Sue and Martin in Mallorca 2019

Sue and Martin in Mallorca 2019
On the Archduke's Path in Mallorca

Saturday 16 November 2013

Saturday 16 November 2013 - Mynydd Anelog and Mynydd Rhiw

Jon left for Gairloch after breakfast, from where he plans to visit the Hebridean island of Longa tomorrow. 

Meanwhile, R&J had arrived last night, with armfuls of alcohol that is now severely depleted.

The Lleyn Peninsula was on the promised agenda, so that's where we headed. Just as well, as the higher sanctuaries of Snowdonia were engulfed by low cloud. 

The walk up Mynydd Anelog from a chapel to the south was short and uneventful. Apart from the sun dispatching searchlight like beams in an attempt to locate Bardsey Island.

The upper picture shows Bardsey from the summit, with ripping currents and a flashing lighthouse. 

A mum with two children arrived just as we left to descend through late flowering but very wind stunted gorse. Soon we were on the Wales Coast Path, heading south. Like most coast paths, this one undulated strenuously between rocky shores and precipitous cliffs.

Lunch was taken in a strange place next to a grassy meadow, selected by Sue shortly after we'd passed a well preserved coastguard's cottage that was closed in 1990.

Then a short road walk past some Brummies who had mislaid the coast path, some Aussies amused by our indecision and a woman who seemed amused by everything, saw us back at the car after this 8 km circuit with 250 metres ascent, in around 3 hours.

A brief transit found us parked up on a wide lane in Rhiw, from where the ascent of Mynydd Rhiw would be arduous in a hurricane with cows blowing past at 60 mph. In today's benign conditions however, we reached the summit in thirty minutes. In the dull conditions photography was rather challenging, so I've filtered the image of the summit view.

Continuing in a clockwise circuit, a selection of encounters featured friendly locals, blocked paths, surprised snipes, crow mobbed buzzards, ancient cromlechs, burial chambers and axe factories, multi coloured sheep, a deep bog on another brush with the Wales Coast Path, and gradually fading light, not to mention a few brummies.

The afternoon's tally was another 9 km, with 250 metres ascent, in around 2.5 hours.

This was a fine day out in a beautiful part of the world. 

No comments: