Saturday 8th April dawned as an unusually warm day for the time of year. So where to go to avoid madding crowds? The answer was to do a circular walk above the Ysgethin valley. Ok, I've been walking that area for over half a century but it has never lost its appeal to me. Normally I would have started from Cors y Gedol or Talybont but I chose to start from the Nantcol valley for a change and to check out parking avaiilability for a proposed round of Rhinog Fach and Y Llethr later in the year. I parked at Cil Cwchwyn (SH634258) which gave immediate access to the bridleway which leads to the col between Moelfre and Moel Blithcwm. Not really a great idea; recent rain and quad bike usage resulted in a sticky uphill slog. Eventually I reached the col, passed through the 'Great Wall' and descended to Pont Scethin where the bridge has stood since the 13th century. Almost unchanged in that time except when the water board removed the side walls some years ago to travel an excavator over it and only restored it after a public outcry.
Crossing the river i detoured westwards to visit the attractive Llyn Irddyn lying under the Llawllech ridge. According to legend this was once home to a 'Nessie' type creature, but I reckon that it was parents way of keeping kids out of the water. Y Llethr can be seen in the distance,
Retracing my steps I took the old stagecoach track to the Llawllech ridge and then turned east for the gentle stroll to Diphwys summit.
It's invariably difficult to get a halfway decent pic from the summit due to heat haze, but the view is extensive showing the Cwm mynach valley and Y Garn wiih its rock climbing routes on Craig y Merched including Rhino's Buttress (wonder where that originated?)
I walked further east for a short distance to the next stile and thence a few yards down the Cwm Llechen path to photograph the summit from the south east
Returning to the ridge, I simply followed the wall along Crib y Rhiw towards Y Llethr. Llyn Dulyn prominent.
Along the Crib looking back
Eventually the junction is reached where the path and wall to Y Llethr summit leave the Crib. Looking back to Diffwys
At this point a look eastwards over the wall sees the headwaters of the Afon Camlan, a total wilderness of worthless land which I have always referred to as 'The land God gave to Cain'.
Turning west I now followed the wall towards Moelfre. At this point it is possible to admire the robust construction of the wall and to compare it with the wall along the Crib which is of a lower height and more 'rustic' construction. Is it as Wynford vaughan Thomas claimed a continuous wall or different sections of wall joined together? There is reason to think that part of the Crib wall dates from medieval times
whilst the adjoining wall along Moel Blithcwm and over Moelfre dates from the much later Enclosure Acts. It's all academic but interesting
.
This pic posted twice in error.and out of sequence. oops!
Nearing Moelfre - just a beautiful small mountain. Note the wall continuing over the summit.
I now returned to the gateway in the wall and thence down to the Nantcol wiih Mynydd Llanbedr in front of me
And from the parking spot a look towards Rhinog Fawr and the Bwich Drws Ardudwy