There is much that can be said in the negative about the hills that fall to the east of the main Aran Ridge but one view and one photo should be enough to tell you why they are a must do for a clear day.
Nowhere outside of central snowdonia does one ridge so dominate the day yet still leave scope to see other ranges or stunning valleys around and about.
The problem is the walk itself. No matter what you do for a circular at some point you need to bite the bullet of the Bwlch y Groes road and at others you have to face 3km of soft spongy peat.
Today I got the peat out the way first with cloud forecast I opted for the top of the pass expecting a wet slog back up. leaving the car park and keeping mainly to the right of the fence it is a long wet walk to the firt peat hag top. The views keep you going however and on reaching the summit the main Aran ridge lies before you. Turning right the track is immediately visible and much drier to the col. Keep on up the slope before cutting across the face of Esgeirion aiming for the top of AfonTwrch where a visible drainage cut runs across the face of Foel Rhudd follow this up to the fence if the weather is bad otherwise cut up on any one of the other smaller ditch lines to the summit.
Take in the northern view here before a simple following of the fence to the peaty top of Esgeiriau Gwynion.
Now the hard work begins a steep descent to the col and a steeper climb to Foel Hafod Fynydd provide a close up of the main ridge and a welcome breather and ideal late lunch stop.
Care is then required by all means follow the ridge and fence due east to the river but its a stiff 40m climb back to the track or steep descent and wider crossing further down. Far better to cut north about 200m down from the fence split on easy ground to a white walled abandoned sheep pen near the point the three northern rivers meet.
From there it is back along the track taking in the ever changing view to the road and the long steady climb to Bwlch y Groes. The tired can now return on the road to the start point but if you still have some energy left the final top of Moel y Cerrig Duon beckons along with its distant vista of Lake Vyrnwy.
Not a day for the wet but great on a clear day like today
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Monday 31 March 2008
Monday 24 March 2008
Trip Report : Garreg Llwyd
This lovely little outlier of the national park is usually a quick dash from the car on the way home from Swansea or Carmarthen. But with a mixed forecast and my younger son wanting to go out geocaching I thought I'd make a bit more of it today.
Starting at the southern of the two main car parks I made straight up though the quary to the summit. Cloud was down but visibility ok at about 300m so no problems and on the summit it rose to give a decent view with the cairn offering some nice shelter for a bit to eat.
Then off almost due west for the first geocache near the roada bout 500m south of the car park then straight over and up to the "dewey" summit of Carn Pen-rhiw-ddu. Another easy walk but the top itself is a disappointment. The high point is marked with a scattering of stones with a more interesting cairn about 300m to the NE.
The views to the north are good value for the climb however then it was straight off the scarp and down to the second cache of the day just above the hairpin and back along the main road past a marker for a 19th century road accident and back to the car.
A nice stress free 3 miles with about 750ft on the up
More of todays photos
Starting at the southern of the two main car parks I made straight up though the quary to the summit. Cloud was down but visibility ok at about 300m so no problems and on the summit it rose to give a decent view with the cairn offering some nice shelter for a bit to eat.
Then off almost due west for the first geocache near the roada bout 500m south of the car park then straight over and up to the "dewey" summit of Carn Pen-rhiw-ddu. Another easy walk but the top itself is a disappointment. The high point is marked with a scattering of stones with a more interesting cairn about 300m to the NE.
The views to the north are good value for the climb however then it was straight off the scarp and down to the second cache of the day just above the hairpin and back along the main road past a marker for a 19th century road accident and back to the car.
A nice stress free 3 miles with about 750ft on the up
More of todays photos
Friday 7 March 2008
Trip Report: Fforest Fawr
There can be few more remote walks in South Wales than crossing the Cnwer Estate on foot. Even reaching the start point in the Forestry at Blaen Llia involves several twisty miles on virtually single track roads.
Of course things are not as bad as they used to be, open access has cut the milage by a chunk and realistic circulars even in winter are now possible.
As normal for me I tackles the four tops anticlockwise. there is something about the watershed crossing that makes it far more pleasant after the first not the third climb of the day.
Equally common was the weather with cloud hovering around all morning then descending rapidly to make for a cold wet afternoon. One of those days just to put your head down and get going.
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Of course things are not as bad as they used to be, open access has cut the milage by a chunk and realistic circulars even in winter are now possible.
As normal for me I tackles the four tops anticlockwise. there is something about the watershed crossing that makes it far more pleasant after the first not the third climb of the day.
Equally common was the weather with cloud hovering around all morning then descending rapidly to make for a cold wet afternoon. One of those days just to put your head down and get going.
More Photos
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