plummeted down the wire, were the backdrop to a fabulous view over the grey tiers of workings and the deep blue lake that feature in the massive pit that was once the largest slate quarry in the world.

After a well-earned panad and a chance to take in the views, the walkers split into two groups: three took a sheep track through the heather along the 1600ft contour, following close to the quarry boundary fence and then turned north along a wall to the top of the Marchnad road; the main party climbed directly north up the Fronllwydd ridge by rough heather paths and a tricky rocky section. This route eventually reached a cairn, sometimes known as the North Top of Carnedd y Filiast at a height of 2300ft, by now enveloped in cloud. Lunch was taken in the bare grassy saddle just below in surprisingly mild and calm conditions. There were occasional hints of main higher peak of the Carnedd looming above through the mist, but it was decided to give this further ascent a miss in view of the now poor visibility.

An easy path soon united the two groups for a fast 1.5 mile walk down the metalled road built in the 1970s to serve the works on the Marchlyn Mawr reservoir, part of the giant Dinorwic pumped storage hydro project. At the Marchlyn Gate at 1200ft, the walk turned north across the wide marshy tract of Gwaen Gynfi, following waymarks of the Slate Trail path and avoiding the worst of the boggy ground and maze of water channels. It was a relief to get onto terra firma at the Gefnan road on the edge of Mynydd Llandegai village, noted for its surviving 19C cottages built for quarry workers. A steep lane was then taken down to the Felin Fawr slate workshops, once the site of the main slab mill for Penrhyn. A footbridge over the Ogwen led back into Bethesda.

This was a fairly challenging walk of about 10 miles and up to 2500ft of ascent over some 6.5 hours, leaving an hour of daylight to spare. The variety of landscape and terrain and the constant reminders of Penrhyn’s remarkable industrial heritage added to the interest of a rewarding day. Noel Davey.

Thursday October 23th 2024, Criccieth-Pentrefelin. Today’s walk was a circular to the east of Criccieth. It was a bright sunny day, clouding over for a while at lunchtime.   Kath Mair led a group of 20 from the West End carpark along the town’s vibrant seafront, climbing past the castle and continuing eastwards out of the town alongside the railway.

At Rhiwfor Fawr, the route turned inland, ascending a path to Ystumllyn, an important house of the  late 16C-early 18C. There was a brief pause here to admire a remarkable section of newly reconstructed stone wall around an outbuilding. A field path skirting Moel y Gadair brought the party to the lonely church of Ynys Cynhaearn, occupying an ‘island’ above the marshy area of ‘Llyn Ystumllyn’. Here are buried the harpist  and composer known as Dafydd y Garreg Wen and the renowned John Ystumllyn or Jac Du, an 18C  gardener and the first well-recorded black person to live in North Wales.

Back in Pentrefelin, the walk  turned off past the fishery lakes at Eisteddfa, the former home of Lloyd Georges’ daughter, Lady Olwen, and now used for holiday letting. Boulders near an elevated field corner provided  lunchtime views towards Moel Hebog, Moel y Gest and the Moelwyion. A narrow country lane then climbed  to 475ft near Pen Mynydd Du, the highest  point of the day, passing the relics of Ffynnon Ddunawd, a  medieval holy well, and the late 16C farmhouse of Braich y Saint. The road levelled out here on a plateau, giving a splendid panorama right down the peninsula.

The party then turned down across fields of the former Criccieth Golf Course to the disused clubhouse. A memorial bench here was a good spot to appreciate  the spectacle of the town below. A short climb  reached the top of nearby Moel Ednyfed, a small grassy hill crowned with dotted with conspicuous large stones  in the form of a cairn, possibly marking  the site of a much earlier defensive enclosure of uncertain origin. The summit  brought further fine views of the mountains to the north and east, including the sharp black silhouette of all six peaks of the Nantlle Ridge which the Club recently climbed. The path down led past  the country house of Mynydd Ednyfed Fawr, joining the main Caernarfon road into Criccieth before veering via a particularly  boggy field onto Lôn Fel and Muriau back to Marine Terrace. 

This was an interesting  and  enjoyable outing of some 7.5miles over 5 hours in the attractive landscape of Criccieth’s hinterland.  Noel Davey.  

Sunday October 20^th 2024. Bryncir-Mynydd Cennin. Kath Mair led ten ramblers on today’s circular walk from Bryncir in the upper Dwyfach Valley.  Storm Ashley, the first of the local autumn storms, warned of rough weather with south-westerly gusts over 60mph. However, the conditions for the walk, though blustery, proved nothing like as windy and quite pleasant with dry and sunny periods.

The walk started at the old  Bryncir railway station, following the track of the long-closed  Afon Wen-Caernarfon branch line northwards, now resurrected as the excellent Lôn Eifion recreational path.   The original route, last done during Covid three years ago, had to be modified because of obstructions at three gates on the intended cross-link path via Derwyn Fawr and Foel Fawr.   Instead,  the walkers stayed on Lôn Eifion for about 1.5 miles, turning  west onto a path near Yr Hen Ysgol in Pant Glas. This cut south through scrubby coniferous forest plantations managed by  Tilhill,  with a brief coffee stop, eventually reaching a long straight lane. At a junction near Cae Gors,  a rough heather path was taken into open access land, climbing to the summit trig point at 860ft elevation.

Some sheltered rocks provided a site for lunch and misty views of the Clynnog Hills to the north, Mynydd Graig Goch on the Nantlle Ridge  to the east and Moel y Gest by the coast to the south. The walk continued south over open fields, reaching a path on the well-wooded northern section of the celebrated Lôn Goed at Hendre Cennin farm. From there an easy tramp along country roads via Ynys Galed and past the open-cast gravel workings at Llecheiddior Uchaf brought the party back across the Afon Dwyfach to the  Lôn Eifion at Bryncir.  

This was a pleasant, fast and easy circuit of 8.7 miles over 4.75 hours, much of it on metalled surfaces, in an area of countryside rarely visited  by the club.  Noel Davey.

Thursday October 10^th 2024. Llanengan-Mynytho. Twenty-seven ramblers gathered at the Sun Inn in Llanengan for an interesting and well-researched figure of eight walk to Mynytho and back led by Jane Logan. It was a dry, sunny and occasionally chilly day. The theme of the walk was the south coast pilgrimage route to Ynys Enlli (Bardsey) with a link to the churches and wells of the area. A new  128mile long pilgrim route from Tywyn, Llwybr Cadfan, developed by the Diocese of Bangor was opened at the end of September.

The first stop  was the 16C Ffynnon Engan hidden in the garden just behind the village church. This is one of number of local wells, originally serving a mix of spiritual, medicinal and water supply needs, and recently restored by the AONB volunteers. There was then a pleasant walk north along the road close to the  Dwylan ridge, crossing over the Afon Soch by the long  Bont Newydd and leading to Llangian, a pretty  gem of  a village. There was a stop here for a coffee in the immaculately kept grounds of the village hall and graveyard and a visit to the lovely little 13C church of St Cian. An interesting feature here is the stone pillar with a Latin inscription marking the grave of a 5-6C doctor  (Melus, son of Martinus).

Then came a hike up the steep hill to  the Abersoch-Mynytho road, leading on to  500m straight and level path between hedges along the top of Y Clawdd Mawr, also recently maintained by the AONB volunteers. The route then dipped down to the Nant Fawr coming up from Abersoch and climbed a muddy track towards Muriau. A little frequented path took the party down past a lonely cottage at Oeddwr, climbing again  to the imposing  Ffynnon Fyw. This made a good site for lunch with far-reaching views down to the sea at Abersoch  and Porth Neigwl.

The afternoon route wended  its way back across damp heathland, continuing  towards Llanengan via Wellington,(once the site of a site of a pub, the ‘Finnish’  village of holiday lodges and  the metalled lane running from Rhandir past the Bryn Cethin Bach caravan site,  back to Llangian. There was a stop for ice cream here at the hospitable village shop. The final leg followed the easy lane to Rhydolion  and Pont Towyn, regaining Llanengan via a path across lowland fields.

Back in the village, after a long but easy walk of 8-9miles over some 6 hours, the pub proved more of a final attraction than the church.  This was a great day out full of historical and scenic interest.  Noel Davey.

Sunday October  6^th 2024.  Dyffryn Ardudwy-Pont Scethin. A dozen walkers led by Hugh ventured to Dyffryn Ardudwy for a good circular walk last done by the Club 12 years ago.  It was a mostly dry, lightly overcast day with occasional sun and relatively warm.

The walk started from the village heading steeply inland, soon joining the long dead-straight road of Ffordd Gors. This forms the impressive one mile long access drive running on a north-east axis from the village church to the great Elizabethan house of Cors y Gedol Hall, seat of the powerful Vaughan family of Meirionnydd from the end of the 16^th century. The walk route passed close by the house, though the core building was hidden by a proliferation of later gabled wings and many fine stone outbuildings. The well-gravelled track  then climbed gradually into more open moorland, with a stop for a panad at a substantial stone enclosure which provided shelter from a brisk wind.

The route continued past sheepfolds, entering an open access area at about 1000-1100ft elevation on the southern slopes of the conspicuous conical hill of Moelfre. From here on the Ardudwy plateau there were dramatic  views most of the day across Bae Ceredigion to the long  dark silhouette of the hills of Llŷn stretching from Yr Eifl to Ynys Enlli. Turning east near a (maybe no longer) standing stone onto a less well defined and muddy track, the party reached Pont Scethin, a wonderful humpbacked, single-span, stone packhorse bridge. Lunch here beside the bubbling stream of the Afon Ysgethin was a pleasant break. This lonely spot was once a key crossing on the Harlech to London road, one of many drovers’ roads which served the English markets with Welsh livestock for many centuries.

The route then turned south-west following close under the long rounded ridge of Llawlech. The group helped avert a disturbing incident of sheep worrying by a terrier foolishly unleashed by another couple of walkers. The track turned west past Llyn Erddyn, slowly  descending back into  pleasant wooded countryside at Pont Fadog, another ancient stone bridge on a drovers’ route. Above here, Llety Loegr (‘English shelter’, now a holiday cottage), advertised by a Scots Pine,  marks the location  of one of the inns where the drovers once stopped overnight. A short detour was made to inspect the Cors y Gedol burial chamber, a badly ruined but evocative Megalithic tomb.

A delightful well wooded riverside path led down to Talybont, cutting across  intricately walled fields for one last treat, the impressive remains of the Dyffryn Ardudwy 4-5000 year old double burial chamber on the outskirts of the village. Only then, at the end of the walk, did the rain threatened all day set in.

This was an enjoyable  walk of great variety  and interest, covering 9 miles  in just under 6 hours, while the cumulative ascent of some 1650ft was spread over relatively gentle slopes. Noel Davey.

Thursday October 3^rd 2024. Nantlle Ridge. It is many years since the Club walked the full length of the Nantlle Ridge. This strenuous linear walk must be one of the finest mountain walks in Wales on a good day. Following postponement because of weather warnings 10 days ago, the weekday picked instead proved to be a beautiful one, sunny, dry with excellent visibility, though a brisk easterly made it feel cold in the morning.

A party of seven led by Gareth started from Rhyd Ddu at the eastern end of the ridge. The first leg was the notorious slog 1300ft up Y Garn by a long steep grassy path often eroded to troughs of  underlying stone and gravel. After 1.5 hours it was a relief to reach the refuge at the top for a morning panad and a chance to savour the first of the day’s spectacular views across the peaks of Eryri. From here the ridge route switch backed up and down six peaks at a general  level of 2000-2500ft.   The next stage crossed the rugged Clogwyn Marchnad.  This posed the day’s trickiest scrambling over rocks above some precipitous drops, culminating in the astonishing crags and pillars of Mynydd Drws y Coed. The rest of the route, while hardly a ‘walk in the park’, provided less formidable challenges.

The slow and arduous 500ft  descent to Trum y Ddysgl brought into view the wonderful mesh of swooping green shoulders that make the landscape of the ridge so special. The panorama either side of the narrow col was breath taking, stretching from Ynys Môn to the Rhinogydd and Bae Ceredigion. An easier climb brought the party to the summit of Tal y Mignedd, crowned by a prominent stone obelisk built to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. A sheltered lunch spot just below the monument  provided a good viewpoint down to the slate quarries of Nantlle. The route continued across   Bwlch Dros Bern, providing bird’s eye glimpses of Cwm Pennant.

The next objective was Craig Cwm Silyn, the highest point of the day, requiring another quite arduous ascent on indistinct rocky paths. Looking back, the plateau at the top brought a magical vista of the serried peaks around Yr Wyddfa, now at last clear of mist, while tucked below to the north a glimpse of the twin lakes of Llynnau Cwm Silyn. Following a trek down some boulder fields there was an easy grassy ascent to Garnedd Goch.  The party opted for an ascent of the final western peak of the ridge, Mynydd Graig Goch, at just over 2000ft the lowest. In the fort-like outcrop near the top, flying the flag of  Owain Glyndwr, there was a stop to take in the wonderful views in the warm late afternoon sunshine of the Llŷn stretching out into the silver waters of the Celtic Sea.

An easy path led down the grassy slope south-west following a line of posts, turning north alongside the reservoir at Llyn Cwm Dulyn and then hugging the wall back to where two cars were parked just east of Nebo to take the weary walkers home. This was a memorable walk of 8.5 miles over 8.5 hours, with a  cumulative ascent of some 3600ft. It was a tough day, but the successful traverse of  such a magnificent landscape left a great sense of worthwhile achievement.   Noel Davey

Thursday Sept 26^th 2024. Llaniestyn Circular. Miriam Heald led a group of 22 on a pleasant circular walk mainly on quiet  country lanes around the  village of Llaniestyn in the heart of Llŷn. The sun's timid attempts to shine were rudely interrupted by persistent and often sharp showers throughout much of the day.

The walk set out from St Iestyn's 13C church in the centre of the village, taking the road north-west past the surprisingly large Old Rectory. There was a steady ascent across one of the area's characteristic narrow ridges, reaching  around 300ft elevation at Myfyr Mawr. After a stop for a panad at a crossroads, the route turned down a lane south-east past a neatly restored cottage at Penrhyn Isa. At Tyddyn Rhys, a couple  took the 'D' walk option, escaping down a lane back to Llaniestyn.

The main party continued eastwards climbing again passing a derelict ivy-covered cottage on so-called Lôn Wembli. Another junction  provided a temporarily dry spot for lunch with a convenient perch on flat-topped roadside walls.  There were now more open and elevated views across the lovely countryside of the peninsula, from the hills around Mynytho  and the floodplains behind the wide bight of  Porth Neigwl  to the south, to the craggy summit of Garn Fadryn dominating the peninsula just to the north.

The route then cut north-east onto a recently restored field path across well-tended sheep pastures. At the highest point of the day around 400ft, the exit gate back to the road junction proved elusive for a while as one of the day's heaviest showers set in. But the party  soon regained the road  leading back down west into Llaniestyn.

The village's old school, converted to a useful community centre some 40 years ago, provided a welcome shelter to dry off  with tea and biscuits. This was a relaxed and sociable, if rather damp, outing of about 5 miles over 3-4  hours.  Noel Davey.

Sunday 22^nd September 2024. Beddgelert-Nantgwynant. A dire weather forecast resulted in the programmed A walk on the Nantlle ridge being cancelled at short notice. Consequently 3 of the “A” walkers joined the alternative “C” walk in Beddgelert led by Jean Norton and Dafydd Williams. At this low altitude the weather was not a problem although the adjoining hills were draped in mist and low cloud obliterating the scenic surroundings.

The walk commenced from the car park on the Rhyd Ddu road and back over the bridge to the village centre and immediately left past the toilets and over the iron footbridge crossing the river Glaslyn. There you are faced by a row of pretty cottages as the path goes to the left of them and continues along this excellent footpath/part tarmac road, before reaching Sygun Copper Mine after some 1.5 miles.

With the tourist season drawing to a close there were only a few cars parked at this popular venue. Shortly Llyn Dinas was reached where the path hugs its right-hand bank sheltered by trees. A quick coffee/tea break was taken some half-way along the lake and eventually Llyndy Isaf was reached, the house and adjoining land was sold some years ago to the National Trust for £1M. A small forest, Coed yr Odyn, is then passed and shortly the main road at Bethania is reached where the excellent café was largely ignored by the parti as they had brought their own lunches.

The return journey retraced the outward route and the damp weather continued but the rain began in earnest as the car park was reached. This was a pleasant totally flat walk of some 7.5 miles over 4 hours and ideal in relation to the day’s weather. Dafydd Williams.

Thursday 12^th September 2024. Rhiw. This popular walk on Mynydd Rhiw  was to be a repeat of one the Club did twice in 2022 on days of very different weather. Jane Logan stepped in at the last minute to lead it this time following an unfortunate knee injury Judith Thomas suffered on Pumlumon just a couple of days earlier. The route this time was in the reverse direction and included some interesting variants. Sunny dry periods throughout the day belied an unpromising forecast.

A party of 25 set  off from the Plas yn Rhiw carpark, first detouring down a track to the cove at Bryn Foulk where solar panels and a small wind turbine now supplement the fishing nets and tackle strewn around an old cottage. The next point of interest on the shore was a rare visit on a CADW ‘open doors’ day  to  Sarn y Plas. Now owned by the National Trust, this 400 year old whitewashed stone cottage was formerly the home of the poet RS  Thomas and his partner, the artist Elsi Eldridge.

The route  continued along the Coast Path to Treheli, turning inland up a track  past Ty’n y Parc and then climbing 300ft up a steep hillside path recently opened up by the AONB volunteers. At the top the recently restored Ffynnon Saint is  one of a chain of  ancient holy wells marking the pilgrim route to Ynys Enlli (Bardsey).

After a coffee stop, a grass track continued past a medieval pigsty , with a pause  to admire the delightful garden developed around one of two traditional crog loft cottages also managed by the National Trust. The walk then climbed gently onto the grassy plateau of Mynydd Rhiw, reaching  over 1000ft and opening up a breathtaking panorama of the hills and fields of the Llŷn, stretching from the Eryri to Enlli, all set within the glinting silver waters of the Irish Sea.

Lunch in a sheltered spot provided a welcome interlude to savour this ancient landscape, criss-crossed by timeless stone walls  and the relics of neolithic flint workings.

The  afternoon route led down across a difficult stile through the village of Rhiw, skirting onto the exposed hillside beyond and descending through the lovely woods to Plas yn Rhiw. Here the café, garden and house were all open to provide a final flourish to a most enjoyable 6 mile walk over nearly 5 hours  with many points  of historical interest.  Noel Davey.

Report on Llŷn Ramblers’ Aberystwyth Holiday Break,  September 6th-9th, 2024. Until recently the Club enjoyed many years of annual holiday weeks at HF country houses catering for walkers in different parts of Britain. These were becoming increasingly costly and difficult to organise and then Covid brought them to an abrupt halt four years ago. We thought it time to resume some form of group walking holiday and tacked on a trial ‘weekend’ break to this year’s  summer walks programme, picking Aberystwyth as a relatively local venue, in part because we wanted to tackle Pumlumon again as a mountain we have not climbed for some years, it being   a bit far for a day trip.

Seventeen club members drove down to Aberystwyth to stay three nights in their accommodation of choice, ranging from campervans parked  in the Rugby Ground to more upmarket apartments in the town centre; the majority opted for a caravan site in nearby Clarach Bay where surprisingly luxurious vans provided convenient economic and social arrangements, complete with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, hot tubs, etc.

There was a programme of six walks spread over four days. Most of these had been reconnoitred a few weeks earlier by a group of five prospective walk leaders, but we were most grateful to David Taylor of Aberystwyth Ramblers for advice and for leading one of the walks which was entirely new to us.

Coastal Walks. The coast was the focus on the first two days. On the Friday afternoon we took the bus to Borth (others drove direct and retrieved their cars later) and Noel led a group of 13 on the walk  5-6 miles back to Aber along a glorious section of the Wales Coast path. It was a warm sunny day, tempered by a strong breeze and a bit hazy. The first half followed a dizzying switchback path up and down several times from sea level to 400ft clifftops. From Wallog (where a couple took a dip),  the rest of the walk was less challenging passing through the extensive holiday park at Clarach Bay and finally reaching Constitution Hill, north of Aberystwyth, from where there were grand views of the town and the North Bay. An easy  zigzag path descended alongside the cliff railway.

On Saturday a party of 12 led by Noel took the bus south to Llanrhystud and walked the coast path 10 miles  back to Aberystwyth in about 6 hours. It was another pleasant sunny day which made the most of the spectacular coastal landscape. The cumulative ascent of 2500ft was spread over a longer route than the previous day’s 1500ft.  Dafydd and Hugh led 5 walkers on an easier circular route of some 6.5 miles from Trefechan beach on the southern edge of the town. The two routes  overlapped  on the coastal section from Morfa Bychan, both taking the formidable steep path on Allt Wen, though in opposite directions. The C walk returned by gently undulating inland paths via Tanycastell and finally along the banks of the Afon Ystwyth as it flows into its harbour estuary.

The Wet Day. The next two days focused on upland areas inland to the north-east of the town accessed by a 20-30 minute drive along the A44. A daunting forecast of rain, wind and mist for Sunday led to a decision to  postpone the main ascent of Pumlumon. Most of the party joined the scheduled C walk in the Nant yr Arian recreation area managed by Natural Resource Wales. It is a hilly area of forests, lakes and reservoirs at over 1000ft elevation. The  walk was ably led by Dave and Denise from the Aberystwyth Ramblers. The forecast on this occasion proved all too accurate, comprising continuous and at times heavy rain, a cold wind and misty conditions. The walk, billed originally as a ‘C’,  was nearly 9 miles long, but followed easy tracks and paths, except for a boggy mile across moorland and a couple of streams near Llyn Craigpistyll.   Although we were soaked and missed the views, it was a good, fast walk which gave  a fair appreciation of the area, definitely to be visited again in better weather. The last section along a narrow, wooded  leet path high above a deep valley was particularly attractive. Here we had a rather threatening encounter with a gang  of motorcyclists insisting it was their path, while the signs showed clearly it  was only for walkers and cyclists.

A few could not stay for walks on the Monday, so while most were in Nant yr Arian, Gareth Hughes heroically took a party of 5 on  an unscheduled,  short ‘there and back’ ascent of Pumlumon in wind, rain and very poor visibility.

Pumlumon. The Monday dawned bright and clear, with long  sunny periods throughout   the day and mountain conditions were much better for the party of 10 that were led again by Gareth for his  second venture into the Pumlumon massif on  successive days.

At 2467ft (752ft) Pumlumon is the highest peak in ‘mid-Wales’, occupying a great dome of grit and shale overlain by a wilderness of coarse grass and bog and the source of three major rivers. There is some dispute regarding the origin of the name. The older spelling ‘Plynlimon’ may well be an anglicisation, but the ‘pum’ in Pumlumon is variously ascribed to five beacons, ‘stacks’ or cairns, possibly bronze age burial monuments commemorating the remains of warriors slain in battle.  The Nuttalls’ Mountain Guide refers to the 5 peaks of  Pumlumon Fawr, Arwistli with the elusive Llygad Bychan in between, and  the lower, more peripheral tops  of Pumlumon Fach and Y Garn to the south and west (not part of the day’s route).

The route finally chosen was a linear one starting at a remote farm about 1400ft up at the top of the Eisteddfa Gurig Pass; this gave a fairly easy 1000ft grassy ascent to the summit of Pumlumon Fawr.  The downside of the linear route was that three cars had to be shuttled first 13.5 miles up narrow country lanes to the walk terminal at in Hafren Forest , before the drivers got back to Eisteddfa Gurig in a third car over an hour later. However, all worked out well and the shuttle party caught up the first group of climbers  in time to enjoy together a coffee, photos and the stupendous views at the summit.

A stone refuge provided welcome shelter from strong northerly gusts. From there an easy path led east, close to a boundary fence via a chain of cairns, passing a boggy gulley containing the indistinct source of the River Wye (Afon Gwy). Arwystli, just  30-40ft feet lower than Pumlumon Fawr, is crowned by two massive ancient cairns. The route turned northwards, descending gradually over bleak moorland, still hugging the fenceline, and eventually reached the pools forming  the source of the River Severn (Tarddiad Afon Hafren).

A carved wooden pillar mounted on a stone platform over a muddy pool  marks  the  notional point of origin, but just a little lower down the water can be clearly seen gushing  out of the  reeds and soon forming an ever widening stream.  The Severn Way trail lead down south-east from here on well-laid stone slabs to the sound of gurgling water. The wild moors soon give way to a softer, sheltered valley, clothed in bilberries, heather, small conifers and the bright red berries of rowans. It was time for lunch in the sunshine.

The route now entered the Hafren Forest, first planted in the 1930s and managed by NRW as a recreational area with waymarked tracks and paths. There was a pause to enjoy the  falls at Rhaeadr Blaenhafren before the delightful final section to the  small and remote visitor centre at  Rhyd y Benwch where the cars were parked to get the walkers home. Two or three miles from here Judith suffered a sudden and traumatic knee failure, but valiantly managed to hobble on down to the end point and is now thankfully recovering at home from her injury. This was a memorable walk for many reasons covering about 10 miles and 2500ft of ascent over about 7 hours.

The Social Side. The holiday break was not all about walking. On Saturday night the whole group gathered for a congenial dinner at the excellent Athro Lounge located in an old primary school in central Aberystwyth. On other two nights those staying in town seemed to end up in Wetherspoons at the  Yr Hen Orsaf for an excellent and good value meal of  fish and chips and beer. The larger group at Clarach Bay meanwhile enjoyed the many amenities of the site, not least the hot tub, swimming pool  and club. Two the party came to Aber earlier on the Friday and visited an excellent exhibition of Welsh art  at the imposing National Library of Wales which stands above the town.

We were fortunate to have 3 out of 4 days of good weather. It was an intensive few days requiring a lot of organisation, but everyone seemed to enjoy the holiday. It proved  a useful  experience to learn  from should the Club decide to repeat a similar holiday elsewhere. Meanwhile, we still have some unused walk plans  in hand in the same area should the Club decide to revisit. Noel Davey.

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.