Walking

[hollins]

Go for it while you still can, that's my motto!
You are a credit to our age group. We are lucky to be retired and fit, sadly so many don't make it that far.

[Gwynant]

We are lucky to be retired and fit, sadly so many don't make it that far.

                Very true, the average age of the group that I used to walk with in those days, and still do when we can is now 68.  Your'e absolutely right Hugo, Pen-yr-Ole Wen "direct" is a killer, especially straight out the car!

[Hugo]

One of the nice things about walking  apart from the views is that you get to meet some very pleasant and interesting people.    Yesterday we met a lady about the same age as ourselves and she asked me if I knew where the short cut from Carnedd Dafydd to Yr Elen was and I couldn't see more than about 20 yards at that time so advised her that the safest bet was to go to Carnedd Llewelyn and then descend to Yr Elen.
Apparently she and her companion had come up via Pen Yr Ole Wen and they were going to Yr Elen then to Foel Frach before doubling back and dropping down to the Water board road and the A5.   In those conditions I really admired her spirit and determination.

[Michael]

   And you call these "walks"?   Misrepresentation I would say !!

[Hugo]

There's room for another old timer on our walks if you fancy it Mike.     

[Ian]

Apparently she and her companion had come up via Pen Yr Ole Wen and they were going to Yr Elen then to Foel Frach before doubling back and dropping down to the Water board road and the A5.   In those conditions I really admired her spirit and determination.

I think she deserved a medal. Pen Yr Ole Wen is probably the hardest route onto the Carneddau. 

[Hugo]

Many years ago a friend was telling me that he went diving in a quarry called Dorothea and described the deep murky waters of the lake and the dangers that lay beneath. He also told me stories of divers coming up too quickly and suffering from "the bends," something that I've heard of too often since then.
Anyway, yesterday three friends and I drove  down to the Nantlle Valley to have a walk around the quarry area.  We started the walk from Talsarnau and walked uphill towards the Cilgwyn quarry and as we got near the top we looked back and could see the pumping station near Dorothea quarry. After walking through the Gorse and Heather we had stunning views in all directions and could see the Nantlle Vale littered with quarries and the spoil from their workings.  The Nantlle Ridge was very imposing in front of us and Mynydd Mawr looked impressive too as did Yr Aran which appeared as a pointed summit between the two mountains.
After passing a number of quarries we stopped in a ruined building to have our refreshments and afterwards headed on our way.  At a ruined farmhouse we stopped and had a long and very interesting chat with an elderly gentleman who had actually been born in the 16th century farmhouse. He turned out to be the brother of the former MP Betty Williams who had also been born there and he very kindly lent us a key to the pumping house so that we could have a look inside the building. On our way there we passed Dorothea Quarry which is a vast lake and up to 600 foot deep.  We couldn't wait to get inside the Pumping Station and probably frightened the resident Barn Owl away with our enthusiasm to see the impressive working which are virtually intact.  After locking the place up, we  followed the tramway back along the sheer cliffs of Dorothea Quarry to the ruined farmhouse and handed the key back.    Then it was back to the car, but not before we explored the ruins of Talysarn Hall.    This was a small mansion standing beside the main road predating the quarry workings but later almost engulfed by them.  The Nantlle tramway curves around the back of the ruined hall and we followed it back to our car.  A very interesting walk, full of unexpected surprise was finished by having  tea and biscuits at Wayne's property nearby.   

http://www.penmorfa.com/Slate/beamengine.html

[Hugo]

Dorathea Quarry

[Hugo]

Dorathea Quarry

[rhuddlan]

Nice shots and summary of our walk. How lucky we were to meet the gentleman you referred to.
Here is a panorama made from a sequence of shots taken on the hillside looking towards the coast.(early on in the walk)

[Merddin Emrys]

Hugo, you did well there! I've been there many times over the last 40 years, but never managed to see inside the beam engine house! Thanks for sharing those pics! 

[hollins]

Really interesting photos and location. Thanks.

[Yorkie]

This walking thread is producing so many pictures, perhaps it would be a good idea to start a special album page for them all with a description of each of them.   

[Hugo]

Our chance meeting with that man was a special bonus as not only were we able to go into the three storey pumping house but he also advised us of Talysarnau Hall and that provided us with a quicker but more interesting route back to our car.
Some more pics ME to show you what you've missed.

[Merddin Emrys]

Very good Hugo! I would have loved to see inside, for years there have been signs warning of guard dogs etc, I've never seen one there!