Author Topic: Walking  (Read 821347 times)

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Offline Jack

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1005 on: February 23, 2013, 05:09:32 pm »
Fantastic photos and walk Hugo, yet again you have found somewhere else I need to go  ;D

Wow, we are so lucky to have these amazing places on our doorstep.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1006 on: February 23, 2013, 10:29:32 pm »
Thanks Jack, it was a lovely walk and I'm glad that we did it from the Church at Llanfihangel Y Pennant. There's history all around and you can imagine that 100 years ago it would have been a busy Welsh community. Next tiime we plan to drive higher up the valley and do a shorter walk up to the head of the valley and have a look around the slate mines there.


Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1007 on: March 01, 2013, 04:48:13 pm »
Late on Wednesday evening I had a phone call from my friend Harry asking if I was interested in having a walk up Moel Siabod on Thursday so I met him on the Thursday and drove to Pont Cyfyng where we always start our walk up Moel Siabod from.  We must have done this walk many times and in all sorts of weather but Thursday was such a lovely day, dry,  warm and no wind so perfect walking conditions.
We walked briskly up the steep hill until we came to the building that has been in the process of renovation for many years, but now it has finally been completed and looks a treat. It's now a holiday rental property and  has 3 letting cottages within the property.  Just after the next stile the incline levels out and we followed the tramway until we came to the ruins of the old miners cottages where we had our first stop for refreshments. Carrying on for a short while we passed the water filled quarry that looked impressive with the frozen waters and stopped to take some photos.  After the snapshots we then followed the path which is also quite steep until we were approaching LLyn Y Foel where we stopped for the final break before taking the difficult and steep loose scree path to the summit. It was at that point that I realised that I had left my favourite gloves by the quarry.  I was mad with myself but I had no alternative other than to go back the few hundred yards and retrieve them. My comments to myself are unprintable  ####### ##### but they are expensive gloves and are ideal for rock scrambling.  Anyway about 15 minutes later I'm back slightly the worse for wear while Harry was as fresh as a Daisy after his rest.  The final pull up the scree is never easy and much of it is walking on your toes which really pulls on your calf muscles and the loose scree doesn't help either.  At times it seemed like a test of endurance but we did it and the only dangerous part was in the final gully when we had to do some rock scrambling to avoid the frozen ice and snow that lay there.  I was glad when we got to the windbreak at the top because the wind had picked up by the gully and it was freezing.  A good 15 minute break having our final refreshments and it was time to take the path to Plas Y Brennin and walk back along the river to our car.  Another lovely walk completed but what we both said was that we have never seen the path up to Moel Siabod being so dry and the Afon Llugwy seemed to have a lower river level too.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1008 on: March 01, 2013, 04:51:03 pm »
Moel Siabod walk

Offline hollins

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1009 on: March 03, 2013, 07:38:19 pm »
We did a fantastic walk yesterday in beautiful weather on the Stackpole Estate in Pembrokeshire. We set off from Stackpole Court and walked by the lily ponds to the coast and on the coast path to Stackpole Quay.
Here is a link if any one is interested in the history of the area.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stackpole_Estate
The last photo wasn't on the walk but is for Hugo because I know he likes Tenby!

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1010 on: March 04, 2013, 10:00:06 am »
It sounds like a nice walk Hollins and lovely photos to go with it too.  Thanks for posting the photo of Tenby as it brings back nice memories of holidays down there. Did you take the photo from the street or hotel as I've got one taken from the same angle.    $good$

I saw that old Lifeboat house on Grand Designs and it was being converted into a house, what an incredible location.

Offline hollins

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1011 on: March 04, 2013, 10:09:07 am »
Yes, I saw that programme too. What a job.
I took it from the street. We had just popped in to the town after the walk because I like going to that shop called the White Lion Gallery. I've got a few pots by Simon Rich and they have a good selection there but I managed to resist buying another this time.

Offline DaveR

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1012 on: March 04, 2013, 10:53:47 am »
I remember watching that episode as well. Not sure if I'd like to be living there when there's a storm, the whole place must shake a bit as it's only sitting on wooden piles.

Offline Gwynant

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1013 on: March 06, 2013, 04:38:46 pm »
      We took the Valley line train up to Blaenau Ffestiniog last Monday and were very impressed with the completed improvements to the Station/Bus Station area which are now complete, ecpecially the work that has gone into the pillars. The lady in the cafe across the road told me that approx. £3m. had been spent on the regeneration of the town and it looks money well spent.
      From there we walked on up Lord Street and through the gate onto Path 104 (I think!) and joined a recently cleared footpath up to what I know is Maenoffren Quarry. I was going to ask Dave.R. for directions as to how to get there after seeing his recent photos but now I know! At the top of an incline where the winding gear is still there we turned right along a shelf towards the quarry but as there were a couple of big guys loading up even bigger Komatsu trucks we didn't bother going near the sheds, but turned left again and went up to the hill overlooking Llyn Newydd and Llyn Bowydd. We bumped into a lad from Birmingham there who was staying in a local B&B and had been up Cnicht and the Moelwyns in the previous two days and couldn't believe his luck with the weather. We then walked across to look down onto the Llechwedd Quarry area and then retraced our steps back down to town as we had a train to catch. On the way down we met another lad who I knew who had caught a bus up to Penmachno that morning and then walked across the tops to Blaenau. He remarked on how dry the ground was up there and also that the lake levels seemed low for the time of year. I hope to walk from Dolwyddelan Station across the tops to Blaenau later this year and would be grateful if anyone who has done it could tell me the best route and walking time required.

Offline Gwynant

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1014 on: March 06, 2013, 04:54:05 pm »
      More photos from Blaenau last Monday.

Offline DaveR

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1015 on: March 06, 2013, 05:11:48 pm »
The odd thing with that Public Footpath up the incline is that it ends up at the top and a sign advises you to turn around and go back down!

Nice walk and pics, Gwynant.  $good$

Offline Gwynant

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1016 on: March 06, 2013, 05:57:23 pm »
        Thanks Dave, I spotted that notice too, which is why we didn't go into the area where the lads were working. Apparently there are discussions going on between Gwynedd County Council and the Company working the surrounding area concerning Health and Safety issues. I think they are worried about someone claiming for an injury in the Quarry areas and the litigation which might follow.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1017 on: March 09, 2013, 03:39:46 pm »
Fantastic pictures and walk Gwynant, my friends were so impressed with your walk that we were going to do it yesterday but the weather had turned and we had a short walk on Anglesey instead. We'll save your walk for another day.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1018 on: March 09, 2013, 04:20:55 pm »
Because of a change in the weather we decided to have a walk in Anglesey instead. We were meeting Wayne in a layby on the left between Menai Bridge and Llandegfan but as Wayne hadn't arrived Pete and I had a look around the location. I've been past dozens of times but never stopped there before which is a shame. It was originally the old road to Beaumaris but the new flyover bridge has cut this part off.  Plascadnant Gardens are there and there are some lovely old buildings in this hidden valley, when Wayne arrived we got in his car and drove to Aberlleiniog for the start of our walk to the site of the first Norman Castle to be built on Anglesey. The walk followed the fast flowing stream of Afon Lleiniog through hundreds of wild Garlic plants that thrived in the damp conditions. After a few hundred yards we climbed up the wooden steps to the castle which was originally built in 1090 by the Earl of Chester. The original structure was destroyed by Gruffydd ap Cynan three years later and the Normans kept away from there for another 100 years. We retraced our steps and then drove to Penmon and parking just a short distance from the Church there.  We had a good look around the old Priory, Church and Dovecot  before going into the tranquil surroundings of St Seiriols well.  I tossed a small coin into the water and made a wish but the lottery numbers didn't come up yet again! But still I'm blessed with the health to take me on these walks so there's no complaints from me.   A friend, who shall remain anonymous to save his embarrassment was doing something similar a few years ago and went to get a small coin from his pocket but a pound coin rolled out instead into the water.  He needed that coin for something and was desperately rolling up his sleeves to retrieve the coin and hoping no one who saw him would jump to the wrong conclusion.
We carried on to Penmon point and had something to eat and drink while looking at the misty shape of Puffin Island.  We returned to the car after having had another nice day and on the way home Pete stopped to show me the Nature reserve of the Spinnies at Aberogwen Nature Reserve where over 185 varieties of birds have been seen. That is well worth another visit

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1019 on: March 09, 2013, 04:23:02 pm »
Penmon walk