Monday 3 May 2021 - Around Tremadog

Here's Sue's report on today's walk:

The forecast wind and rain arrived as anticipated, so we stepped out of the car in Tremadog fully waterproofed and without anything except the walking guide, phones and two biscuits! A green lane led to a steep ascent amongst the sheep and lambs, then into woodland where the rain was deterring the birds from singing above the bluebells. 

Beyond the woods, a windswept track took us past a standing stone and views towards the Moelwyns that on a clear day would have been good. 

Along a section of road below crags, sheep were sheltering behind walls in the lee of the wind which, in this higher terrain was bringing sheets of rain sweeping across.

(It was at this point that I retrieved my phone from a puddle in my anorak pocket and took a couple more photos before secreting it somewhere dryer. We passed the remote farmhouse of Erwsuran, which enjoys lovely views - on a better day - down to the coast - M)

After contouring round the hillside where we passed through an elegant old metal gate we began descending, yomping down the easily graded track. After consuming our biscuits, the path suddenly took a right turn - heading back uphill! So, we climbed up the field to another high point where the wind buffeted us before a steep descent into woodland and respite from the wind. The path joined a cycle track just outside Penmorfa, providing a level path on which to return, first to the hospital and then to the centre of Tremadog. Strangely, we encountered no one on this walk, which we finished around 12.30.

Over to Martin:

Thanks Sue. Here's our 'click on it for a better version' route - thanks again to Alex - about 9 km, with 400 metres ascent, taking rather less than two and a half hours.

After visiting the supermarket, we had no further need or desire to venture out again today.

That last picture doesn't really do justice to the scene before us. The windows are rattling and driving rain is trying to take control. We wonder what it's like on/in the bucking boats in the harbour. Normally the sailors could take refuge in local hostelries, but today they are only allowed outside, which could be cold and wet.

Sunday 2 May 2021 - Around Blaenau Ffestiniog

After our walk from near Maentwrog, we took a short drive to Blaenau for this 12.5 km clockwise loop to the south west of the town.

Unfortunately, after we'd paid our parking charge of £3.30 for four hours and sorted out our clothing and gadgets, it started raining. "Just a short shower" we thought, as the forecast had suggested a fine day with 10% chance of rain.

In the event, it rained for the next three hours. Very few photos were taken.

Eventually hunger got the better of us and we found a spot under a tree, where Sue is pictured above. The second picture was taken from this same spot near a bridge over the Afon Goedol. Sue complained about the drips that splashed forcefully into her coffee and scalded her!

We continued in the rain along the excellent paths adopted by this route. Oak trees grown here in the 18th and 19th centuries were transported down the valley to Porthmadog to be used in ship building. The harbour pictured in yesterday's posting must have been a very different place then.

We heard our first cuckoos of the year and watched (or heard, in the woodpecker's case) a variety of other birds including goldfinches, a coal tit, wrens, lots of robins, and many of the 'usual suspects'. We are still seeking out tree creepers - there must be some nearby.

Before reaching Tanygrisiau Reservoir - pictured below rather later when we were looking back along it - we met four damp but cheerful gentlemen, with whom we chatted for some time. They had abandoned a higher level walk due to the rain, which was falling as snow higher up. It wasn't a warm day.

As we approached Tanygrisiau, we could view in several directions the legacy of the immense slate quarries that are the reason for Blaenau Ffestiniog's existence. 

Making our way back to the car park in slightly less inclement weather, we noticed a variety of flora coming into flower, including tormentil, lousewort, a very wet loving small white saxifrage, and more. Earlier we had seen masses of bilberry flowers.

Our excellent 12.5 km clockwise route is shown below. It took us three and a half hours.

Sunday 2 May 2021 - Coed Felinrhyd

On a sunny morning we drove the short distance to a lay-by near Maentwrog Power Station, from where there are three well marked walking routes in the forest.

Shortly after an information board giving details of the walks - ours was the red one - we came to the eponymous 'Ivy Bridge', on which Sue dutifully posed - see above. 

The forest path rose with a varying gradient, sometimes up steep steps lined with Wood Sorrel that I've been describing to companions on recent walks without them spotting it. You couldn't miss the small flowers and triangular leaves here.

This was a delightful woodland walk. The path reaches a waterfall where a family was having fun, before heading to a high point from where the white or yellow route can be deployed for a longer outing.

We met a couple who were walking the route in the opposite direction - a pleasant chat with the only people met on the walk.

According to my guide (Alex), the area is mentioned in the Mabinogion, as the place where the wizard Gwydion fought Pryderi, Lord of Dyfed. At the time, Dyfed and Gwynedd were at war, a war that had been started by Gwydion tricking Pryderi into losing his prize herd of pigs. This was all in an effort to force Math, the ruler of Gwynedd, to leave his court and fight, allowing Gwydion's brother Gilfaethwy to rape Math's virgin attendant Goewin. The war ends in the single combat between Gwydion and Pryderi, in which Gwydion wins and kills Pryderi. When he finds out why the war started, Math punishes Gwydion and Gilfaethwy by turning them into the male and female versions of various animals for several years in a row and forcing them to mate with each other. Pryderi, who is buried in this wood, at least had a more noble fate.

 Here's the route we took, clockwise:

Porthmadog

We made it here by 6 pm and then enjoyed a 6 km walk to Tremadog and back, via the fish and chip shop.

These pictures are in a random order, but that doesn't really matter - I'm just a bit rusty with mobile postings as I've not been 'mobile', apart from two nights, for well over a year.

I'm experimenting. Trying to use 'Blogger' with an Android phone.

Here's Porthmadog's stone circle. I've no idea of its age. Perhaps it's a modern replica!?

There were fine views tonight, from just outside our house to the Snowdon massif and Cnicht.

The walk back from Tremadog goes through a lovely wood.

Next to a cow, keeping warm by lying in a pool of slurry, this tractor appeared to be copying the cow.

After we had finished our fish and chips, we enjoyed fine views towards Cnicht and the Moelwyns on our walk to Tremadog.

Our house overlooks the harbour. Here's a view from our deck. Magic.

Friday 30 April 2021 - Around Longridge

Bowland Climber (BC) has written on several occasions about his walks around Longridge - see here - so I thought I might take a day off planning my own route and ask BC to join us on a walk around his home town. So he kindly did that, and a lovely walk it was as well, in the fine company of Graeme, Cary, Alastair, and of course Sue.

It turned to be nearly 17 km, a shade over ten miles, with less than 200 metres ascent. Taken at a leisurely pace, it took rather longer than five hours.

There's a good selection of fine stiles around Longridge - fortunately not all of them have been replaced with the all pervasive metal kissing gates.
 

However, we soon passed a particularly dreadful manifestation. I'm not sure about this - Health and Safety gone berserk, perhaps?

Then we passed this sight. I don't like magpies, but this treatment seems a bit extreme.

Next to the birds, a Renault for AlanR, who sadly couldn't join us today due to the 'Rule of Six'.

However, the walking was very pleasant, in dry weather and no wetness apart from a bit of damp grass.

We passed numerous gates that provide access to the line of water pipes from Lake District reservoirs to Manchester. I wrote about the Heaton Park to Wheelton section of the Thirlmere pipe here.

There are some impressive structures on the course of the pipelines.

Manchester's coat of arms features strongly, and our host was keen to point out various aspects of these plaques - the Manchester bee, a clipper, the pipelines, and a chain, the reason for which I can't remember. A separate posting is needed!

 

We passed through the yard of a factory that manufactures joists, floors and other house parts - duly marked up with the relevant building sites and plot numbers. Great to see something being manufactured in the UK. (I am still miffed about buying some socks yesterday and finding they had come all the way from China!)

Lunch was taken in a graveyard. The seats were comfy, and allowed for social distancing. Local fauna included hares and oyster catchers.

BC recalled 'Ginio' Ferrari - a local restauranteur who drove around in a Jaguar, registration number GF1, apparently purchased from George Formby's family.

We were curious about two lambs, trapped in a weighing machine (naughty corner?) with their mum looking on.

After a while, the well named town of Longridge came back into view, and BC prepared us for the climb back onto the ridge behind the town.

En route, a pretty bluebell wood and a footbridge in the dell.

Eventually we found ourselves looking back down to Spade Mill Reservoirs. Far to the left, Pendle Hill cut a distinctive line on the horizon.

Back at the start of the walk, Sue and Alastair both had futile attempts to climb an overhanging crag.

BC (a climber) explained how the BMC had managed to purchase the strip of land with the crag, from the errant property developer whose planned holiday homes morphed into over twice as many family houses.

Some climbers arrived with their mats (for when they fall off - they just bounce on the mat - apparently).

Then we went home, after thanking BC for his excellent company and route finding skills.

[Hey ho - that was done in a bit of a hurry as we go on holiday tomorrow - for the first time for many, many moons! I wonder whether I can remember how to do mobile postings?]

BC has also written an excellent piece about his encounter with 'The Cheshire Set' - see here.

Thursday 29 April 2021 - This and That

There's not much to report. 

What a contrast with the River Mersey just a few weeks ago, when it was almost up to the level of the bridge in the distance in the above picture taken last Sunday at Northenden weir. Children were enjoying sliding down the weir.

Around here, and in Fletcher Moss Park, the Marsh Marigolds are flourishing despite the dry weather - areas of marshland are still available!

We plan to teach Isabella all about flower identification in due course. For the time being she's quite happy to stick with identifying the shafts of sunlight that filter through the increasingly leafy trees.

Cycling beside the Mersey, I passed numerous canoeists and kayakers taking advantage of the benign conditions.

A walk into Sale today revealed a surprisingly quiet towpath. Was everyone at work? It also confirmed that spring has well and truly sprung. It's very leafy despite the cool weather at present.

Tonight one of our local hedgehogs arrived to hoover up the food left out for the birds... I hope the mealworms don't make it ill! 

We rarely get starlings, but a trio of those birds has come through the garden the last couple of mornings.