Walking

[Hugo]

Yesterday at the last minute I changed my mind about which local walk we were going on, so Tellytubby and I opted for a walk on the Little Orme.  We parked the car in the Co-op car park in Penrhyn Bay and walked up the hill until we came to the private road and headed for the quarry and Angel Bay.   It turned out to be a good choice as there were about 36 Seals on the beach there, many more than we have ever seen before. After spending a bit of time watching the seals we headed up the steep grassy tramway and took the path on the right which followed the cliff face.  We saw  loads of various types of sea birds there but we were lucky enough also to see a pair of Peregrine Falcons and a few Buzzards.  The wind had picked up on the top so we kept a sensible distance from the edge as we took some more photos of the area.
Taking the footpath around the summit, we made our way to the main road and to Bryn Y Bia Road where we took the public footpath to the bridle path at Ffynnon Sadwrn Lane. A short detour to see the well  and we were on our way to Bodafon Road and then  turned up the steep lane to Pant Y Wennol.         Pant Y Wennol is a group of cottages that have been altered a lot over the years but they have stunning views of Llandudno and the Great Orme.
We carried on above the cottages and stopped in a sheltered spot overlooking the Craigside area and had our refreshments before moving on to Penrhynside passing some houses that had panoramic views over Rhos on Sea and beyond.  We took the lane that went past Penrhyn Old Hall and then passed the sad ruin of an early 16th Century private Chapel of the Pugh's of Penrhyn.  It was in regular use until 1929 but it's present state is a disgrace.   Carrying on we stopped at Home from Home to have one of their nice coffees before going across the road to the car park.

[Hugo]

Little Orme and Bodafon

[hollins]

Watch out forum, here is a contribution from Mr Hollins!     

"I climbed Snowdon today from Pen y Pass via the Miners and Pyg tracks taking a classic easy snow gulley called Central Trinity (4th photo) to the summit (my previous ascent of this was in 1970!) There was plenty of snow above 2000ft and the summit was encrusted in ice but unfortunately also cloudy. It was interesting to see the variety of people on the mountain. Despite dire warnings on notices by the main tracks up from Pen y Pass that ice axes and crampons are required and the summit would have a wind chill temperature of -14 Celcius, there were lots of people walking up in trainers and pumps without equipment for snow and ice conditions. Hopefully and probably they returned safely but it's really surprising how many people think Snowdon is just a walk in winter. Most years there are injuries caused by slips on the Pyg track "zig zags". Without an ice axe, there is no way to arrest a slip on steep snowy ground.

At the bottom, we met a couple of lads who intended to do the Snowdon Horseshoe tomorrow (over Crib Goch, Snowdon and Lliwedd) - a tough day out in winter conditions. They were clearly fit and raring to go but had no ice axe or crampons and appeared to think they were an unnecessary luxury!

The Rescue teams must despair that so many people just ignore straightforward and obvious advice and good sense."

[Fester]

Mr Hollins!   Poor long-suffering chap.... 

[Ian]

there were lots of people walking up in trainers and pumps without equipment for snow and ice conditions.

I'm convinced it's because there's a cafe at the top. People from urban areas seem to make a connection with buildings and safety and assume that if there's no locked gate (!) then it must be safe to walk. Probably the same people who expect any 'dangerous' sections of the Ormes to be fenced. 

[Nemesis]

As I posted in the past people who go on the Orme/over the beach at West Shore and elsewhere don't seem to have the remotest clue of danger. Whilst out with my dog I have seen many people, especially with children, heading straight for the many cliff faces and sandbanks. I used to call out and warn them, but having had too many mouthfuls of abuse I tend to, unless there is immediate danger, walk on.

[Ian]

It's sad, but some folk expect all potential danger areas to have a large notice.

[Hugo]

On Tuesday we went to Dolwyddelan to do a walk that we hadn't done before.   We parked the car in the street in front of the lovely old Church of St Gwyddelan and had a look inside the building before we set off to the main A470 road.   The weather was perfect and as we walked to the main road the summit of Moel Siabod was clearly visible and bathed in sunshine with just a few pockets of snow visible.   We then walked along the main road until we came to Dolwyddelan Castle and then took the path uphill past the farm until we came to the castle itself.  Not much remains of the castle apart from the keep but inside they have done an excellent job with the preservation of what remains. The great hall is protected by a lead roof and the views from the ramparts are simply stunning.  After taking a few photos of the building we then carried on our walk above the castle  following farm tracks across the wet and muddy moorland and came to a tarmac lane where we stopped to have our refreshments.    After that we continued along the lane and came to a hamlet that I've never heard of before called Blaenau Dolwyddelan.     It must have been a hamlet that once relied on quarrying and farming for making a living but we could only see about a dozen properties there and yet we saw three Chapels, one which was a ruin and the other two had been converted to make very attractive properties.
From the last Chapel we then crossed over open farmland until we came to Roman Bridge and had a quick look at the railway station before crossing the main road and following a stream uphill. Once we crossed the mossy slate bridge we then followed the way markers that took us back to Dolwyddelan and to our car.   It was a fairly easy walk of about 6 miles and the good weather was a bonus.

[Hugo]

Dolwyddelan walk

[Hugo]

On Tuesday we parked our car at Penceunant Isaf Tearooms and had a nice chat with the owner Steffan before walking down the hill for the start of our walk in Llanberis.    Our walk was to see the Ceunant Mawr Waterfall and then go on to see the iron age hillfort, so after the cattle grid we turned left and walked under the Snowdon Mountain Railway viaduct and turned left at the sign post to go up a  tarmac road which climbs steeply uphill and offers views over Llyn Padarn and Llanberis. The impressive waterfall can be viewed from an observation point which is reached by crossing the mountain railway track through a turnstile style gate positioned near the top of the hill.  This waterfall is probably one of the most impressive waterfalls in Wales and plunges over a hundred feet in two stages into a gorge. It's best viewed at this time of the year when the leaves on the trees do not obstruct the view and one of it's features is a water chute that takes the water from the first pool into the second one on the bottom right of the photo.   We then walked further uphill and took a path towards the top of the waterfall and it's definitely not one for the faint hearted.
After taking some photos we then followed a track over open farm land and stopped by a fast flowing brook just past an old farm called Cae'r Fran.    A quick drink and a bite to eat and it was uphill all the way until we came to the Iron Age hill fort of Dinas Ty Du.   We sat in the stone wind break there and finished off the rest of the food and drink we had.   Visibility was a bit hazy but we could still see the snow above 2000 feet on Snowdon and the Padarn Lake was just like a mill pond with the miniature railway locomotive going around the lake in anticipation of the coming Easter holiday period.
After taking in the views it was downhill all the way, passing an old Chapel en route and stopping to have a look inside the large Church.  Soon it was time to do the ascent over the cattle grid to Steffan's cafe and although it's one of the worst sections of the Snowdon Llanberis path it was worth the effort when we got to Penceunant Isaf Tearooms.   A nice hot chocolate followed by two cream scones and Bara Brith made us forget about the walk up the hill.

[Hugo]

Llanberis waterfall walk

[Hugo]

Snowdonia rescues: Five walkers airlifted in separate incidents


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-32188086

[Gwynant]

        We had a walk in Cwm Cwmorthin yesterday from Tan-y-Grisiau, walking up to Rhosydd and then round to look down Cwm Croesor towards Porthmadog from the top of the railway inclines. Then we went up to Llyn Corsiog and then up again to the top of Moel Druman where we had great views towards Cnicht, Snowdon and Moel Siabod. We walked round Llyn Conglog and then retraced our steps back down to Rhosydd and back down the valley and had a look in Cwmorthin Quarry but didn't see any trace of the mine entrance pictured in Hugo's recent quiz question, (although I didn't know it was the answer till we got back!). There was a feature on "Go Below" on "Coast and Country" last week which showed them going in through the entrance pictured in Hugo's question, but as the booking office and meeting point for "Go Below" is in the Conwy Falls Cafe above Betws-y-Coed, that's quite a distance to travel. I understood that "Go Below" was situated in a quarry/mine up above the Penmachno area, perhaps someone on the forum knows exactly where it is.
         On the way back down the valley we passed an amusing rhyming welsh advert for a painter-signwriter based in Morfa Bychan, Ynys Mon written on a slate tile and wired to a fence. A classic case of entrepeneurism! Pics attached.

[Gwynant]

                    More Cwm Cwmorthin, Moel Druman pics and the rhyming Welsh advert.

[hollins]

Super pics Gwynant. I especially like the the bleak looking ones on the tops in the hazy sun.
Are you going to translate the sign for us poor English folk?