Wednesday 27 November 2024 - Bethesda and Penrhyn

Bethesda is on our way home from North Wales, and there's a good 5km walk from the centre of the town that we walked before on 23 September 2021.

From the town centre we crossed the Afon Ogwen to reach a children's playground. 

A lovely woodland path took us gently onwards.

Soon we were on another path that skirts the old spoil tips of Penrhyn Slate Quarry. 

Elevenses here, before the path entered a shady area.

The boulders and slates of the disused quarry towered above us.

Beyond the spoil tips we passed a small waterfall.

Then our route followed a selection of narrow passageways, some lined with slate fences.

There were good views across the valley to the Carneddau summits. 

We stopped to try to identify some plants.

Membranous pelt lichen

Lanky Moss

Bracken

Nearing the end of this short walk, a sturdy footbridge took us back across the Afon Ogwen and into the town.

Our lunch was taken in a sunny spot on a bench below a graffiti clad building. 

Here's the 5km route. Short but scenic, and an ideal choice to break our drive back to Timperley. 

Tuesday 26 November 2024 - A walk from Plas Tan-y-Bwlch

On a lovely sunny morning we could admire the view from our jigsaw table (Sue) or my reading material (Strange Sally Diamond).

After an early lunch we took a 12 minute drive to Plas Tan-y-Bwlch, and enjoyed the 6km circuit described in Walk Number 26 in Alex Kendall's Snowdonia North Cicerone guide. 

From the car park a path climbs steadily to cross the Ffestiniog railway. 

We met a chap called Mark, with whom we chatted for some 20 minutes. He was not a happy man. Land sales, Airbnb, second homes pricing locals out of the housing market, etc. We listened, then moved around the hillside to get fine views towards the coast, and inland. Last time we were here (it's our fourth visit to this walk) this bit of path was closed to avoid disturbing the nesting ospreys.

After some more level terrain we arrived at Llyn Trefor, a reservoir, where the reflected afternoon sun gave wonderful views. 

There are views to both the Moelwyns and to a distant Cadair Idris. 

The path led down past twittering goldcrests to Coed Llyn y Garnedd, which provided more great reflections. 

Our path led on to Llyn Mair, a lake constructed as a birthday present for the landowner's daughter in times past. Between us we must have taken about 20 pictures of the afternoon light in this area.

At the end of the walk we passed the building that Mark had earlier bemoaned as being sold for a pittance by the National Park body.

Here's our excellent 6km route.

Monday 14 to Thursday 17 October 2024 - A Few Days Around Porthmadog

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Whilst most of our 24 strong group returned home from Beddgelert and elsewhere, Sue and I took a 15 minute drive on Monday afternoon to Porthmadog, where there was no power at our expected destination, so it took a while to organise an electrician to replace a burnt out master switch and relocate to another house. Our usual view across the harbour has been replaced by views across the estuary towards Portmeirion and the Rhinogs, with steam trains making their way over the Cob. 

Very nice on a lovely afternoon like this one.

Soon the left overs from the weekend were transformed into a tasty dinner.

Tuesday
Another fine day apart from a smidge of drizzle that didn't warrant waterproofs.
After our customary Porthmadog slow start, we drove to Tremadog with a view to repeating for a fourth time walk number 29 in the Snowdonia North Cicerone guide. My previous reports can be found here (3/5/21), here (9/7/21), and here (8/7/23). Given those reports, I'll stick to recording today's outing mainly by way of the annotated pictures below. There was however one deviation of note. From Erwsuran farmhouse we crossed a ladder stile and headed to the summit nobble of Poel yr Erw. From there we went west to pick up a path before a footbridge. The path turned out to be a flooded track, and the footbridge on the map showed no sign of ever having ever existed - it was just an area of deep bog with enormous tussocks. From there we headed south, picking up a better path at a ruined building before rejoining the prescribed route for walk 29. Near the ruined building we harvested a few Meadow Waxcaps for a tasty starter later.

The walk starts in Tremadog

The guidebook chooses a tarmac road, but this green lane out of Tremadog is preferable

The steep path soon gains views back down to the coast, with Moel-y-Gest prominent

The path is easy to follow despite  some wind-blown trees

The bracken that was rampant on our visit in July last year is starting to die back, making progress along the path easier than in summer

Bramble

Other plants still in flower include foxgloves, tormentil, gorse, devilsbit scabious, ragwort, ling, herb robert, red campion and more.

A windblown tree near Fach-goch

A standing stone by Fach-goch, with views to the Rhinogs (above), and to Cnicht (below)

Hendre Hywel - a smart looking property passed just before we joined a minor road

On the roadside near Hendre Hywel we saw goldcrests flitting in the hedgerow, and we had a long chat with a friendly farmer who had come up the valley to count his cows.

Other birds seen mainly on the estuary from our house and beside Llyn Bach included a colony of Mute Swans, Little Egrets, Oyster catchers, Redshank, Herring gulls, at least one pair of jousting Curlew, Mallard, Carrion crows, Common gulls, Shelduck, Chaffinches, Blackbirds, Wrens, Sparrows and Goldfinches.

The lane above Hendre Hywel

The unoccupied farmhouse at Erwsuran

Elevenses looking past Erwsuran to the coast

On the summit of Poel yr Erw (269 metres)

The view from Poel yr Erw, north past Llyn Du

The view to Tremadog Bay from Poel yr Erw

Tussocks and bog near the non-existent footbridge to the west of Poel yr Erw

Meadow Waxcaps found below Poel yr Erw

A decent path eventually reappeared above Cwm Bach

No problem following the path here at Cwm Bach

Autumn colours are on their way

We passed through a herd of curious cows

There were masses of sheep on the path to Cwm Mawr

A steep descent through bracken led to a steep descent through woodland towards Penmorfa

This sheep looked hopelessly lost

A walled lane finally led to the cycle path to Tremadog

Back in Tremadog,Y Sgwar, our favourite restaurant down here

After the 11km walk, with 500 metres ascent, we were home, via Tesco, by 3pm.

Later, the Meadow Waxcaps made for a delicious starter. Here's my half.

Wednesday 
We enjoyed a 6.5 km stroll to Tremadog and back during a break from light rain. Coffee and cake in the Portmeirion café on the way back. Here are some annotated pictures.

This South African locomotive plies the Welsh Highland Railway line between Porthmadog and Caernarfon.

A smaller engine, Palmerston, was on duty today for passengers to Bleinau Ffestiniog

Setting off on a journey into some low cloud

We stayed at sea level, passing around Llyn Bach

Michaelmas Daisy

Here's the line to Caernarfon

The woodland between Tremadog and Porthmadog is a delight

Lots of fungi, including this bracket variety

Now where did all that cake go?

Porthmadog harbour on a grey day

Then a jigsaw - the 1000 piece High Jinks! Bookshelves, whilst admiring the bird life in the estuary.

Later - a delicious early bird meal at Y Sgwar restaurant in Tremadog. I chose the shoulder of lamb.

Thursday

We went home today, but stopped at Llyn Padarn, by Llanberis, for a 10km stroll around the lake. It was the reverse of Alex Kendall's Walk number 18 in his Cicerone North guidebook. We've done it a couple of time before, combining it with walk 17.

We started at the northen end of Llyn Padarn, with views towards Llanberis and the high peaks.

We recall this Happy Egg station from previous visits. There were no eggs today!

The path rises steeply through the remains of a ruined village

It's the 'Padarn Country Park'

A pleasant walk above the north eastern side of the lake

After a while, views across the lake to Llanberis, and to our starting point

Closing in on Llanberis, there are lots of waymarked walking routes, and (having seen no other walkers during our stay in Porthmadog until now), there were quite a few folk out walking just here.

A view towards Snowdon, with low cloud dominant

We suddenly encountered a herd of wild goats.

A deep quarry used by divers for training is passed shortly before descending past another railway to the field path to Llanberis

Another narrow gauge railway - this one quite short, the Llanberis Lake Railway

Sculpture near the centre of Llanberis

Paddle boards and kayaks

A disused railway line sees us back to the car, via an unexpected tunnel that is by-passed if you go in the other direction. We missed the steps that avoid the tunnel.

Here's our 10 km route with 200 metres ascent. It took us about 3 hours.

An excellent way to pause our journey home.