Author Topic: Walking  (Read 821028 times)

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Offline Pendragon

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Re: Walking
« Reply #900 on: October 30, 2012, 10:00:00 pm »
Thanks Hugo it was a fantastic walk.  Sometimes the best photos are taken this time of year as you can see so much more when the leaves on the trees have dropped.
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Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #901 on: November 04, 2012, 12:37:01 pm »
Yesterday four of us met at Betws Y Coed and then travelled in one car to Llyn Geirionydd for the start of our walk.  We went over Pont Y Pair bridge and turned left along the forest road and drove along the very narrow road until we came to the car park at Llyn Geirionydd.  The road was awful but we did see a Peacock along the way so that made up for it.   It was a beautiful day when we started our walk to the southern part of the lake, but within 200 yards we stopped to put on more gear as the Sun was deceptive and it was actually very cold.   We then started walking uphill and through the forest.  The forest is quite dense and therefore dark and the Conifer needles cover the floor.  The walk brought us out by the Cafe at Crafnant Lake so we turned left and walked along the lane to the far end of the lake passing the old Phone Box and ruined buildings on the way.  Looking across the Lake to the mountains on the other side you could see several waterfalls that tumbled down the slopes and they looked impressive.  Soon we were walking along the track on the other side and heading towards the car park where we could stop and have some refreshments because by now we were all feeling a bit peckish.  As we left the lake we walked down the Trefriw road to the car park and as this part of the walk was in the shade it was really freezing and we were glad to get to the car park and picked a picnic table in the Sun where we could thaw out a bit.
After a while we continued down the road because we wanted to see the Klondyke lead mine as none of us had seen it before. It was very impressive indeed and only Pete was brave enough (or daft enough) to cross the plank that crossed the icy river to the shaft!
I've copied something which explains a bit about some dodgy dealing that went on here years ago:-
 The mill itself was built in the early 1900’s and processed ore from the Pandora Mine near Llyn Geirionydd. Ore was transported via tramway and then aerial ropeway to the mill. The Klondyke achieved a degree of notoriety just after the First World War as the scene of an elaborate fraud - See Below.
 
"The ‘Klondyke’ Fraud It seems that during the period 1918 to 1921, the Klondyke was the scene of a massive fraud. The story is related in some detail in Mines of the Gwydyr Forest, but briefly what happened was this. A certain Joseph Aspinall took over the mine in 1918 and claimed to have discovered a huge vein of silver. What he did was to clean the passages of dirt, purchase 20 tons of powdered lead concentrate and glue it onto the walls giving the impression that the entire passage passed through a huge vein of silver. He then bought parties up from London to view the vein and procure an investment in the venture. A mass of miners were employed who actually did no work, let alone any mining. Whenever Aspinall turned up with a viewing party, a hoot of his car horn triggered the miners to busy themselves around the premises - some guarding the adit with cudgels, others running around the place like ants on an ant hill. By the time he was rumbled, he managed to secure £166,000 ! He got 22 months."
After having a look around we took the path uphill and came up to the Northern end of Llyn Geirionydd and the Taliesin Monument. We didn't stay long there as we could see the weather closing in and Wintery showers were on their way. It was a quick walk back to the car and then we headed off to see the Grey Mares Tails waterfall by Gwydir Castle. After seeing it it was back to Betws Y Coed and home but not before Pete and I had a nice coffee and cake in one of the Station cafes.
 


Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #902 on: November 04, 2012, 12:41:18 pm »
Llyn Geirionydd and Llyn Crafnant walk

Offline Gwynant

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Re: Walking
« Reply #903 on: November 05, 2012, 02:58:00 pm »
            Nice photos and an interesting walk on Saturday, Hugo. We stopped to look at the Klondyke mill when we walked over from Capel Curig to Trefriw earlier this year but I had no idea of its history so thanks for that!
          Decent day yesterday so we caught the bus to Aber intending to go to the falls then walk on to Llandegai on the Coastal path, but when we saw the dusting of snow on Llwytmor we turned left over the bridge and went on up to the Roman Road and took the path up to Drum. When we reached the summit  we stopped for a break, and as the wind was starting to get up a bit (and we had come up from sea level!) we turned off down the (very wet and boggy!) path down to Llyn Anafon, which was empty last time I was there. We then followed the Dwr Cymru track back down to Aber and went on down to the Bird Reserve and along the coast to Llanfairfechan, where we had a coffee in the excellent Cafe on the Prom there. It was a good "leg-stretcher" on the day and there were quite a few heading on up to the higher Carneddau from Bwlch-y-Ddeufaen.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #904 on: November 05, 2012, 03:21:19 pm »
That was quite a walk you did yesterday Gwynant and the miles don't tell the full story.  That very steep section past Bont Newydd is enough for anyone let alone the walk you did afterwards.  We usually "cheat" a bit and take our car up the steep lane and leave it at the small parking space at the top of the lane, then we do the route to Llyn Anafon and go left at the ridge to Drum.   I think there is or was a problem with the strength of the dam at Llyn Anafon and it was only half full when we were there last time.
I hope you enjoyed your Coffee in Llanfairfechan because you certainly deserved it after that long trek.

Offline Blodyn

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Re: Walking
« Reply #905 on: November 07, 2012, 07:12:50 pm »
Hugo and Gwynant, you had some beautiful views on your walks.  I've not been to either area for a while, so it was nice to be reminded about them.

Hugo, what an interesting story about the Klondyke - it sounds as if Joseph Aspinall got off quite lightly!

Offline hollins

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Re: Walking
« Reply #906 on: November 08, 2012, 10:22:54 pm »
My husband did a walk today starting and finshing at Croesor and walking over the three peaks of Moelwyn Fach, Moelwyn Mawr and Cnicht.
He passed by the Rhosydd quarry.
Here is a link to a website about it.

http://www.penmorfa.com/Rhosydd/

Offline Merddin Emrys

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Re: Walking
« Reply #907 on: November 08, 2012, 10:43:48 pm »
Very nice, as I said on the quiz thread I've been inside Rhosydd, inside Croesor mine too! There was a very nice cafe at Croesor last time I was there!
A pigeon is for life not just Christmas

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #908 on: November 09, 2012, 12:32:31 pm »
It's a really nice cafe ME and they have an art gallery there too.      $cofffee$
 I was there over a year ago and it was a boiling hot Summer day yet the area around Cnicht was very boggy so I bet it was even worse when Hollins' OH was there this week.

Offline Pendragon

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Re: Walking
« Reply #909 on: November 13, 2012, 10:44:30 pm »
My plan yesterday was to go for a walk along the woodland path near Porth Penrhyn at Bangor.  Ever the organised I got to the bus stop and realised I'd forgotten my smoky joes (those stop you smoking Marlena Deitrich plastic thingys) so I missed the bus going back to the house to get it...typical.  The best was on returning home I found them in my other pocket hehe.                                             
So Jj and I decided to get the next bus that came and sort a walk out from there.  Call it fate but it was the Betws bus.  I didn't really want to go to Betws again so I thought about getting off at Llanrwst then spur of the moment we got off at Trefriw.                                                       
 
I had no idea where I was going but I could hear the rushing of the river and decided to find a way of walking along it.  We turned up the hill by the antwacky cafe and came to a lane where on the wall was marked Trefriw Trails 4 and 5.  Laughing I thought I'll just follow the signs from here. 

I don't need to give you any other directions now as these trails are very well sign posted.  I still didn't have a clue where we were going though...kind of a mystery tour if you like.  We followed Trail 5 which took us first along the river and up to Fairy falls.  At this time of year the river is practically bursting but in the summer it's reduced to a trickle as the water is directed through the huge steel pipes that run along the river and the water is used to power the woolen mill.

Following the trail you get to cross over a bridge and look down on the swollen river.  Then you follow the path up and cross the road picking up a woodland trail.  It was really muddy here and so I had to put my gaiters on.  Everywhere was covered in fallen leaves and the track is really rocky so make sure you've got proper boots on.

The woodland path seems to last forever and as you get deeper into the forest it becomes what I can only describe a positively spooky.  At one point I was honestly going to turn back the place just gave me the creeps.  Every tree and stone was completely covered in thick moss and it looked really strange.  The trees were covered all the way up to their crowns.

All through these woods are remains of old fallen buildings and walls.  It's really wet and muddy here.  Poor Jj had to be carried in places as she was sinking lol bless her.  We came to a steep incline where huge rocks covered the ground it did look like an old river bed, barely visible through all the moss.

When you reach the top the views are fantastic, in the distance you can see what remains of the Klondyke Mill Constructed in 1900, the mill was built to receive lead ore (and some zinc ore) from Pandora mine, some 2 miles away - with which its history is inextricably linked - this ore travelling along a tramway which followed the eastern shore of Llyn Geirionydd. The mill saw little usage; Pandora mine was never profitable after construction of the mill, and the mine ceased operation in 1905. Klondyke mill itself closed in 1911 after having a short succession of optimistic owners.

We were now very close to Lake Geirionydd although it was still out of sight.  Climbing over a style we eventually got to the Lake.  What a beautiful place it is too.  I think I came here as a child with my Dad.  I would have liked to walk right round it but time was getting on so we'll have to go back there another day.  There's a lovely little house up here and a monument to Taliesin a 6th century chief bard believed to have lived on the banks of the lake.

By now it was approaching 4pm and although the trail looks like it goes a circular route back down to Trefriw the thought of walking through the spooky woods in the dark terrified me and so I walked back to the road and turned left up the road and followed it through a gate and down a public footpath that goes past a farm building and followed the lanes down to the village.  Below is a fallen tree on the banks of the lake which I think is probably my favourite photo of the day and an old cottage above Trefriw.

For some reason I can't post my photos so I'll you'll have to follow the link below.  My computer is playing up something rotten of late sorry folks.

http://my.opera.com/pendragonnw/albums/show.dml?id=13040202


I have a face book page now called Pendragon Conwy I'm not sure if you have to be on fb or not though.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/294321944015984/
Only hindsight has 20/20 vision
Angiegram - A romantic notion derived from the more mundane truth.

Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline Blodyn

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Re: Walking
« Reply #910 on: November 14, 2012, 11:29:58 am »
Pendragon, that sounds a very interesting walk and you took some lovely photos.  Jj looks so sweet in her little coat! 


Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #911 on: November 14, 2012, 04:39:53 pm »
Lovely photos Pendragon and nice Autumn colours too.     $good$
That walk uphill from Trefriw is a bit daunting so we bypassed that part when we did the lakes walk.

Offline hollins

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Re: Walking
« Reply #912 on: November 15, 2012, 11:08:44 pm »
I have checked back and seen that previous posts have mentioned the Beaumaris to Penmon walk but it was such a lovely day for us I am hoping that these photos will be of interest.
We set off from Beaumaris in bright sunshine and soon discovered that the tide was too far in to continue on the coast path despite my husband's efforts (first photo)!
We made our way eventually to Penmon using some roads and small lanes. Very little traffic so not really a problem.
I recognised the Penmon area from quiz questions on the forum, very educational!
We walked out to the lighthouse and the view of Puffin Island and the Great Orme in the distance.
We set off back for Beaumaris, this time keeping to the coast and beach as much as possible with the tide now out. It was a bit hard going for the tired legs walking on the rocks and pebbles but we eventually made it back to our car in Beaumaris with the light fading quickly.

Offline Fester

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Re: Walking
« Reply #913 on: November 16, 2012, 12:34:38 am »
Hollins, we often go to Penmon, but usually park up at St Seiriols Church and walk over the hill.

You say that you walked out to the light house, I have never been there when that was possible, I didn't know that the tide went out that far.

Fester...
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Offline hollins

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Re: Walking
« Reply #914 on: November 16, 2012, 07:45:38 am »
Sorry Fester, I just meant that we walked to the end of the road. I think there was a sign saying it was never possible to actually walk out to the lighthouse.