Sue and Martin in Mallorca 2019

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

Friday, 19 November 2010

Friday 19 November 2010 - Carn Fadryn & Garn Bach

Improved weather brought with it a dilemma. Shall we walk the Nantlle Ridge (a Great British Ridge Walk), or should we continue our exploration of the Lleyn Peninsula?

Lingering cloud and the prospect of a persistent cold wind on the Ridge drew us to the Peninsula, but it was a close call. Ken, Anne, Sue and I enjoyed a short walk to Carn Fadryn, whose 371 metre summit sports a conspicuous yellow trig point, a recent addition to the Iron Age walled hillfort containing stone huts, and a small fort reputedly built by Roderic and Maelgwyn, the sons of Owain Gwynedd in 12thC.

Low cloud over the Peninsula inhibited the views, but the sun shone and K & A, fresh from sunny Portugal, were able to top up their tans.

A peregrine, and then a buzzard joined the ravens in following our progress to the lesser summit of Garn Bach. That proved to be another excellent viewpoint (pictured, with Sue looking to the east).

From here we headed north to a small crag that offered superb lunchtime views, before aiming for a boggy path next to a finely preserved stone wall to the north of Coed Garn Fadryn. This led conveniently to a green lane and back to the car. Just 7 km and 350 metres ascent, taking all of three and a half hours.

We've noticed that whilst most trees in the area have now lost their leaves, a few (not just the firs!) remain virtually untouched by the ravages of autumn. Similarly, most flowering plants have had their day for 2010, but a few - for example, herb robert, red campion, several thistles, gorse and clovers - soldier on, showing a healthy disregard of the season.

We had plenty of time to revisit Plas Glyn-y-Weddw tea room and gallery (see Wednesday's posting), but not before a short stroll along Llanbedrog's sandy beach, where we encountered numerous scallops and an octopus on the tide line, lots of oyster catchers and black-headed gulls, dog walkers and a man with a metal detector who was digging furiously in the soggy sand.

Then it was back to more à la carte cookery in the nearly overflowing cottage in Porthmadog, where R + J arrived later, as planned.

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1 comment:

Mark said...

Carn Fadryn is officially a 'Small Hill with a Disproportionately Magnificent View'. Or it will be when I get round to writing the book. Which I'll be on to right away except one or two more things to follow up on Google Reader first, and sleep to catch up on, then...