Fri 5 June 2015
Another new venue for a hillwalking weekend in Wales – The Wynnstay Arms in Llanbrynmair, Powys. The journey was fraught with delays on the M40 and a closure of the M54, so we arrived over an hour later than predicted by the satnav. It didn’t help that it decided the quickest route was to abandon the A roads and take us over a switchback, twisting, high moorland road that was an interesting experience in the dark. Vince and I sat in the bar until 12:45am, and over a couple of pints of Tetley’s Gold cask bitter decided the route for tomorrow. We had a short list of two, Maesglase and Pumlumon. We plumped for the former as it was a much shorter drive to the start from the pub.
Sat 6 June 2015
After a breakfast of generous proportions we set off to the start of today’s walk near the small 
village of Aberllefenni. The journey was accomplished in about 30 minutes. A few more minutes to get booted-up and we were on our way at 9:45am. For an hour and three-quarters we gained height on roads and tracks within the forest, so views were very limited. There was no need to follow Nuttall’s route via Ffynnon-Badarn as Vince’s more recent OS map showed that the forest road was in fact a right-of-way, so we continued on that, joining back up with Nuttall’s route in half a kilometre or so.
village of Aberllefenni. The journey was accomplished in about 30 minutes. A few more minutes to get booted-up and we were on our way at 9:45am. For an hour and three-quarters we gained height on roads and tracks within the forest, so views were very limited. There was no need to follow Nuttall’s route via Ffynnon-Badarn as Vince’s more recent OS map showed that the forest road was in fact a right-of-way, so we continued on that, joining back up with Nuttall’s route in half a kilometre or so.
There was plenty of birds in compensation for the lack
of views. The dense foliage meant that they were more often heard than seen; wood warbler’s song most notably. In one particular small area of deciduous trees we saw a treecreeper and heard willow warbler, another wood warbler and redstart (though we did not recognise this one at first). As we broke out of the trees and climbed up to the ridge a tree pipit burst into song. A splendid view west to Cadair Idris greeted us. Out of the shelter of the forest we realised how windy it was, so we descended back below the ridge to the edge of the trees to take our banana/coffee break.
of views. The dense foliage meant that they were more often heard than seen; wood warbler’s song most notably. In one particular small area of deciduous trees we saw a treecreeper and heard willow warbler, another wood warbler and redstart (though we did not recognise this one at first). As we broke out of the trees and climbed up to the ridge a tree pipit burst into song. A splendid view west to Cadair Idris greeted us. Out of the shelter of the forest we realised how windy it was, so we descended back below the ridge to the edge of the trees to take our banana/coffee break. 
We now strode off north-eastwards, following the forest boundary fence, over Mynydd Ceiswyn towards our first summit of Waun-oer. We put up a red grouse along the way – another nice tick. The summit was marked by a stone trig pillar on a little outcrop of rocks.
The fence that led us to Waun-oer continued north-east to our next summit, Cribin Fawr, so route finding was no problem, not that it was in the clear weather anyway. The descent off Waun-oer had a very short, steep section that required a bit of care, followed by a slightly less steep ascent to Cribin Fawr. Our paths crossed with a large party of walkers, unusual for our trips. The summit was a broad, flat expanse of grass with nothing to mark the highest point. A couple of grassy mounds were candidates for the top. We stood on both in turn, and from each the other looked higher!
Our route now turned south-east following another fence descending gradually to a col before rising again to the minor top of Craig Portas. It was now approaching 2.00pm, so we found a spot sheltered from the wind to sit and eat our lunch and admire the view to our final summit, Maesglase.
Another 40 minutes of fence following brought us to Maesglase, the final and highest summit of the day, named Craig Rhiw-arch on the OS map. The highest point was marked by a small pile of stones, but whether this actually was the top was debatable. After a short stop for the obligatory summit photos we retraced our steps back to Craig Portas, with the wind now in our faces.
From Craig Portas our return route continued south-west over the switchback of Mynydd Dolgoed 
with the Dyfi Forest to our left. We were still following a fence, but this one was just old, weathered posts every few metres. Vince spotted a buzzard apparently being mobbed by other birds. The group turned out to be a buzzard, two ravens and a peregrine.
with the Dyfi Forest to our left. We were still following a fence, but this one was just old, weathered posts every few metres. Vince spotted a buzzard apparently being mobbed by other birds. The group turned out to be a buzzard, two ravens and a peregrine.
As we reached the end of the Mynydd Dolgoed ridge and began the final descent into Cwm Ratgoed the ground became very steep as we entered an area of oak woodland. As we were negotiating this difficult slope we spotted the best bird seen on the walk – a male pied flycatcher. We watched it as it flitted between branch and fence. What a stunning little bird!
Now back on a track in Cwm Ratgoed, the going was now very easy all the way back to our starting point. Within 100m of the finish we found a family party of five nuthatches. We got back to the car at 17:25. A great 7¾ hours of hill walking and bird watching.
Summit |
Height (m) |
Status | |
| Mynydd Ceiswyn |
605
|
Sub-Hewitt
| |
| Waun-oer |
670
|
Nuttall
| |
| Cribin Fawr |
659
|
Nuttall
| |
| Craig Portas (East Top) |
587
|
Dewey
| |
| Maesglase (Craig Rhiw-erch) |
676
|
Nuttall
| |
| Craig Portas |
605
|
Dewey, Sub-Hewitt
|
The complete list of birds:
| Red Grouse | Buzzard | Peregrine |
| Woodpigeon | Skylark | Swallow |
| House Martin | Tree Pipit | Meadow Pipit |
| Grey Wagtail | Pied Wagtail | Wren |
| Robin | Redstart | Blackbird |
| Song Thrush | Blackcap | Wood Warbler |
| Willow Warbler | Goldcrest | Spotted Flycatcher |
| Pied Flycatcher | Blue Tit | Coal Tit |
| Nuthatch | Treecreeper | Jay |
| Carrion Crow | Raven | Chaffinch |
Sun 7 June 2015
We had a couple of hills in mind for this weekend’s short Sunday walk, and after dinner last night (whilst Jack was in the room doing his maths homework), Vince and I decided that Gorllwyn would be our objective for today. So after breakfast and checking out from the pub we headed south for the Elan Valley and a small parking spot at the western end of the Caban-coch Reservoir. It was a delightful sunny morning as we donned our boots preparing to set off, with a redstart singing its cheery little song in the background.
After crossing the bridge over the Afon Claerddu the route initially followed a track with woods on
one side, and open fields on the other. A small cottage under the trees, surrounded by bluebells was very picturesque. Plenty of bird song as well, and a redstart posed on the barbed-wire fence. After a short distance the track crossed over the river Marchnant and continued following it uphill in the open. The track ended as the river divided, and we struck off over grass on a course mid-way between the two streams. As we could not see the summit we were heading for, Jack took a compass bearing for some navigation practice.
one side, and open fields on the other. A small cottage under the trees, surrounded by bluebells was very picturesque. Plenty of bird song as well, and a redstart posed on the barbed-wire fence. After a short distance the track crossed over the river Marchnant and continued following it uphill in the open. The track ended as the river divided, and we struck off over grass on a course mid-way between the two streams. As we could not see the summit we were heading for, Jack took a compass bearing for some navigation practice.
The drag up to the summit was quite straightforward, though a convex slope kept making the 
summit appear to move further away. It was mid-day when we arrived on the top, marked by a stone trig pillar and a rough stone shelter hewn from what was probably a more ancient cairn. We spent a few minutes here enjoying the sunshine whilst we had a snack and drink.
summit appear to move further away. It was mid-day when we arrived on the top, marked by a stone trig pillar and a rough stone shelter hewn from what was probably a more ancient cairn. We spent a few minutes here enjoying the sunshine whilst we had a snack and drink.
On leaving the summit we visited another substantial stone cairn 300 metres to the south-west, before heading westwards for a couple of kilometres following intermittent boundary stones, and without losing much
height, to Bwlch y Ddau Fach. From here a bridle track led north close to the Nant Paradwys back towards our starting point. We followed this for a kilometre-and-a-half before diverting off to the left a short distance to a substantial waterfall, where we stopped to have a bite to eat.
height, to Bwlch y Ddau Fach. From here a bridle track led north close to the Nant Paradwys back towards our starting point. We followed this for a kilometre-and-a-half before diverting off to the left a short distance to a substantial waterfall, where we stopped to have a bite to eat.
After a relaxing 15 minute break we continued on our way, almost immediately picking up a decent track that would take us easily the last two kilometres back to the car. After a few steps along this track we found our first stonechat of the weekend, and within a very short distance, a whinchat as well (which was probably a first for all our hillwalking trips to Wales).
Summit |
Height (m) |
Status | |
| Gorllwyn |
613
|
Nuttall |
The complete list of birds:
| Blackbird | Blackcap | Buzzard |
| Chaffinch | Coal Tit | Grey Heron |
| Grey Wagtail | House Martin | House Sparrow |
| Mallard | Meadow Pipit | Pied Wagtail |
| Red Kite | Redstart | Robin |
| Skylark | Song Thrush | Stonechat |
| Swallow | Tree Pipit | Treecreeper |
| Wheatear | Whinchat | Willow Warbler |
| Woodpigeon | Wren | |
