Sunday 11 July 2021 - Cwm Pennant

This was a half day walk, taking account of needing to be back in Porthmadog by early afternoon to see Maggie, whose house we are staying in, and also in view of forecast rain at 1pm.

The road took us to a car park at the far end of Cwm Pennant, reached after opening and closing four gates. It would have been easier to park in a grassy spot with a £1 honesty box 2km down the valley.

Our route set off along an easy path after a stile beyond the picnic tables (pictured above) and soon ascended a steep, tussocky path, marked by posts with yellow arrows.

The next picture shows the view back down the valley beyond the car park and its sole occupant.

From a small ridge, an old slate quarry could be seen. This was the Prince of Wales Quarry, generally known for being a failure, as were other quarries in this valley. It was opened in 1873 and closed only 13 years later.

After passing between the two thick walls of the former winch house, we descended beside the old incline towards the old mill buildings.

The paths today were dominated by luxuriant bracken. Not many plants could compete with its dominance, but foxgloves, bog asphodel, tormentil and thistles like the one pictured below were doing their best.

Our walk took the route of the old railway line from the quarry for a while.

When the bracken was inhibited by deeper bits of bog, bog asphodel was taking its chance.

After a short section along a deserted road, we crossed the valley and headed, guided by blue arrows, past the conservatory of a holiday house, through the garden and past an outhouse.

Thus we entered another bracken zone. This walk may be better before the bracken growing season.

Looking across the valley, three peaks dominate the horizon. In the middle is Moel-yr-Ogof, 'hill of the cave', named after a cave on its far side where Owain Glyndwr sheltered for several months towards the end of his 1400 to 1415 rebellion against English rule. He was never captured, thanks to the people of Beddgelert, who supplied him. The higher hill on the right is Moel Hebog, 'hill of the hawk' (we saw a pair of red kites and a buzzard), also linked with Glyndwr - who may have recorded the first rock climb in history by escaping, when cornered by the English, up a cliff, 'Glyndwr's Ladder', which the English refused to follow.

We are admirers of the metal gates that frequently appear in this part of Snowdonia. 

Eventually we found a ladder stile that delivered us through an orchid meadow to the narrow road that led in 2km back to the car park. We had seen nobody until we reached this road.

Here's our route, starting and finishing at the car park/picnic table sign. 12km with 300 metres ascent. It took us about 3 hours. An excellent morning's walk.