Across Wales: Dolgellau to the Carneddau

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The Arenigs

The hills to the north and west of the Dolgellau-Bala road, crowned by Arenig Fawr, are some of the least known in Snowdonia. For a high mountain area, it's still free of well-trodden paths, and the onus is on the walker to use their knowledge of terrain to find routes that bring out the variety of landscape. 
 
Day thirteen: Dolgellau to Llanfachreth
 
It's a four mile road walk from Dolgellau (left)to the little village of Llanfachreth - a convenient little step for an afternoon, the first part of the day being taken up by my journey from London. 
 
But there is another, more interesting way, using part of the popular Precipice Walk, with views down into and across the Mawddach valley. It involves 500 metres on a clear track (right) that is not alas a right of way, before access land is reached, and so I can recommend it only if permission has been granted to you by the Nannau Estate. They are by no means anti-walker - the Precipice Walk itself is only available thanks to their consent - so it may well be worth asking. 
 
Registered Anquet users can download this route here.
 
Day fourteen: Llanfachreth to Llyn Arenig Fawr
 
This is the biggest single day of the whole walk, with two Fawrs, two valleys and a high forest to cross. There are only a few farmsteads on route and a couple of little roads; and there is no accomodation close to the end of the walk apart from the tiny bothy by the shore of Llyn Arenig Fawr and a groups-only bunkhouse a mile or so on.
 
So all in all a pretty good day out. It starts with a pretty bridleway through woods to pick up the track heading to Bwlch Goriwared, where follow the wall (left picture) to close to the summit of Rhobell Fawr. I had planned to head pretty much due north to Cwm yr Allt-llwyd, but on the ground it's more sensible to edge east when the summit slope eases, picking up a track close to Nant yr Helyg. Entering forest the other side of the Cwm, you find typical Forestry Commission walking, a mix of bulldozed tracks and long-standing rights of way, exiting at just about the most rickety ladder stile of them all. North from Blaen-Lliw, it's simply grand: contour round the southern slopes of Moel Llynfnant, a tremendous hill from this aspect, before cutting across wild empty country to the Haystacks-style ridge (right) that leads to the double-topped Arenig Fawr. Take care down its east ridge, and enjoy a quiet night in the bothy by the Llyn. Please join the Mountain Bothies Association, who maintain this valuable link in my cross-Wales chain.
 
Registered Anquet users can download this route here (extended to Arenig Station).
 
Day fifteen: Llyn Arenig Fawr to Penmachno 
 
This is the crossing of the Migneint, the Welsh Rannoch Moor, a remote unfrequented land of few heights and fewer paths. It gave me a truly exceptional day, one of those remarkable passages that make rough walking such a life-affirming experience.

It's a simple enough start from the bothy, down to the old railway track at Arenig station and across to the Bala - Ffestiniog road. From here I cut over access land to Llyn Arenig Fach and ascended the hill (pictured) by its rough heathery north-east ridge. Already the day was shaping well, with mapped walls and fences proving to be turned without too much difficulty, albeit with a few awkward moments of decision at the brand new fence guarding the summit plateau. But the weather was already promising: and reaching Arenig Fach's summit cairn, with the expanse of the Migneint in front of me and the craggy Moelwyns beyond and a temperate blue sky above, you know you are in for a rewarding day.
 
So it proved. The sheep had been taken down, so across the moor I was certain that I was not only the sole human but also the one large mammal over a dozen or so square miles. I don't think I have ever been so isolated in all my life. Rehearsed checkpoints came and went: Carnedd y Gors-gam (pictured left), crossing the Serw, skirting south of Cefngarw (two ladder stiles are a clue), height 479. It was all a bit too easy, despite a bootfull from an injudicious short cut, and caught up in the pleasure on Llechwedd Mawr I veered a little too far west. After working out a way to the B road, a bonus; the retired couple at the cottage of Ty-cipar (pictured right), by the track to Llyn Conwy, were enjoying the sun too, and invited me to share tea and biscuits in their garden, with the wide panorama of the Arenigs in front of us. As good as it gets.
 
I had rather expected some sort of path beside Llyn Conwy but going was very rough and tussocky until eventually the right of way beside the forest built itself up into something worthwhile. Perhaps then a late afternoon anti-climax, but rolling into the Eagles (pictured right) I could reflect on one of my best-ever hill days.
 
Registered Anquet users can download this route here.

Across northern Snowdonia

Day sixteen: Penmachno to Capel Curig (Pont Cyfyng), via Moel Siabod  
 
Dolwyddelan to Capel Curig via Moel Siabod is a decent mountain walk, but I wasn't in Dolwyddelan, I was in Penmachno. Fortunately there is a more-or-less-straightforward trail across the Bwlch y Groes, though I was uncertain for a while on route as the OS map had not yet caught up with the forest extension almost to the bwlch itself. There are a couple of places to grab a break in Dolwyddelan (left hand picture, with Siabod beyond), though having stopped at the post office it's very likely that the coffee is better in the other one. There was however no time to visit Dolwyddelan Castle , a kilometre up the Lledr valley. From the village, it's mostly forestry tracks to a turning circle at 727542, and then the going changes radically; a grassy scramble beside the outflow of Llyn y Foel (pictured right), a short step round this dramatic lake, and then a rocky scramble up Siabod's Daear Ddu ridge. The weather was closing in as I ascended; always a hazy day, cloud came down and brought a little rain with it. Probably the last person on the hill, I took all the more care off the summit, by the still rocky though nearly level north east ridge, which took up a good deal of time, following sporadic bootprints. One such tread led to the top of a steep gully; thinking "I really don't want to go down there", I submitted to a compass check, and found I had come a half circle. Retracing steps and then bearing correctly, I was out of the cloud, and off the rock, in a few paces more. (I was soon to find that this was not the difficult stuff; see the cautionary tale).    
 
Registered Anquet users can download this route here.
 
Day seventeen: Pont Cyfyng to Gwern Gof Isaf  
 
A simple valley walk through Capel Curig, first by the river to the National Mountain Centre of Plas y Brenin, a quick dive into the Pinnacle stores at the road junction, and then along the old road, waiting for that moment when Tryfan comes into full view.
 
Registered Anquet users can download this route here.
 
Day eighteen: Capel Curig to Llanfairfechan, across the Carneddau
 
This stage is detailed on my Welsh 3000-footers Carneddau page. Click here to find out more.  
 
Registered Anquet users can download this route here.  

Site created by Peter Aylmer of London

page created 23 November 2005, amended 25 November 2006