Mynarch Valley, Devil’s Bridge

Sun 4 September 2022

After Saturday dinner in the Wynnstay Arms we had a think about what we would do for our Sunday walk. There were no nearby mountains that we had not climbed, and it would not have been practical to return to do the four summits in the Rhinogs that we did not complete yesterday. Vince suggested two or three walks from his guide books, and the consensus was to drive over to Devil’s Bridge and do a low level walk in the Mynach valley. The possibility of seeing goshawks is what swung it.

After checking out from the pub we drove over to Devil’s Bridge. We were not allowed into the public car park as it appeared to have been taken over by a car rally, so we parked in the little parking area reserved for visitors to the falls. Probably we should not have, but we got away with it (and it did not cost anything).

A walk of about a kilometre south-east on the road led us to the turning into the valley. Through a short section of woodland and a footbridge over the Mynach river and we were ascending a low hill northwards to another small patch of woodland. Turning east after the trees we were out in the open again. A rather unpleasant section soon followed in which we had to plough through head high bracken for 100m or so. I was a relief to get out of the other side of this.

We were soon amongst the trees again, but rather than natural woodland this was a plantation, but nevertheless it did have a strange kind of beauty to it. We noted the Star Moss that was growing in abundance on the forest floor. The forestry track followed closely the course of the river and after a kilometre we turned to cross the Afon Merin at a little footbridge, through a field and then another footbridge over the Nant Rhuddnant (I’m sure there are too many nants in that name).

We were now on the return part of the walk, heading back south-westwards on the southern side of the river. It was rather muddy in places. We searched for a suitable place to stop for a coffee break and eventually found an area of dry river bed that would do.

The rest of the walk was straightforward as the path now continued back to the road. I spotted what I thought was a stonechat on a telegraph wire, but on checking through binoculars could see that it was in fact a whinchat, which pleased Vince as it was a new tick for his year-list (and mine, come to that). Sadly, no sign of any goshawks though.

A nice little low level walk (max altitude 324m according to Strava) on a quite pleasant sunny day,