On Monday, my friend Tellytubby and I decided to have a walk to Melynllyn and Dulyn, two lakes in a remote part of the Carneddau. We started the walk from the car park in Cwm Eigiau and followed the track uphill. It was raining slightly at the start of the walk so we donned our waterproof jackets but by the time we reached Cwm Dulyn we were baking hot, so the jackets came off and the rain had stopped anyway. The path is high above the valley and the climb is gradual and takes you to Melynllyn which is a small lake set in a rocky bowl at the head of the valley with steep slopes of the Carneddau peaks rising above it Just before we got to the lake we came across the ruins of an abandoned water mill and we were fascinated by it as it is so remote. I bet it could tell a few stories!
It had started drizzling again so we dropped down the steep slope to Dulyn, now if Meynllyn’s setting was dramatic then Dulyn’s is doubly so with the dark steep cliffs all around the lake. A propellor from an unfortunate Douglas Dakota sits on the shore of the lake and is a grim reminder of the past.
By this time we were ready for our lunch so the Dulyn Bothy looked inviting and we stayed there eating our sandwiches and having a drink while the wind and rain continued outside. The bothy was clean and neat inside and a credit to the band of volunteers who look after the place. It’s a shame that even in this beautiful and very remote area you still get the morons carrying out acts of vandalism but thankfully those sick acts are not representative of the majority of visitors to this place.
Soon the rain stopped, the Sun came out and we set off once again. the path out of the valley is above the bothy and parallel with the Afon Dulyn but we veered off it and went across the river and up a very steep and marshy hill. Mull’s very wise and sensible words of not wearing shorts went through my mind as the water from the marsh splashed all over my legs but I was lucky this time and wasn’t bitten by any ticks or other nasties! After a few stops, we huffed and puffed our way up to the water board track and then followed it downhill just making a detour to see the ruins of Ty’n Rhos farm where our forum member SGBright’s ancestors once lived.
Then it was back to the car and Talgoed Nursery for a nice coffee. The walk was a circular walk of just over 7 miles which we really enjoyed.
