Trip report : Cerrig Gleisiad/Fan Frynach

Black Mountain ridge
Originally uploaded by Pete Roberts (rhayader_wanderer)

I don't often make a habit of repeating walks within 6 months but I made an exception here all be it in reverse.

With 3 hours spare before meeting up for an afternoon walk I decided to spend the first half of my 40th birthday in the hills around the Cerrig Gleisiad reserve and what a choice it was too.

First up the frost and snow made for steady going up the ridge but it soon became apparent that not only was the cloud laying with a small temperature inversion and the sun was breaking though.

sure enough on the ridge sun and cloud interacted and nature gave me a moderate quality Brocken Spectre as a birthday present. The route itself was as easy as ever and remembering to take the left of the two diagonals off Frynach itself cut the corner down into the reserve. A lovely start to a great day out


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Trip Report: Y Gryn

Frynach and Gleisian from Y Gryn
Originally uploaded by Pete Roberts (rhayader_wanderer)

Originally planned today as a stop on descent from the higher Beacons and instead opted for the quick out and back so as to avoid any ice on the rocks off the summit of Corn Du.

I've blogged about the route before so all that is left are the photos.



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Trip Report: Cader Idris

Llyn Cau
Originally uploaded by Pete Roberts (rhayader_wanderer)

If you asked most people to name two Welsh Mountains most would say Snowdon and then be stumped but a few would add Cader Idris as an immediate second choice.

Cader is an old friend for me I first climbed in in 1988 as a student leading a group of local scouts and its now almost reached the list of summits I have visited in every month of the year.

Today it had a few surprises for me, the first a whacking great £4 parking fee at Minfordd. Exit straight away and park in the layby halfway up the pass.

The next was how much fun it is to walk with a dog having been joined by a fried with a gorgeous pointer. The walk itself was classic Cader. Its a while since I climbed Gau Graig first and and this and Mynydd Moel were the aim for the day I left the layby and cut across hillside to the fence leaving two well wrapped up plane spotters on the ridge. From here its a straight climb up to the summit along the fence for the most part but occassionaly veering off to the right most notably at the obvious talus pile as you find a track thought the rocks.

The track finally bring you out on the much underrated Gau Graig, a little pimple walked the other way but a great viewpoint and sense of achievement after an hour.

The walk now unfolds before you heading West along the northern Cader scarp. This is a walk not to be rushed but neither one that overstresses the body despite appearances.

Passing the cairns of Mynydd Moel the trigpoint finally bursts into view against a foreground of white powder snow.

The other benefit of walking this way is that you are almost always facing the sun and at -9degress C on the way to the start that was more than welcome today. However sooner or later you have to drop into Cwm Cau and its shadow and sheets of ice on the hanging valley part of the path.

The final descent is via the woodland on the hillside wooden steps were added several years ago but they are starting to show signs of wear. For some the wood is broken and for many the gravel and soil has been washed out leaving an inch or more to trip the unwary descentant.

All told it was nice to revisit an old friend and nicer still to take a direction that I have tended to ignore in the past


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Trip Report : Radnor Forest

New Years Day 2009
Originally uploaded by Pete Roberts (rhayader_wanderer)

I've blogged before about the delights of the hills above New Radnor. They are close to home for me and with a 3 and a bit hour walk time are an afternoon walk even in the depths of Winter.

And winter it was on new years day. The bright sunny sky of the day before was replaced with a blanket of freezing fog. Grey and atmospheric to the core.

Also freezing to the core as I found to my cost when the tube on my water pack froze solid after first use.

Route wise the only thing to add is that the path onto Great Rhos that appears to disappear on the map is now very distinct and goes to thing a couple of hundred metres of the trigpoint so there is no need to bash through the heather for a direct approach.


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Trip Report: Gwastedyn from Rhayader

Looking east from the summit
Originally uploaded by Pete Roberts

It had been a while since I have been out in the hills, work, weather and a series of small bugs have rather got in the way.

So with another cold stopping a trip onto the Drygarn I thought a short circuit of the hill overlooking town was a good bet for a couple of hours out.

Gwastedyn is to Rhayader as Skiddaw is to Keswick. Standing proud above town and within easy reach, so much so that the annual hill race is a feature of carnival week.

The walk from town is an easy circuit of about 1.5 hours if pushed 3 if lazed.

Head off down south street from the clock and keep on past he old toll booth (after first turning) residential home (2nd) and old workhouse no a nice hotel after the third. The path now becomes a roadside verge before turning off at the 2nd right of way sign on the corner.

A track leads up though the wood before bearing off to the left out onto the open hillside as your fence meets others coming up from the farm. The going is easy underfoot cut across the farmland for the next fence on the slope then curve around the headwaters of a small stream that drains the area below the summit.

Keep "climbing" to the ridge fence but don't cross it instead turn right over one more fence that climbs the hillside to the summit cairn and commemorative beacon basket.

The second summit lies a couple of hundred metres away over one good and one not so good fence and a little rough grazing / bracken. Despite this it is worth the visit as it opens up the southern vista far better that the beacon summit.

From there head back to the ridge fence and follow this and a footpath back to the minor road above Gaufron and follow this then the A44 back to Rhayader itself.

Walk past both houses I have owned in town back to the clock tower and your start point.

If you miss the path and drop too early don't panic so long as you are on the Rhayader side head for the track between Bryn Du and Esgair-rhiw and follow this via the latter back to the road taking care to use the gates on the way down


Views of Gwastedyn





Views from Gwastedyn

Trip report: Y Gyrn

Y Gyrn
Originally uploaded by Pete Roberts (rhayader_wanderer)

The final leg of the day hardly seems like a real walk more like a 40min stretch of the legs.

Directions couldn't be easier cross the stile keep walking on the track till just before it drops into the valley. Follow a muddy path to your left and keep going to the fence high point is about 50m from the stile.

Retrace get back in the car and move on.

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Trip Report: Fan Fawr

Fan Fawr Trigpoint
Originally uploaded by Pete Roberts (rhayader_wanderer)

Second of three brief walks today, having moved the car up to Storey Arms it really is a simple up out and back to get to Fan Fawr. The climb itself offers no real issues though care is needed in bad weather to make sure you don't miss the nondescript summit.

With time to spare I stretched my legs a bit to take in the trig point and the sun and cloud made it worth my while (see above).The final benefit are the two upland geocaches though at time of writing the one near the trigpoint is temporarily disable on account of my finding it doing a swimming pool impersonation.

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Trip report : Fan Frynach

Towards Brecon
Originally uploaded by Pete Roberts (rhayader_wanderer)

Heading north on the A470 with a couple of hours to spare then why not take a break at the Cerrig Gleisiad nature reserve and wander within the Cwm or round its edge.

Plenty of options abound but with good clear sky and fluffy cloud I opted to walk into the cwm and pick up the moraine track before heading out just below the summit of Fan Frynach. Carrying on round the rim I took in Gleisiad and then headed back to the start on the steeper sE rim of the valley.

Highpoint of the day was a late dragonfly then it was on for an up and down of Fan Fawr


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Trip report: Waun Rhyd, Brecon Beacons

Waun Rhyd, Brecon Beacons
Originally uploaded by Pete Roberts (rhayader_wanderer)

The eastern end of the main Beacons chain offers up some of the most interesting walking. Away from the crowds of Storey Arms the views remain but in a more tranquil setting.

Two cars make the most of this area as like today you can park one at the lay-by on the Talybont reservoir (if unoccupied by the army, it was busy today) Then follow the well trod path up over Allt Llwyd. Pausing above the col Wayn Rhydd takes on a more dominant role than normal (see above) but is still and easy climb to the plateau. Care is needed at this point especially in mist but a direct line brings you to a summit that is little more than some scattered stones.

Pick up the track that skirts the northern edges and take in the equally unimpressive top of Bwylch y Ddywallt before heading SW then S to come out at the car park at Blaen y Glyn.

The reverse route saves 200m climb but the views are better for the extra effort.



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Trip Report : Camlo Hill

Rhiw Gwraidd from Camlo Hill
Originally uploaded by Pete Roberts (rhayader_wanderer)

For drivers heading out on the A44 east of Rhayader Camlo hill is the ridge to the north of the main road at the head of the wide valley on that lovely long overtaking straight.

For the walker it is an easy circular from the back side thought the forestry above Abbeycwmhir. On this occasion it was a short day out with friends and our respective children.

Small bits of road walking break up a mix of open hillside and forestry paths. A pleasant afternoon walk with a mix of wide ranging views and the Abbey ruins to look at on the way back. And of course don't forget a pleasant pint in the Happy Union

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