Llyn Cwmorthin and Quarry, Nr.Blaenau Ffestiniog

Start Point - Carpark SH684453

Second outing in two days and last of this one week holiday, I'm heading to the old ruined slate miners barracks and chapel on the edge of Llyn Cwmorthin near the village of Tanygrisiau.
I start out at quarter to nine in the morning traveling over the Denbigh moors until coming to the A5. Then heading towards Betws-Y-Coed but turning left just before the town onto the A470. Passing through the small village of Dolwyddelan I continue up and over the Crimea Pass coming down passing Llechwedd Slate Caverns on my left and Gloddfa Ganol Slate mines on my right I finaly come to the small town  of Blaenau Ffestiniog. Heading for the village of Tanygrisiau from the first roundabout on the outskirts of the town I follow into the village taking a right turn, heading up a steep hill, under a railway bridge I see car parking spaces on the side of the lane to the left.
From here there are two footpaths, one veering to the left which was closed and under repair, the other heads straight up from the carpark, through a gate with an initial steep climb passing a waterfall on the left.

 

The track levels out after a short period and I come to an open area of ground, slate piled high to my right and the river running its man made channels to my left. Following on, up a slight incline I turn left, over a small bridge and onto the track following the shores of the lake.

 

Its over cast and there's a bit of a chill in the air, the surrounding mountain summits are cloud covered and don't show any sign of making an appearance whilst I'm here.

 

The remains of the quarry men's barracks

 

Those steps provide a convenient spot for a rest, cup of coffee and some spicy Mexican rice on the return trip back to the car.

 

Continuing along the track I soon come to Capel Rhosydd, a ruined chapel, the only place of worship for the workmen and there families and also used for the schooling of the children.

 

 

Continuing from here I can glimpse  Plas Cwmorthin through its surrounding trees at the foot of the lake to the right of the track but head first to the large ruins of Rhosydd. Sitting down to rest the legs I can't help but think what life was like back in the 1800 when people lived and worked here. The quarry had a reputation for poor working conditions and was known locally as "The Slaughterhouse''. Between 1875 and 1893 there were 21 deaths in Cwmorthin out of a workforce of around 550. Hard time we can't imagine nowadays but somehow, in places like this you feel it or sense it. Whilst in the chapel I tried to envisage it back then, with men women and children praying to God, music, a piano maybe playing the tune to Hymes as the people sing. But no more, just a ruined old building from times gone by. But there is a presence, a feeling to be felt.

Time for a few more photos from the large ruins at the end of the valley. The point where the path takes a turn to the left and leads up a steep incline to more ruins further up the mountain.

 

 

Foel Ddu.

 

 

A view back down the valley.

 

Starting on the return trip, I take a left onto a short narrow path over a brook to the gardens of Plas Cwmorthin partly hidden beneath a stand of pine trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plas Cwmorthin from the track.

 

 

Plas Cwmorthin is where the quarry manager  would of lived in his relative luxury surroundings. Built around 1860 this building possessed four rooms on each of the two levels plus what looks like a nice garden area.

Back to the track to make my way back to the carpark, stopping once for a coffee and food before heading back down past the beautiful waterfall to the car.

 

 

 

 

Llyn Cowlyd, October 2015

Start and end point - Car Park behind Joe Brown, Capel Currig,

Llyn Cowlyd, at its deepest, 229 feet, 70 metres, is the deepest lake in Wales. The lake is long and narrow, measuring nearly 2 miles (3 km) long and about a third of a mile (500 m) wide, and covers

an area of 269 acres (1.1 km²).  The surrounding hills drop steeply to the water's edge, from Cefn Cyfarwydd and Creigiau Gleision to the east, and Pen Llithrig Y Wrach to the west,  the general aspect is one of bleakness. Dependent on the weather conditions, the waters often appear dark.

 

It was  bright but nippy when I arrived at Capel Currig on a Thursday Morning. Parking behind the Joe Brown shop down a narrow lane I got kitted up and the dogs on their leads for the first stage of the hike, three quarters of a mile Northwards along the A5. The footpath, where it existed on this stretch is very narrow and care must be taken with traffic flying along this main road.

Just Past a farm called Bron Heulog, on the right side of the road there is a style and sign post stating the way. Its a relief getting of the road and into the open.

 

 

The first half mile or so from here is a little on the steep side until I come to Tal Y Waun, a small holding on my left, it then levels out a little to become a steady slope all the way to the point where two footpaths join at the river feeding the lake.

 

 

I keep along the well defined path

 

heading North through what is quite bleak and boggy landscape heading for the menacing looking peak of Pen Llithrig Y Wrach.

 

The Boys stopping for a pose !!

 

 

Eventually I come to the wooden bridge crossing the river leading down to the lake. From here its a steep decline passing the waterfall just below the bridge. Keeping to the path eventually levelling out above the lakes shores, the sound of the rushing waterfall suddenly disappears behind me.

 

Two footpaths join here at the bridge to cross over the river.

 

 

 First view of the lake.

 

 

 

 Looking back up the river.

 

 The waterfall.

 

 

 

 The river flowing down to the lake.

From here it a two mile hike along the West side of the lake under the towering presence of Pen Llithrig Y Wrach. The name translates as 'Slippery peak of the witch' probably in reference to its resemblance to a pointed witches hat. It stands at 799 metres, 2621 feet high.

 

Its a straight forward up and down walk to the dam with only a few sheep to keep me company. This doesn't seem to be a much visited area unlike some other parts of Snowdonia. Its along this stretch that I change plans. Across the lake I can see another track in the shadows. There is no track shown on my map, just steep slopes leading straight down to the shores of the lake. My original plan was to have some lunch by the dam and head back the way I came, but the adventurous side of me came out. The way back for me now lay on the darker East side.

I crossed the dam and found a nice level grassy area right next to the lake where I decided to have a coffee and warm up a tin of soup, rest for a while before the retuning walk.

 

 

 Refreshments taken, legs rested, its time to start the walk back. First to find the 'Footpath'. It takes a while then I realise there is no footpath, only sheep tracks. I follow this thinking it will get better and turn into a path of some sorts, but it does not. The track leads on winding through ferns and bog, over rocks, down troths, back up again then disappears !! This continues for the whole two miles. Many times I lost the track, twice ended down on the boulders on the shore of the lake only to have to scramble back up to find a track again. All this with one dog in front of me and the other behind. It was a long walk to say the least. The end of the lake never seemed to get any closer, just sitting there watching me struggle in the shadows of Creigiau Gleision. The final stretch is the worst, rather than go down to the shores and follow the river up to the path, I decide to head up hill and around the East side of a rocky outcrop. I hate to head down when I've struggled to get up to where I am, then to have to struggle up again. The legs are getting weary now, every twig and stone seems to want to trip me up and send me arse over tit, my patience is wearing thin. Finally I reach flatter ground but the bridge I'm looking for where I know the clear path is, is still about 300 meters away. Not that bad really until it dawns on me that there's on track here and its mostly bog. But hay ho, the bridge is where I need to get to, so off I go, rout one, a straight line. It wasn't as bad as I thought and my feet stayed dry unlike the bottom half of my trousers.

Finally getting there I sit down to rest my weary legs for ten minutes before the relatively easy walk back down the track to the A5 and back to the car.

The return trip back along the lake was hard on the legs and I know now why the path is not marked on the map. This was a walk I'd looked at doing for the last couple of years but had never got to do, so its one ticked of the to do list. Next time I walk this area I may go up to the summit of Pen Llithrig Y Wrach or Creigiau Gleision to admire the views from up high, possibly, if the legs allow, returning along the path on the West side of the lake, but definitely not the sheep tracks on the East.

 

Firerocks, Rivendell and The Yew Tree Circle.

An early Autumn walk to one of my childhood playgrounds. Haven't trod this path for a few years now but still the same old memories from years gone by.

Its just under 1.5 miles from the edge of my village to the old stone bridge at Bontnewydd which crosses the small river Afon Meirchion. Just after the bridge is a narrow boggy track to the left following the river upstream through tall pine trees, gradually leading upwards until levelling out at the top for about 100 metres. From here its a windy, up and down track which has been churned up a bit by horses over the last year or so.

 

Finally arrive at an old camp spot. The first time I wild camped was here with the kids many years ago with an old battered tent for them and some old Tarp I found on site for me. Just a thin old roll mat to sleep on and a thin old sleeping bag. Didn't sleep much that night to say the least.

 

 An old leaning Sycamore tree

 

 Someones been here before, Bear Grylls may be? If so he should take his rubbish home with him. The biggest sin in Wild Camping !!

 

 L.N.T.
 

 

 

An old root system worn by the flowing waters

 

A strange red stone, the only one around.

From this old camp spot its a 1/2 mile walk up to a ring of Yew Trees. There's ten in total, all found in a circle. There are no others around to be found. Is this an old spiritual site from times gone by, the Druids maybe. Never camped here myself but its a popular site for local teens.

 

Heading back from the Yew Circle, its an uphill track to the fields up above. This looks like an old cart track from the stone structures above to the Yew Circle and river further below.

 

Top of the track we come to this old archway, beautifully built but why?

Strange stone circle found further up the woods on the way home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wild Camp, LLynau Diwaunedd, Snowdonia, September,2015

Friday12, September.

Start Point    SH705518 (115)
Finish Point SH687535 (115)

I arrive at a small parking area, if you could call it that opposite a small row of cottages in the area marked on the map as 'Blaenau Dolwyddelan', at the eastern end of the Crimea Pass. In the distance, across the Afon Lledr, a small river with nice grassy banks, eventually leading down to the Afon Conwy in the Conwy valley, I hear the sounds of a steam train puffing its way across the valley floor.
Its early afternoon, mid September. Its damp and overcast. This week was supposed to be an 'Indian Summer' but like the summer itself, its failed to show. The forecast for this trip was much the same as usual, overcast, clearing for a few hours of sunny spells in the late afternoon, a clear sky until about 2 am when the rain was to come in until the latter part of the following morning. The thought of a clear evening gave me some cheer as the thought of a few beers and a bit of star gazing, mainly to practise a few navigational techniques using the stars was something to look forward to and helped motivate me on the mainly uphill two and a half mile hike to the lake. Backpack on, dogs out, car locked, time to head off into the woods.
The track is very easy to follow. If the gates were unlocked you could drive your car right to the lake, which is what I think the fishermen do as the track is clear and free of grass and weed, although, at one point, just past a clearing the super healing Plantain grows in the centre of the track. I take a few leaves in case of ant stings or bites I may receive on the trip.
The wood is predominantly made up of soft wood with some Oaks and Silver Birches along the edges. A few grassy tracks shoot off here and there but don't lead very far until succumbing to the dark pines.
Halfway up and the woods open up on the left. Recent Forestry operations have left the whole left hand side a tangled mess of dead branches and old stumps. One advantage of this is the view across to Foel Goch and down to a small river named Ceunant Ty'n Y Ddol with its grassy banks. There is a track leading down to this river that I will one day explore as from up above it looks like it has a few nice camping spots. A couple of hundred metres more and the track branches into two. Turning right here will lead you on a less scenic reservoir , which is nameless on the map. I walked here last year looking for a camping spot but was not happy with the location, but found on my return a small path leading off to the left. It was Spring at the time and the side of the path was overflowing with Wood Sorrel, some just coming into flower. A small stone wall escorted me some of the way down with small stunted Oaks on ether side. This path has become known to me as the 'Sorrel Path'.
Back to today, I take the left fork, the gate is padlocked but you can get around the side, carrying on up for a while until the track levels out. The wood has been felled on both sides now as the wind will remind you as you walk in the open.
The track levels out before re-entering the wood on the final stage of the hike, then taking a gentle down hill slope, passing a bubbling stream I come to an open turning point which signifies the end of the hike. An opening to my left takes me down past the old stone ruin to the lakes shore.
I take off my Rucksack and sit, sheltered in the corner of the ruin. I wonder as before what it was built for. It even has its own fireplace.
People have been here since my last visit in Spring, a few times I think as many stone fire rings have been built and the ruin has a slight sooty smell to it. To my dismay, it seems I have company for the night. I go over to meet them, more to suss them out realy. Four men in there 30's I guess were setting up there camp on the nice green area about 300 m away from the ruin. They had travelled from Reading that morning, leaving at 7 am to get here. They have good tents and outdoor clothing, seemed mature, not the idiot kids I had dreaded.
I decide to stay. If I camp in the usual place, a flattish piece of land on the Southern side of the ruin, it will put it and a patch of woodland between us. These two features with the distance, breeze which comes and goes and a bubbling little brook, I shouldn't here them too much. I'm not expecting too much rowdiness though, fingers crossed.
I settle down in my corner of the ruin to make a well earned Coffee and have a read for a while. I've bought along a book entitled 'The Walkers Guide To Outdoor Clues and Signs', by Tristan Gooley. I'm hoping to use this tonight with my star navigations. As I mentioned earlier, its supposed to be a clear evening. Rain due in at about 3 to 4 am but looking at the sky I'm not too sure. I'm now contemplating putting the tent up earlier than usual.
I'm sitting with my coffee watching my new English friends. Two are playing 'skimmers', cans of beer in hand, the other two seem to be collecting fire wood by the sound of it. The wood is all pine around here, hope their tents aren't too close to the fire. They are apparently camping here tonight, walking the mountains tomorrow and finding a camp site for a bit of Glamping tomorrow night.
I make the decision to set camp early due to the look of the clouds and a good call it turns out to be. As the afternoon marches into evening the Midges arrive and start to slowly eat me. And I haven't brought any repellent. My hats not helping that much so my spare T shirt is draped over my head and face as I read a while longer, then the drizzle comes and goes clearing the Midges for a short while only for them to return when the drizzle passes. Then came the rain. Not too heavy but enough to put the waterproofs on and the book back into the rucksack which is then placed neatly into the tent. The only things in the open now are me, my beers and Buddy. Vinnie has snuggled himself up in my sleeping bag, nice, warm and dry.
Following the rain comes the darkness, slowly changing the colours of the landscape, never the same for more than a few minutes until all becomes just different shades of darkness.
My new friends are also out in the rain, playing with their fire. There not making much noise, not that I could here but as so many do at night, they have a fascination with light. Mobile phones shining here and there, a torch shining in the woods or across the lake. What is it with not letting the dark be. Always looking to push it aside, as if people cannot relax in the dark, never knowing what's lurking in the shadows. Thankfully there beer seems to of dried up. I thought of offering them one of mine but realised they needed to get an early night with their big hike in the morning. The beer would be better appreciated by me so I drank it for them. Anyway, they retired to their tents leaving me in peace to finish my beers and cook supper consisting of a pack of Tomato pasta. What a site I must look, beer in hand, waterproofs on leaning against the old ruined walls of old hut, two and a half miles from the nearest house, contemplating life in the pouring rain.
It wasn't a bad nights sleep, the rain woke me up a few times but there's something cosy being snuggled up in my sleeping bag, Vinnie keeping my feet warm and Buddy cuddled up beside me, listening to the rain hammering down on the tent. I was eventually woken by Buddies long, wet tongue licking my face as if to say 'Rise and shine !!' It was still raining but easing off and by 9 it stopped completely. Making the most of this dry time I hurried out to strike camp. As I finished, my new friends were taking there leave with good byes and good lucks. I sat down for a minute, contemplating the trip. I so wanted my morning coffee but as my matches had got damp whilst lighting the Hexi stove last night this was not going to happen.
So, with everything packed I hid my rucksack and embarked on a walk to the North Western side of the lake. The lake is shaped like a number '8', almost two separate lakes divided by a row of stepping stones between them. This section of the lake lies right beneath the two summits, Carnedd-Y-Cribau and Clogwyn Bwlch Y Maen. There I found a few suitable sites for camping, one obviously used before as there was a ready made fire pit left by previous campers in the past. With the recci over its back to the hut to pick up my rucksack and make my way back to the car.
The rain had returned and as mentioned earlier, the barren, tree felled section is totally open to the elements. I battle through the wind and rain, longing to get back to the shelter of the woods. It seems recently, since I bought my new tent in fact, that wherever I go I'm bumping into people. On the my return I meet seven lads hiking up to the lake. That's twelve people on this trip. On the last three occasions I been up this track I've not met a soul. Think I need to find a new walk.
Finely, wet and tired, I reach the car. Dogs in the boot, pack in the back, a change of clothes is just what the doctor ordered. I hope no one is watching as I strip off the cold wet layers to put on the nice dry clothes I've kept in the car for just this occasion. With the car smelling of damp dogs I start up the engine and make my way home.

Wild Camp, first of the year. Llynau Diwaunedd, Snowdonia. May 2015

Distance to camp site - approx. 2.5 Miles

Start Point - SH705518 (115)
Camp Site - SH687535 (115)

Just before hitting the tourist hot spot that is Betws-Y-Coed take the left turn onto the A470 heading down the valley, passing under the stone railway bridge towards the small village of Dolwyddelan, then on to the foot of Bwlch Y Gorddian, the Crimea Pass. Here turn right for the Roman Bridge, following the narrow lane past the Railway Station, through the rock and over the bridge, veering to the left, through a farm yard until you come to parking spot just outside some small cottages. Looking up the track you will see a gate and some old forestry work signs. This is the start of the hike up to Llynau Diwaunedd.

From here its a steady zig zag climb for the first 1.25 miles along the forest track until you come to and area where the forest has been felled on the left hand side. Looking down to the left you can see the Afon Diwaunedd with its inviting banks which look from this point to hold some nice potential camp sites. Maybe in the future? A little further and you'll notice the lane forks into two. Take the left track, the right is not shown on the map but leads to an unnamed reservoir to the East. This left hand lane continues through a barren stretch where the Lumber Jacks have been before, soon levelling of to a stead walk back into the woods until you get a glimps of the lake through the trees on the left. eventually you come to a turning area at the tracks end. Head left, down a grassy bank to the lakes shore. Here you will be greeted by the ruins of an old stone building, with a handy fire place still in tact.

I arrived here at about four in the afternoon and sat down in the corner of the ruin to shelter from the breeze chilling the sweat on my back to make a cup of coffee on the Hexi stove. Read for a while before cooking up some Tomato Pasta for dinner, followed by a Yorkie bar. Read for a while longer before erecting the tent. Its an old tent, cost £20 quid with 2 roll mats, a head torch and a few other items frown in. I've camped out in Snowdonia twice before in this tent as well as in the woods around my home and never had a problem with it. But then again its not rained on those occasions. The tent has served me well and more than paid for its self but, on this trip I learned I needed a new better quality tent for camping in the wilds.

With the tent up, its time to open the first of a well earned beer, cheers!! and relax for the evening, watching the colours change and the sounds of nature. Within a few feet of the ruin is a small bubbling stream heading into the lake, natures music, never the same sound, always changing. I was blessed with about half hour of sunshine as the clouds broke before sunset. It was a joy to enjoy a beer in my T shirt marvelling the quiet isolation of this spot. No man made noise, only the sounds of four large duck like bird on the lake and a few small birds flying within a few inches of lakes surface, landing on the shore chirping and pecking amongst the stones. I did see some humans, only little specs on what looks like a ridge between Clogwyn Bwlch Y Maen and Craig Ddu. There looks to be a route along the tops as I'm sure I can just make out a fence long the top in places. A walk in the future maybe. As the sun sank so did the temperature, on came the thermals and fleece until the last beer was drunk, then into the tent with the dogs.

 

Half three I am rudely awoken by the sound of rain on the tent. The walls inside are soaking with the condensation from me and the two dogs, plus, I think the seams were starting to leak a little, a pool of water is at the foot of the tent, the bottom of my sleeping bag is damp, but no worries. There's no wind as was forecasted which had worried me. The rain I could handle. Back to an on, off sleep full of strange dreams until light, then chill out with a book until the rain dies off, hopefully. It does, but not completely. Up now out of the tent and take in the damp, dim drizzly morning. Down to the lakes edge for a swill then deciding not to bother with a coffee or breakfast. Down with the tent, away with the gear, rucksack on and make tracks back down to the car in the cold drizzle. I always have a change of clothing in the car. there's nothing better than putting on dry clothes on when your wet and cold, and putting the heater on full blast to warm up the old bones as you drive home.