#13.ARAN MOUNTAIN'S LINEAR WALK.23-2-12.

My 13th walk this year proved to be unlucky!.I met Howie at the Rhug Estate at 8.15 and he drove us down to the "Bwlch" where we were to meet Julian at 9 a.m. All the way the weather was horrible,very low cloud and thick fog in places and you couldn't see any of the mountain top's.Julian had got held up in slow moving traffic and didn't arrive until 9.30,he left his car at the "Bwlch" and jumped in with us and we drove back to Llanuwchllyn were we parked in the free car park near the railway station.Setting off at 10 a.m. i joked to the lad's saying "we'll have 10 minutes of view's,7 hour's walking in the cloud and 10 minutes of view's nearing the car",little did i know that that prediction was nearly spot on,if fact it was clear for about 7 minutes,we walked in the mist/fog for 6 and a half hour's and we had about 7 minutes of view's as we neared the car out of our 6 hour 45 minute walk.Turning left out the car park and crossing the B4403 we followed the Afon Twrch to the Hydro-Electric Station.

We were soon in the mist and lost all view's.You couldn't see any rain falling but the mist was carrying very fine water droplet's and i noticed my fleece and trouser's had started to get wet so i suggested a stop to put our wet gear on.The ground under foot was very wet and there was a lot of surface water lying around resulting in numerous detour's trying to find the driest route.Head's down we soon passed Moel Ddu,Craig y Geifr and Moel Ffenigl and hit the steep section that lead's up to the summit of Aran Benllyn.A quick photo at it's summit before we set off for our next top.

Less than 1 mile away and hardly any descent and ascent lies Erw y Ddafad-Ddu and it's splendid summit marker which we didn't linger at as we walked the half mile onto Aran Fawddwy.

Howie and Julian in it's small stone circle.

It had been quite windy all day but it was to increase significantly for the remainder of the walk,and it started to rain quite heavily too resulting in my camera not being employed again on this walk.Breaking new ground we headed down to Waun Camddwr with increasing use of my GPS as i hadn't walked on this section.The ground here is very very boggy and a lot of duck board's have been put down a good few year's ago,some of them have become rotten and it was a squealchy walk over Waun Camddwr to reach the bwlch and the Afon Cywarch.A very steep ascent lead's up to the summit of Glasgwm where it was blowing a hooley,driving the rain horizontally into us.Again not lingering at the summit we made for our 6th and final Nuttall,Pen y Brynfforchog.Again it was a very wet walk to it and we missed the summit by about half a mile before making a detour to it.Just over 1 mile away and virtually all downhill lies the "Bwlch".Again crossing ground i have never been on before i wished it was clear because it looked a lovely area to walk in with what i could see.Locating the fence we started our last steep descent to the car and eventually dropping below the cloud we could see it about 200 metres away.Looking in the direction of Cadair Idris it was a lot brighter and even a patch of blue sky and a sight of the sun,gutted.Gau Graig was visible too.This brilliant walk was 11 mile long with 3,850 feet of ascent and i will definately be walking it again on a clear sunny day.

MILEAGE      97

ASCENT       23,900

TOPS            29.

#12.BERWYN'S.

Snow fell locally saturday so i headed for the Berwyn's on monday,not the best day for photography with the skies being leaden but i was hopeful the summit's would be clear.Parking at Llandrillo i headed up the green lane,the 4x4's must have been out recently as the lane was very rutted on the ascent.

Crossing the 2 ford's i turned right at the crossroad's and headed up Moel-Ty-Uchaf to visit it's stone circle.

Re-tracing my step's back to the lane my route took me between the un-named 548 metre top and Moel Pearce and onto Trawsnant.The decent surface of the lane gives way to a rougher surface,rutted by 4x4's and off road biker's and hardened by the recent frost's.

Grassy at first and then turning more heathery as i hit the snow line and my first view of Cadair Bronwen.

At Trawsnant this lane continues to Bwlch Maen Gwynedd but i took the short cut on the minor path that follow's the fence straight up to the summit.Luckily the boggy ground was frozen so no need to do the usual Berwyn bog trot,zig-zagging around,that was to come on the descent.

Looking across to to Cadair Berwyn and Moel Sych.

The wind started to strengthen as i gained height,the last few steep metres a real struggle to stay upright.I eventually reached the stile and crossed it quickly to take a few photo's of the summit marker's atop Cadair Bronwen.

I have never known a winter like it for high wind's in the mountain's and today was no exception,leaving the summit i headed down to Bwlch Maen Gwynedd carefully,it was very slippery on and off the duck board's.

At the bwlch i took a detour to visit the standing stone between Tomle and Cadair Berwyn,this stone was re-erected by "High Sports" in 2008.Below you can just see the stone on the horizon left of centre at the end of this rutted footpath.Here i was sheltered from the high wind thankfully.

My trekking poles resting against the stone to show it's height.

Great view of Craig Berwyn from here.

Re-joining the main path from Cadair Bronwen i was once more exposed to the ferocious wind.It was blowing right to left and trying hard to force me off the cliff's which were to my left,it was a real struggle to stay away from the edge.I eventually reached the trig point and struggled to take a few photo's.

200 metres south of the trig point and 10 feet higher is the north top of Cadair Berwyn but i didn't visit this summit due to the high wind's,i just wanted to get off this summit as quickly as possible.Heading west over the stile i made my way down Foel Fawr,the wind easing as i quickly lost height.Below looking down on Pennant.

Below the snow line the thaw had set in and it was a boggy descent all the way back to Llandrillo.On my map i saw there was a cairn on Pennant so made a small detour off the path to visit it,i was impressed by the size of it.

My route now was to cross the Nant Cwm Tywyll,seen below,and head across to the Afon Clochnant.At least i was sheltered from the wind here and was able to take my hat and coat off.

The camera stayed away as this was the most boggiest section on the walk.I had to zig-zag up and down in a few places to cross the small stream's below Carnedd y Ci,in fact the whole area was just like a giant wet sponge.I was so glad when i reached the decent track above Blaen-y-dre.

At the fork i took the left hand lane,as i had walked the right hand lane previously.

Some impressive sheep in the field's.

Dropping down into Llandrillo i walked past the impressive Llandrillo Hall and back to the car park.Today's walk was 11.5 mile in length with 2,900 feet of ascent.


MILEAGE    86
ASCENT     20,050
TOPS          23.

#11.MOEL-Y-GEST.12-2-12.

Today's forecast was for a dry misty day so i decided to climb Moel-y-Gest.I failed on my first attempt of this mountain in 1990 when we were staying at Greenacres Caravan Park,not having a map and unable to find a route to the summit.With the travelodge being on the A497 i had noticed a footpath opposite the petrol station and a quick look at my map looked like there would be a route to the summit off it.We checked out of the lodge and put our bag's in the car and left the car where it was and made the short walk to this footpath,a Buzzard sitting atop the lamp post seemed unbothered by our presence.

The path lead's steeply up through a small wood at first.

Eventually popping out into the open we got a misty view down upon Porthmadog.

Just 1 mile from the summit but as we gained height the view's disappeared in the gloom.I didn't get any decent shot's until we reached the summit trig point.

Distance walked today was 2.5 miles with 1,000 feet of ascent.


MILEAGE      74.5
ASCENT       17,150
TOPS            21.

#10.CNICHT (NEARLY).11-2-12.

This weekend was a strange one alright,the week started off with me booking a hotel in Darlington for the saturday night,i was going to watch the Wrexham game while Julie went around the town and we were going to have a drive to Scarborough on the sunday.Then the game gets postponed on friday morning so i cancel the hotel.Richie had mentioned that he was offered ticket's for the Wales v Scotland R.U. International but refused them so i asked him if they were still available,a quick phone call and the middle man say's he is pretty sure they're still available and we can have them.I start to look for accomodation in Cardiff for the saturday night and find somewhere but didn't book it yet.2 hour's later and the ticket's have been sold to somebody else,dam.I now look at the weather forecast for Snowdonia and it wasn't bad,not great either so i decide to take advantage of an offer Travelodge had sent us and book their Porthmadog lodge for saturday night.
      Saturday morning we set off at 8 a.m. on a murky,frosty morning and when we reached Coedpoeth and then Bwlchgwyn i had to drive very slow as there was sheet ice everywhere,people walking to work were slipping over although the road's weren't bad thank's to be gritted.Everything was covered in ice.

It was a little brighter near Corwen and the temperature rose above freezing and we were pulling into the car park next to the Afon Croesor at 10 a.m.

This was Julie's first visit to the village so i showed her the slate carving's and lido.

We left the village walking past the capel and onto the mossy lane en route to the Cnicht.

Which way now Jue ?

We were now out into the open and the view's weren't to bad considering,we soon took our coat's off as it was quite warm lower down.Hitting the crest above Cwm Croesor we got our first view of the Cnicht.

A few patches of snow were visible higher up and mist was obscuring the view every so often.There was a lot more snow on the Moelwynion.

Gaining height i put my coat back on as it was freezing and we noticed a deterioration in condition's,ice prominent on the grass and rock's.

Julie wasn't too happy in these condition's so i stopped and put my micro-spikes on her boot's,these gave her a little more confidence and we pressed on.

We arrived at the bottom of the scramble,400 feet and 0.7 miles from the summit but it was here that i nearly went on my backside,doing a great impersonation of Michael Flatley.The whole area was covered in a thick layer of ice and it would of been stupid to carry on,it was treacherous.I made the decision to go back down.

On our descent we dropped down to our right as this was a more grassy route,i wanted to stay off the frozen rock's as much as i could.Eventually we got below the frost line and made quick progress back to Croesor.

Julie thoroughly enjoyed the walk and vowed to come back when condition's are better.We walked a total of 3.5 miles with 1,500 feet of ascent.

MILEAGE     72
ASCENT      16,150
TOPS            20.