Author Topic: Walking  (Read 821818 times)

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Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #390 on: May 05, 2011, 09:48:29 am »
The viewpoint is directly above the Plas Maenan Hotel so it gave us an excuse to have a nice coffee afterwards in lovely surroundings.
I was so pleased to see what the Plas Maenan was like. I have driven past so many times and wondered about it. The verandha looks so tempting! I looked it up on tripadvisor after looking at your pictures and it gets some good reviews. Thanks.

Now you've seen photos, don't drive past but go up the drive and experience it yourself. Hope that you enjoy it there.

Offline DaveR

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Re: Walking
« Reply #391 on: May 05, 2011, 09:52:53 am »
Can you just pop in there for coffee then, Hugo?


Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #392 on: May 05, 2011, 10:58:24 am »
Yes Dave and I think they advertise it on the board at the bottom of the drive.    Just go into the Hotel and order and you can sit where you want to. We've always sat on the verandah on fine days because of the views.
One time we struck up a conversation with someone there and they showed us around the rooms upstairs and to be honest I wouldn't mind staying there even though it's only a few miles away.
Don't forget your camera if you go because the views are great and if you look over the edge of the circular car park you can usually see Rabbits in the field below. 

Offline DaveR

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Re: Walking
« Reply #393 on: May 05, 2011, 11:03:40 am »
Thanks for the info.  $thanx$  $good$

Offline Nemesis

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Re: Walking
« Reply #394 on: May 05, 2011, 01:20:24 pm »
I noticed while walking today these purple plants, they reminded me of when I was a child and we'd sit in the woods at the back of our house in Pen.  We called them sugar thistles as we used to pull on the purple petals leaves? and suck the bottom of the shoots, they were very sweet, I didn't feel the need to have a go today mind.

Red Clover-- They are my tortoises favorite
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to know.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #395 on: May 08, 2011, 04:07:01 pm »
The weather was a bit iffy when I started out today but when I reached Aber it had turned into a fine sunny day. We drove over Bont Newydd and up the steep lane to the small car park at the start of the Roman Road where we started our walk up to Llyn Anafon.  It's a nice track up a deep valley with the river in full flow from the recent rain.
Along the valley floor you can see the unusual sheep enclosures that are around the area. 
After a while we reached Llyn Anafon which was once a reservoir supplying coastal areas but is now just a lake and the water level in the lake was quite low. I know that a few years ago they had reduced the level of the water because of safety warnings with the dam that holds it back but don't know if this caution still applies.
Anyway we stopped there to eat our sandwiches and have a drink but soon we had the hard slog up to the Carneddau ridge through wet boggy ground. We saw several wild ponies on our way up so we stopped to take some photos and at least it gave me a chance of a breather!
It wasn't that long before we reached the ridge and then it was up to Drum and down the track again to reach the Roman Road. The views never cease to amaze me and they were stunning in every direction.  We saw more wild ponies on our way down and on the Roman Road we were rewarded with the sight of a mother and her foel. A lovely end to a very enjoyable walk.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #396 on: May 08, 2011, 04:08:57 pm »
Llyn Anafon walk

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #397 on: May 08, 2011, 04:11:38 pm »
Llyn Anafon walk

Offline Trojan

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Re: Walking
« Reply #398 on: May 08, 2011, 07:07:30 pm »
You didn't get as far as Foel Fras then Hugo?

Offline DaveR

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Re: Walking
« Reply #399 on: May 08, 2011, 07:42:32 pm »
Some great photos, Hugo. I've not yet got up there.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #400 on: May 08, 2011, 07:42:53 pm »
No Trojan, we only set out to do Llyn Anafon and Drum so we turned left when we hit the ridge and made it into a circular walk.
We've done Foel Fras before when we did the seven 3000 footers starting from Pen Yr Ole Wen and finishing at Foel Fras. We then came down the Llyn Anafon path and walked back to Aber.
Two cars were needed, one at the Ogwen and the other at Aber because there was no way I was walking back on that route!

Offline Trojan

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Re: Walking
« Reply #401 on: May 08, 2011, 10:33:38 pm »
Foel Fras was always one of my favorite mountains. I remember seeing the remains of the Avro Anson aircraft that crashed up there last time I ventured up.

http://geotopoi.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/foel-fras-avro-anson-mk-i-mg804-8-observer-advanced-flying-unit-12-jul-1944/

Here's another that crashed between Foel Grach and Carnedd Uchaf:

Avro Anson engine

Offline Blodyn

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Re: Walking
« Reply #402 on: May 12, 2011, 06:19:38 pm »
The photos of the ponies and views are lovely, Hugo.  My OH and I enjoy the walk up to Llyn Anafon and around that area but we haven't been for a while, so it's nice to reminded of it. 

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #403 on: May 23, 2011, 09:22:32 am »
Yesterday we did a canal walk that took in two aqueducts,two long tunnels and ended up at an Edward I castle. We drove down the beautiful Horseshoe Pass, through Llangollen to start our walk at the Trefor Basin.  It was a lovely sunny day but very windy and we certainly felt it as we walked over the 126 foot tall Pontcysyllte Aqueduct that takes the canal over the River Dee. It's not a place for anyone suffering from vertigo so we held on to the railings as we looked down at a fisherman fishing for Salmon in the river below.  Continuing on our way we passed a number of barges on the canal and loads of Ducks and their Ducklings swimming about on the slowly flowing waters.  Soon we passed Chirk Marina and Chirk Golf Course and then we came to the first tunnel which was 174 metres long. The tunnel is not lit but has a handrail along the side to stop you falling in to the water and you have to walk close to the rail as there is a danger of you banging your head on the roof especially if you are a tall person.   The next tunnel we came to was much longer at 421 Metres so torches are a must in this one. Immediately after this tunnel was the Chirk Aqueduct at 70 foot above the river and alongside it was an even higher Railway viaduct which we crossed over and on the other side was the English border of Shropshire. We continued along the canal for a while until we stopped and had some refreshments. After that we retraced our steps and after going back through the long tunnel we left the canal to walk to Chirk Castle. The Baroque gates were very impressive and we took a short footpath to the Castle. After seeing it from the outside we returned through the parkland and back to the canal and to Trefor Basin. The weather had been kind to us all day and we sat in the sunand had a coffee.It was only then that it started to rain so it was straight to the car and back home safely. 

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #404 on: May 23, 2011, 09:24:51 am »
Aqueduct Walk