Day fifty eight - Tan-y-Bwlch to Hafod-y-Llan

 27th April.

A short walk today to reach Snowdon base camp.

Started cloudy and fairly cold with a lovely walk up and down a very minor road, with gates, through some ancient oak woodlands to Nantmor and the Afon Glaslyn where there's a a really nice walk by the riverbank to Beddgellart.

There was another helicopter today, this time ferrying stone up the hill for path repair.

I spent a few hours in Beddgellart refilling the fuel tanks, shopping, looking at gift shops and inspecting the Welsh Highland Railways fine Garrett locomotive, I did think about having a trip until I found out the price.

Up the path to the lake past the old copper mine at Sygun and on to the NT campsite at Hafod-y-Llan. The helicopter parked there overnight and I spent some time annoying the pilot and support crew.

110 tonne bags of stone moved today, enough to keep the path building teams busy for the next year. Nice campsite.

11.5 miles walked 900 meters ascent.

Day fifty seven - Llyn Du to Tan-y-Bwlch station

 26th April.

Bright sunny morning with only a few clouds all day.

It was a day of bad navigation as I kept taking the wrong line and having to find my way back to the correct path.

Even on the rocky descent from Llyn Du I managed to go down too far and had to climb a fair way back up to the correct route when I realised.

 The Rhinogs hadn't given up and there was a lot more rocky walking to do before descending to Llyn Trawsfynydd and the old nuclear power station.

The power station 

The coastguard helicopter was practicing a rescue by the dam.

On to Maentwrog and a good dinner in the hotel before going up to Tan-y-Bwlch station where I found a quit spot to camp on the hill.

14.5 miles walked 1200 meters ascent.

Day fifty six - Barmouth to Lly Du

 25th April.

A bright sunny start to the day with a gentle, but cold, NE breeze.

Looking down to Barmouth 

Steeply up to the ridge, the dragons back and a fairly humpy one it is but ground is easy to walk on.

I met a hill runner who stopped for a chat, a very interesting character who, amongst other things, was born in Inverness as his father was an engineer on the Loch Quoich hydro scheme.

Path in the Rhinogs (where?)

The clouds had built up a bit by the time I got to the Rhinogs, an advantage as I was overheating!

The Rhinogs were as rough I had been told to expect, especially Rhinog Fach where the end of the descent was particularly unpleasant, wet, overgrown, very steep and slippery.

Rhinog Fawr was not as difficult as it's mate but even so, by the time I got down to Llyn Du there was space for my tent I decided to stop and pitched near another couple, George and Milly, who had walked up for the night.

11.5 miles walked 1500 meters ascent.

Day fifty five - Cefny Clawdd to Barmouth

 24th April.

Rain started at 6am after a dry and mostly clear starry night and the forecast said it would stay for the morning but after about an hour it stopped and stayed away all day.

Down, across the road, up the east side of Cader Idris and into the cloud. I met two people coming down, one from Keynsham and the other works at Westonbirt Arboretum.

There were a few clearances but the actual top was totally in the cloud. There is a very good shelter on the top that, I was told, was a café at one time. With a tough enough sleeping mat it would be a good place to spend the night although I was told that, if you do, you come down either mad or a poet!

Once out of the cloud the ridge walk is great and, of course, by the time I had gone a mile or so, the cloud cleared from the summit. 

Down to Barmouth across the railway / footbridge where I restocked before climbing up the road to a little campsite.

The views to sea and back to Cader Idris were amazing and the owner had lived in Pucklechurch at one time.

15 miles walked 1050 meters ascent.

Day fifty four - Machynlleth to Cefn y Clawdd

 23rd April.

Cloudy but mostly dry today with a light wind.

There was an excellent café open early where I could drink tea and eat scrambled eggs until the shop opened

I found a reasonable, cheap, pair of gloves and a hat and set off full up and warm.

New bridge and raised roadway being built over the Dovey.

Todays walk was on cycle route 8, very minor roads but too much ascent for my idea of a bike route.

Corris

I looked in to the Centre For Alternative Technology but didn't have time for a proper visit, it's added to the list of places to come back to.

 Heard my first Cuckoo today as I walked through an old slate quarry, if you have any craft ideas using slate there are thousands of tons of useful looking bits available here.

The whole route today was beautiful, through a steep tree lined valley, there is even a little steam railway at Corris, but the pub was shut, no lunch!

Pitched high, above the A487 where it crosses the east side of Cader Idris. Rather exposed but the weather forecast, while wet, is not giving any wind.

13.5 miles walked 900 meters ascent.

Day fifty three - Dyffryn Castell to Machynlleth

 22nd April.

A frozen start to the day with mist that soon cleared to a sunny day.

A steep climb up to Pumlumon Fawr then great walking along the tops to the sources of the Wye then the Severn.

The Severn starts in a peat bog.

On round the tops then down through some horrible, pathless, tussock grass and across a bog to reach a track that goes round a couple of lakes.

A grassy path then took me down to the road and a campsite at Penegoes.

Eggs for sale by the road 

I realised on checking my gear tonight that I had left my hat and gloves somewhere so I went into Machynlleth in the evening and, as well as getting some fish and chips, discovered an Original Factory Shop that wouldn't open at 10 the following morning (Sunday).

Machynlleth 

I thought they may have a hat and gloves of some kind and it would be a good excuse for a late start tomorrow.

21.5 miles walked 1000 meters ascent 

Day fifty two - Claerddu bothy to Dyffryn Castell

 21st April

The rain started as I left the bothy, fairly heavy for a while then eased off to showers becoming occasional.

Misty views back to the Tiefi Pools 

It stayed reasonable clear over the hills and past the arch that was built in 1810 to mark the Golden Jubilee of George III.

Hafod Arch

Down to Devils Bridge and the Two Hoots Café at the railway station in time for lunch.

Two Hoots Café 

A long walk down the valley by the railway before dropping down to a footbridge and back up the other side.

It was raining again as I came down to Ponterwyd by the hotel, I was tempted to go in but steeled myself to walk past, bought a sandwich at the filling station instead.

On up the road, over a hill and back to the road then off up the hill to start the ascent of Pumlumon Fawr.

Camping spots were rare but I found one with a bit of shelter. Cleared up nicely too.

16.5 miles walked 1000 meters ascent.

Day fifty one - Llanddewi Brefi to Claerddu bothy

 20th April

A bright sunny day with a cold NE wind.

Afon Teifi

Brightly painted houses at Pontrhydfendigaid

Across the extensive wetlands on the old railway line that was built on faggots of wood and bales of wool.

Saw some Swallows again today as well as Orange Tip and Brimstone butterflies.

The Teifi getting smaller.

After Strata Florida Abbey, which was just closing, it was noticeable that spring was receding as I climbed into the hills.

I made a slight error, due to not checking the map, and went up the Nant Egnant not the Teifi but they all start in the Teifi Pools.

Looking back to the Teifi Pools.

It was very windy with no shelter from the NE and I carried on with more hope than expectation, went over a hump and there was a house. Closer inspection revealed a bothy complete with a toilet and running water.

Claerddu bothy 

Kitchen 

A lovely spot to spend the night and there was no one else to share it with.

The firewood was too wet to get the stove going but otherwise perfect.

19 miles walked 750 meters ascent.

Day fifty - Llandysul to Llanddewi Brefi

 19th April.

Another sunny day with a moderate breeze to prevent overheating.

Looking back to Llandysul 

Lady's Smock

Mostly walking on minor roads today, looking at all the new spring growth and identifying flowers, thanks Jacky.

Lunch in Lampeter and a few more supplies.

This is good grass country and there are lots of dairy cows to eat it.

On to a  nice little campsite, on a big dairy farm.

21 miles walked.