Wednesday 8 November 2023 - Around Harlech

Back in Porthmadog for a few days, we woke to clearing skies and the usual view of the harbour from our living room. 

A short drive to Harlech, where at this time of year there's plenty of free on-street parking, saw us admiring, but not entering, the castle. It was completed in 1289 and enjoys a rich history, culminating in its demise in 1647 when it was the last castle to fall to the Parliamentarians and was ordered to be demolished, an order only partially executed.

From the castle, our route over slippery stones through pleasant woodland passed lots of different fungi, none of which we risked collecting.

Steep steps led up to a minor road.

After crossing the road we headed up a track that turned out to be a short private driveway linking the rights of way we were attempting to follow. (Walk number 5 in Alex Kendall's Cicerone guide to South Snowdonia - we walked it previously on 17 September 2022.) First we met the wife, then the husband. After a rant about dog walkers they allowed us to continue through their property. They were nice people. We had no dog.

At the suggestion of this couple we varied the route slightly, taking a path with good views towards Snowdon - sadly a bit hazy all day - and past a well that was described thus in a plaque:

'Scotch Baptist Baptism Well, Built 1842'

Full immersion baptism no doubt!

Soon, a series of steep stone stiles led over high walls to the high point of our walk.

We enjoyed lunch on some rocks from a collapsed wall, before posing in front of fine views. Here am I with the view to Snowdon. 

And here is Sue with the view to the rough summits of the Rhinogs. 

Pleasant walking during which we passed the only two people seen out walking today, brought us through Llanfair above the beach along which we were to return to Harlech. 

There was a railway line to cross.

Firm sand made the 2km stroll along the beach to Harlech most enjoyable. 

After leaving the beach, we made our way through the dunes to a convenient resting point with the castle as a backdrop.

On our final stroll into Harlech we noticed a huge eagle near the entrance to a holiday park.

 

A nearby plaque read:

"Eagle commissioned by Salop Leisure, Spring 2011.

71 share metres of steel sheet cut into 1000s of feathers that are welded on to a solid bar frame and galvanised.

480 hours of labour. Weight 1639kg."

Impressive!

Here's our 9 km route.

That was a lovely outing, enhanced by snippets of cricket - thanks to Ben Stokes the English team made a bid to escape the doldrums today, managing to beat the Netherlands part timers, seemingly a great achievement!