Sunday was Plynlimon day, not so much the main summit, Pumlumon Fawr,
but the northern and northeastern ridges, the high point being Pumlumon
Arwystli. Photos are at
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/album/060604.html
I parked just before Maesnant at the end of the eastern branch of Nant y
Moch reservoir, SN773878, and followed the track to the ford across the
Afon Hengwm. I didn't cross the river but climbed the valley of the
Nant y Llyn to the south.
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/album/06060437bNantYLlyn.jpg
Where the first slope begins to level out, I turned east and got myself
up to the northern spur off the main Plynlimon ridge. This is mostly
pathless but easy terrain and not too boggy. Once on the ridge, the
steep cliffs and lake of Cwm Llygad Rheidol on the north side of Pumlumon
Fawr come into view.
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/album/06060442bCwmLlygadRheidol.jpg
I didn't want to go up Pumlumon Fawr this time as the planned route was
quite long anyway, but I popped down to the source of the river Wye for
the sake of squarebagging. Then back to Pumlumon Arwystli
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/album/06060449bPenPumlimonArwystli.jpg
where I had lunch. Two other walkers and dog were there. They lay
claim to the eastern cairn and I settled for the western one so that
the dog would not have me for dinner.
Continuing along the ridge (with its walker-friendly fence), I got to
Carn Fawr, a Big Cairn, which made a gorgeous foreground to Cadair
Idris:
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/album/06060452bCarnFawrCadair.jpg
From there it was all descending into the bog surrounding the lake,
Bugeilyn, on all sides. This took quite a while. It wasn't too wet,
but there were a few treacherous trenches in it -- I stuck my pole in
one and couldn't feel any solid!
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/album/06060458bBugeilynBoathouse.jpg
The return route was along the Afon Hengwm, which is easy going with
good views of the river. Only the last bit is a bit boggy again.
On the way back, I bumped into the reknowned Highland herd of Nant
y Moch. There must be something about Highland cows that makes cameras
shake -- my pictures are even fuzzier than others we saw recently!
--
Rudi Winter, Aberystwyth, Wales
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