Dydd Iau  3 Hydref 2024. Crib Nantlle. Mae'n flynyddoedd maith ers i'r Clwb gerdded ar hyd Crib Nantlle. Mae'n rhaid i'r daith linellol egnïol hon fod yn un o'r llwybrau mynydd gorau yng Nghymru ar ddiwrnod da. Yn dilyn gohirio oherwydd rhybuddion tywydd 10 diwrnod yn ôl, roedd y diwrnod o'r wythnos a ddewiswyd yn lle hynny yn un hardd, yn heulog, yn sych gyda gwelededd rhagorol, er bod dwyreiniol gyflym yn gwneud iddo deimlo'n oer yn y bore.

Dechreuodd parti o saith dan arweiniad Gareth o Ryd Ddu ym mhen dwyreiniol y grib. Y rhan gyntaf oedd y slog drwg-enwog 1300 troedfedd i fyny'r Garn ar hyd llwybr glaswelltog serth hir a erydwyd yn aml i gafnau o gerrig a graean gwaelodol. Ar ôl 1.5 awr roedd yn rhyddhad cyrraedd y lloches ar y brig am banad boreol a chyfle i flasu’n cyntaf o olygfeydd godidog y dydd ar draws copaon Eryri. Oddi yma trodd llwybr y grib yn ôl i fyny ac i lawr chwe chopa ar lefel gyffredinol o 2000-2500tr. Roedd y cam nesaf yn croesi Marchnad garw Clogwyn. Achosodd hyn sgramblo anoddaf y dydd dros greigiau uwchben rhai diferion serth, gan arwain at glogwyni a phileri rhyfeddol Mynydd Drws y Coed. Er nad oedd gweddill y llwybr yn 'daith gerdded yn y parc', roedd heriau llai arswydus.

Daeth y disgyniad araf a llafurus 500 troedfedd i Trum y Ddysgl i’r golwg â’r rhwyll hyfryd o ysgwyddau gwyrddion sy’n gwneud tirwedd y grib mor arbennig. Roedd y panorama o boptu’r col cul yn syfrdanol, yn ymestyn o Ynys Môn i’r Rhinogydd a Bae Ceredigion. Daeth dringfa haws â’r parti i gopa Tal y Mignedd, wedi’i goroni gan obelisg carreg amlwg a adeiladwyd i ddathlu Jiwbilî Diemwnt y Frenhines Fictoria. Roedd llecyn cinio cysgodol ychydig o dan y gofeb yn cynnig golygfa dda i lawr i chwareli llechi Nantlle. Parhaodd y llwybr ar draws Bwlch Dros Bern, gan roi cipolwg o Gwm Pennant.

Yr amcan nesaf oedd Craig Cwm Silyn, pwynt uchaf y dydd, yn gofyn am esgyniad eithaf llafurus arall ar lwybrau creigiog aneglur. Wrth edrych yn ôl, daeth y llwyfandir ar y brig â golygfa hudolus o’r copaon serth o amgylch yr Wyddfa oedd bellach o’r diwedd yn glir o niwl, tra islaw i’r gogledd cael cip ar ddau lyn, Llynnau Cwm Silyn. Yn dilyn taith gerdded i lawr rhai caeau clogfeini cafwyd esgyniad glaswelltog hawdd i Garnedd Goch. Dewisodd y parti esgyniad o gopa orllewinol olaf y gefnen, Mynydd Graig Goch, ychydig dros 2000 troedfedd yr isaf. Yn y brigiad tebyg i gaer ger y copa, yn chwifio baner Owain Glyndwr, roedd stop i fwynhau’r golygfeydd bendigedig yn heulwen braf hwyr y prynhawn o Ben Llŷn yn ymestyn allan i ddyfroedd arian y Môr Celtaidd.

Roedd llwybr hawdd yn arwain i lawr y llethr glaswelltog i’r de-orllewin gan ddilyn llinell o byst, gan droi i’r gogledd ochr yn ochr â’r gronfa ddŵr yn Llyn Cwm Dulyn ac yna cofleidio’r wal yn ôl i ble roedd dau gar wedi’u parcio ychydig i’r dwyrain o Nebo i fynd â’r cerddwyr blinedig adref. Roedd hon yn daith gofiadwy o 8.5 milltir dros 8.5 awr, gydag esgyniad cronnol o ryw 3600 troedfedd. Roedd yn ddiwrnod caled, ond fe adawodd llwybr llwyddiannus tirwedd mor odidog ymdeimlad gwych o gyflawniad gwerth chweil. Noel Davey . (Cyf:DHW).

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.