Walking

[Hugo]

I'm glad that you were able to do that walk Gwynant as it's a pleasant one although it can get boggy there at times.  We did a similar walk a while ago  but on the other side of the Straits and that was good too.
They were correct with that forecast as the rain held off until after 2.00pm  but the wind, well that's another story.

[Gwynant]

 Last Friday we took the 1008 train from Llandudno and after travelling up the Conwy valley through a rainstorm we arrived at Dolwyddelan in brilliant sunshine. We turned left out of the station over the railway bridge, left again and then 1st right up towards Cwm Penamnen. We gradually gained height up a forestry track towards the rocky outcrop of Carreg Alltwen with good views back to the Carneddau, passing various little waterfalls and streams till we reached the head of the cwm and then turned tight through the grounds of a large house named "Ty Cwm" where there is a good view of the bigger waterfall which feeds the Afon Cwm Penamnen and also a burial mound situated behind the house. The track is now following the old Roman Road of Sarn Helen and is heading back along the other side of the cwm towards Dolwyddelan and passes various ruined dwellings and a house with a lake until it reaches an old settlement where Meredudd Ap Ifan (who was an ancestor of the Wynns of Gwydir Castle) reportedly used to live with his wives and twenty children.
     We had our butties here on the picnic tables with great views across the valley to Carreg Alltwen, and then followed the track back alongside the river back down to Dolwyddelan where the river joins the Afon Lledr and there was a great view of Moel Siabod over the village, and where we enjoyed a coffee in the Spar by the crosswords, before catching the 1514 train back home. We were going to walk down to Pont-y-Pant station to catch the train there but we hadn't done done that before and weren't quite sure how long it would take so we left that for another day. This was a nice easy walk with great views and took about two and a half hours.

[Gwynant]

                    Cwm Penamnen walk.

[hollins]

Thanks Gwynant. That was a nice read for a Sunday morning but you are making me feel guilty about sitting here doing my knitting and not getting out and about.

[Hugo]

That's a nice walk Gwynant and great photos, especially that one of Moel Siabod.    That waterfall was very impressive too and I remember returning from a lake on the top and turning down a forest track and meeting that waterfall at the end of it.   Unfortunately there was no way past it so it meant walking back a mile or so before finding a path to take us down to Dolwyddelan.

[Hugo]

With good weather forecast for Tuesday we drove from St Asaph to go to the car park at Bwlch Penbarras and do a walk up to Moel Famau.   A low mist clung to the ground in the Vale of Clwyd but we could see the Sun coming out and hoped that it would burn the mist away before we got there.  When we got out of the car at Bwlch Penbarras however, it was icy cold with an easterly wind blowing the mist up the path, we quickly donned our Winter gear on and walked up the Offa's  Dyke footpath.    Around the first corner on the path it was different again and was warm and sunny and it continued like that until we got to the incline just before the Jubilee Tower and then it became misty again.
We had a look at the new work that had been done on the tower but didn't stay long as it was too cold and windy on this exposed part of the Clwydian Hills.    We retraced our walk back to the car park and then drove to Llangwyfan where we had our refreshments and a good look around the old Church of St Cwyfan before making our way back to St Asaph.
It was only a short 3 mile linear walk but it's always nice to get out and enjoy the scenery and the company of your friends.

[DaveR]

Last Friday we took the 1008 train from Llandudno and after travelling up the Conwy valley through a rainstorm we arrived at Dolwyddelan in brilliant sunshine. We turned left out of the station over the railway bridge, left again and then 1st right up towards Cwm Penamnen. We gradually gained height up a forestry track towards the rocky outcrop of Carreg Alltwen with good views back to the Carneddau, passing various little waterfalls and streams till we reached the head of the cwm and then turned tight through the grounds of a large house named "Ty Cwm" where there is a good view of the bigger waterfall which feeds the Afon Cwm Penamnen and also a burial mound situated behind the house. The track is now following the old Roman Road of Sarn Helen and is heading back along the other side of the cwm towards Dolwyddelan and passes various ruined dwellings and a house with a lake until it reaches an old settlement where Meredudd Ap Ifan (who was an ancestor of the Wynns of Gwydir Castle) reportedly used to live with his wives and twenty children.
     We had our butties here on the picnic tables with great views across the valley to Carreg Alltwen, and then followed the track back alongside the river back down to Dolwyddelan where the river joins the Afon Lledr and there was a great view of Moel Siabod over the village, and where we enjoyed a coffee in the Spar by the crosswords, before catching the 1514 train back home. We were going to walk down to Pont-y-Pant station to catch the train there but we hadn't done done that before and weren't quite sure how long it would take so we left that for another day. This was a nice easy walk with great views and took about two and a half hours.

Looks a great walk, its on my list for this Winter. 

[DaveR]

Not a walk really, more of a gentle wander today, around Bodnant. It was very quiet there, a very enjoyable visit.

[hollins]

DaveR, only you could get photos like that on a November day. How lovely.

[DaveR]

DaveR, only you could get photos like that on a November day. How lovely.

Thank you, very kind, they were just a couple of quick iphone shots. It was lovely to wander around a nearly deserted Bodnant and enjoy the tranquility of it all amidst all the Autumn colours. 

[hollins]

I knew you were going to tell me you took them with a phone!

[snowcap]

Captured mother nature at her best Dave.

[Hugo]

 It was warm and sunny yesterday with no wind,  so was perfect for a short walk around Moelfre, one of the most attractive villages in Anglesey.   We took the coastal path around the headland but just before the Lifeboat Station the path was closed and was diverted past a terrace of pretty cottages that overlooked Ynys Moelfre.
From there we followed the cliff top path until we came to Lligwy Beach.  This beautiful area was so peaceful yesterday but over the years there have been many ships wrecked on the rocks around this coast.  The Moelfre Lifeboat was launched in 1959 in gale force winds and mountainous waves and rescued eight members of the crew of the Hindlea and within twenty minutes of the rescue the ship was smashed to pieces on the rocks near the cove in the picture.   For this brilliant rescue the lifeboat crew, led by Coxwain Dic Evans received medals for their bravery.
A hundred years earlier the steam clipper the Royal Charter was wrecked on the rocks during the hurricane of 1859 with the tragic loss of over 400 lives.
At Lligwy Beach we took the lane inland and stopped at the Cromlech and had a look around it. It's capstone is massive and is estimated to weigh 25 tons.    After looking around it we then followed the road back to our cars and finished the walk off with a carvery at The Bull Inn at Pentraeth.     At £6.75 it was excellent value for a very nice and appetising meal and for once I was so full I couldn't even manage one of those desserts that they display there.

[Hugo]

Moelfre walk

[Gwynant]

     That's one of my favourite walks on Ynys Mon, Hugo, but I do it the other way round taking in the Cromlech, Din Lligwy and Hen Capel on the way to Mynydd Bodafon (from where there are fantastic views of the surrounding area and the mountains on a good day), and then across the fields past the Pilot Boat Inn and back along the coastal path to the village. How is the new Lifeboat station coming on? Last time I was in Moelfre there were huge cranes and a lot of piling was going on, and the new Tamar class boat "Kiwi" was on moorings in the bay.