Walk Report: Diffwys & Y Llethr
After a month on the sidelines resting my aching knees I was eager to get back onto hills over the Bank Holiday weekend. My target was the Rhinogs on the Cambrian coast of Wales a line of hills that run from the Mawddach estuary in the south to the Dwyrd estuary in the north. I had glimpsed the hills last August when sitting on top of Arenig Fawr gazing in tremendous weather at the stunning scenery around me. I was instantly taken by the distinct shape of Rhinogs with the deep pass between them. The actual Rhinogs would be walked on another day but this day I was walking over the hills that were actually the highest in the range; less interesting than the Rhinogs but at least 30 metres higher.
The weather last Saturday was pretty grim, with low clouds and strong winds my lot all day. A bit of rain in the morning also managed to put a dampener on my enthusiasm for this first walk of the weekend. Fortunately the weather improved for the rest of the weekend. Driving to Wales early in the morning I drove to the small parking spot marked on the map on the minor road from Bontddu (SH 6675 1975). Starting off I walked up the road to it's end and immediately made a mistake. Instead of taking the track straight on at Banc-y-Fran I followed the road sharply left. I still turned towards the ridge to the north but could find no sign of the enclosed track marked on the map. The rain and other miserable weather added to my failure to find the path to really make this a bad start to the walk. I was all set to give up except that I had nothing to do instead!
Having eventually found the correct path I headed up the ridge of Braich feeling very depressed with the steep bland path doing nothing to lift my spirits. After slowly struggling up the steep path I eventually reached the top of the ridge above Llawlech and was indecisive about what to do. A brief excursion down the path on the other side of the path taught me that was not a good idea as I totally lost the path in the poor weather conditions. Learning my lesson I returned to the top of the ridge and headed east to Diffwys. The strong wind continued to assail me as I struggled across the boggy ground keeping the wall to my right all the way. In low cloud conditions like this if you can find a wall or fence to follow it makes navigation considerably easier.
It was with a surprise when I reached the Trig Point at the top of Diffwys, so I sat down beside the concrete pillar and had my lunch. After eating I resumed my walk heading north along the top of the ridge, Crib-y-rhiw. The wind was now able to really attack me making progress extremely difficult, just walking in a straight line was a virtual impossibility. After passing over the ridge the bulk of Y Llethr reared up ahead of me in the clouds and I climbed up onto it's broad grassy top. Passing the summit cairn I walked along the top following the wall to the north-eastern corner of the hill. At the point where the path begins it's precarious descent to Llyn Hywel I climbed over the wall and started heading back the way I had come passing the summit and descending to Crib-y-rhiw again. I was now walking on the eastern side of the wall, sheltered from the wind and at the top of a high cliff edge. It was great fun walking along the path that clung to the edge of cliff beside the wall.
Eventually I reached the unnamed 688 m peak just north of Diffwys where a path descends south down the hillside. Braving myself from the strong winds that were blowing up Cwm Llechen I followed this path to the disused levels and then walked along the old incline all the way down into the wood. This was a great path that was always interesting and usually clear as it descended the rocky slope. Entering the wood around Cwm Mynach I followed the path to the forest road, which I followed south following the right-of-way to emerge from the wood above Garth-gell. I had quite a surprise when I emerged from the wood: the sun was out. After all day walking in the clouds it was a pleasant surprise to see a sunny end to the day. It was now a short walk over the top of the hill past the remains of Clogau Mine and down Cwm Llechen to the road and my car.
The weather last Saturday was pretty grim, with low clouds and strong winds my lot all day. A bit of rain in the morning also managed to put a dampener on my enthusiasm for this first walk of the weekend. Fortunately the weather improved for the rest of the weekend. Driving to Wales early in the morning I drove to the small parking spot marked on the map on the minor road from Bontddu (SH 6675 1975). Starting off I walked up the road to it's end and immediately made a mistake. Instead of taking the track straight on at Banc-y-Fran I followed the road sharply left. I still turned towards the ridge to the north but could find no sign of the enclosed track marked on the map. The rain and other miserable weather added to my failure to find the path to really make this a bad start to the walk. I was all set to give up except that I had nothing to do instead!
Having eventually found the correct path I headed up the ridge of Braich feeling very depressed with the steep bland path doing nothing to lift my spirits. After slowly struggling up the steep path I eventually reached the top of the ridge above Llawlech and was indecisive about what to do. A brief excursion down the path on the other side of the path taught me that was not a good idea as I totally lost the path in the poor weather conditions. Learning my lesson I returned to the top of the ridge and headed east to Diffwys. The strong wind continued to assail me as I struggled across the boggy ground keeping the wall to my right all the way. In low cloud conditions like this if you can find a wall or fence to follow it makes navigation considerably easier.
It was with a surprise when I reached the Trig Point at the top of Diffwys, so I sat down beside the concrete pillar and had my lunch. After eating I resumed my walk heading north along the top of the ridge, Crib-y-rhiw. The wind was now able to really attack me making progress extremely difficult, just walking in a straight line was a virtual impossibility. After passing over the ridge the bulk of Y Llethr reared up ahead of me in the clouds and I climbed up onto it's broad grassy top. Passing the summit cairn I walked along the top following the wall to the north-eastern corner of the hill. At the point where the path begins it's precarious descent to Llyn Hywel I climbed over the wall and started heading back the way I had come passing the summit and descending to Crib-y-rhiw again. I was now walking on the eastern side of the wall, sheltered from the wind and at the top of a high cliff edge. It was great fun walking along the path that clung to the edge of cliff beside the wall.
Eventually I reached the unnamed 688 m peak just north of Diffwys where a path descends south down the hillside. Braving myself from the strong winds that were blowing up Cwm Llechen I followed this path to the disused levels and then walked along the old incline all the way down into the wood. This was a great path that was always interesting and usually clear as it descended the rocky slope. Entering the wood around Cwm Mynach I followed the path to the forest road, which I followed south following the right-of-way to emerge from the wood above Garth-gell. I had quite a surprise when I emerged from the wood: the sun was out. After all day walking in the clouds it was a pleasant surprise to see a sunny end to the day. It was now a short walk over the top of the hill past the remains of Clogau Mine and down Cwm Llechen to the road and my car.
posted by David Keates at 12:08 am
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