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=13040202I 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/