Walk Across Wales

[bear.cub]

Can't believe I misspelled your name whilst commenting on the fact that I thought your name was cool 

Do they normally take a while to get through or do they usually work straight away?

No worries, I can bearly read.
It's just arrived

[alfredtehbutler]

Because theses challenge walks are all one day events they're obviously not concerned with accomodation or water etc. so I thought it might be fun to just make my own route.

I don't consider myself to be cheating if I choose the shortest possible distance across, it's just the most efficient way of doing it, so the shortest possible route (as the crow flies) is from a tiny little place called Anchor just East of the border travelling West to Aberystwyth.

According to google maps that route is approximately 50 miles, however I'm pretty sure I could cut a few miles off that because google maps insists on using the A470 even when set to walking mode.

If you have the time and are interested enough then please let me know what you think of the route:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=B4368&daddr=aberystwyth&hl=en&ll=52.465214,-3.648834&spn=0.449287,1.352692&sll=52.425035,-3.560944&sspn=0.449697,1.352692&geocode=Ff1xIAMd4u_O_w%3BFUfLHwMdGLPB_yl_KgWbgwpvSDGXLkyz1XC7nw&vpsrc=0&dirflg=w&mra=ltm&t=h&z=10
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[barewirewalker]

Well what a coincidence, up to this topic I had never heard of this cross Wales route and wierd!!
I was at a funeral yesterday, met a bloke, got talking and he had done both the Across Wales Walk organised by the West Birmingham Hostelling Group and The Rotary Across Wales Walk. He and his wife are more runners than walkers but the info was that the first goes E-W and the latter W-E. The former is more loose in terms of actual route only requiring participants to check in at checkpoints and the rotary walk, which starts at the Dovey estuary is well marked all the way, with a good breakfast thrown in at the first checkpoint.
 
The dates are shown on the two links already included in this topic. I share Mike Knipes sentiments on organised walks, but knowing much of the terrain I would not be too worried about finding rough camping spots, provided the rule of 'Pitch at dusk, break at Dawn' is on the menu.
 
Alfred's route taking in Newtown will miss an important feature IMO of routing off the hills east of the Severn valley, where there are two river crossings at Llandinam and Dolwen and is a big deviation of the direct line.
 
Passing through Llanidloes is the lesser of the deviations of the straight line objective of the route, but, though I am not a peak bagger, I do recognise where high points are important features within the context of a route, Bryn y Fan fits the bill in this respect and Trefeglas offers a great pub (for falling down potions) and village shop for picking up supplies (if it still in business). It is not too far off the line and links in with RoW network.
 
Over nighting near Llyn Ebyr, has attractions as the track up through Pen y Castel wood to the Motte and Bailey on the hill suggest an excellent spot for a rough camp.
 
There may also be a retail outlet in the Hafren Forrest visitors centre and also at the dam, where there is, I believe, the Red Kite feeding station.
 
This cross Wales line has the potential to be almost totally off-road and with high quality ways, it excites me and as Alfred says
 

Because theses challenge walks are all one day events they're obviously not concerned with accomodation or water etc. so I thought it might be fun to just make my own route

it is great fun to create your own LDP, I have done 2 cross Wales LDPs (to my own design) and they have taught me a lot about the access network of our country.
 
 
 

[mike knipe]

I did , in fact, manage to draw an off-road route from Anchor to the Dovey estuary with some ideas for rough camps. I did the route on ukhillwalking, but I've lost it. The route used public footpaths, bridleways, some back lanes and some hill country.  It only took me ten minutes or so, so I think that if I wanted to work out a route for me to do, it shouldn't be too difficult.
Anchor has a pub, by the way, according to my map, so it seems a reasonable place to start. I think I'd probably start at Bishops castle, though.
I'll probably do this next year; I don't think I've got the time this year...

[alfredtehbutler]

He and his wife are more runners than walkers but the info was that the first goes E-W and the latter W-E. The former is more loose in terms of actual route only requiring participants to check in at checkpoints and the rotary walk, which starts at the Dovey estuary is well marked all the way, with a good breakfast thrown in at the first checkpoint.

I'd much rather go East-West, mainly for the dramatic effect of being able to finish the walk by taking a few steps into the sea, I can imagine that would be pretty cool 

[barewirewalker]

I'd much rather go East-West, mainly for the dramatic effect of being able to finish the walk by taking a few steps into the sea, I can imagine that would be pretty cool 

I agree and all my routes have gone in that direction.
 
The Anchor Pub is legendary to many Salopians, host to many an all night/weekend session back in the days of restricted licencing hours. Any police that may tried to enforce the law, would not have got out of the district in one piece nor would they want to. There was always a good corp group of cattle dealers, who travelled the counties markets, together with the local farmers and workers to keep the beer flowing and fresh. Sadly today it probably is not as well frequented but it does have the atmosphere of a place that has seen a bit of history.

What is interesting about this topic, is how it shows the interest in linear routes. I started a topic here;

http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,10837.msg150268.html#msg150268

My reason then was to get a better understanding of how people understood linear walking, so that my input to my Local Access Forum would be more informative, thanks to the input on this topic I have added to that knowledge.

[alfredtehbutler]

I'm pretty excited about this now
If I get it sorted in time I might go in the February half-term

[barewirewalker]

The Anchor route is quite difficult to get to the start line unless you are being dropped of by car, and if you want to be independent there are several other cross Wales routes that would fit the 3 day over nighting profile.
 
Oswestry (Border at Rydycroesau)-Harlech (straight line 41 miles) gives the same balance of terrain, medium upland and rough open mountain moorland, you can rough camp but you also have the option of bunk houses at Bala and Trawsfynydd. For a feb half term project the added advantage of this route is the public transport escape options at Bala and Trawsfynydd and there is no 2day commitment in the event of bad weather conditions. Main disadvantage is the 1st day long leg if you are aiming at the Bala bunk houses and the Wed/Sat bus service out of Oswestry to Rydycroesau. I would add a extra half day for Wrexham main line station to Oswestry, bus or walk to Rydycroesau then knock off a chunk of distance and rough camp. Good country for this either side of Llanarmon D.C. Next day head for Bala, choice of two bunk houses and 2 routes, Bala-Trawsfynydd 20 miles, bunkhouse (a cracker) then 11 miles through the Rhinogs to Harlech and rail station. Longer if you want to do the Roman steps.
 
For a febuary route you at least have the chance to get warm and dry between stages and you do have to commit to a specific date e.g. half term, whereas we old-foggies with time on our hands can set out when the weather looks favourable.

[alfredtehbutler]

New route [nofollow]

That's the new route I'm considering for anybody interested

Actually, it might be pretty much identical to the other route, although it turns out the A44 is just a normal road that would be fine to walk along.

[DaveyK]

Hello, hope we’re all well.
I’m trying to plan this myself and would love any maps, routes or ideas which would be helpful.
I’m planning to go from Shrewsbury to borth as directly as possible, hopefully for three or four days during summer.
Any suggestions appreciated.
Regards


David King

[BuzyG]

Welcome to the forum David.  An interesting way to say hello.

[DaveyK]

Sorry... I thought I had done so before 🙄  I’m not supremely technical in the IT dept!
But... Hello 👋😁🙂
I’ve been planning this for a while, but things got put on hold recently!!! I’ve been looking at routes and have a few options to try and correlate, but advice from someone who has done it, or at least individual parts of it would be invaluable.
Hope all is well.
Dave

[barewirewalker]

If you are walking from the Midlands the best unknown (or little known) entry point is the Maginnis Bridge. Interesting history, two bridges were taken out by huge ice blocks in the 1963 winter. The Maginnis Bridge on the Severn and another on the Vyrnwy, but that is for more advanced route finding. This crossing gives the lovely Maesmawr Estate as a gift en route, a £40 / bird shooting location that has rights of way across it. For the walker with more pastoral tastes the route is a place to learn the alternatives to high routes, yet follow the Vyrnwy up the valley from Pont Robert to Pont Logel there is High ground through Cwm Cownwy.

The other alternative on leaving Shrewsbury is to leave to go north to avoid the Severns mighty loop, cross the dual carriageway by the footbridge at Nescliffe, which was built to allow the ghosts of children past t go to the school that is now a domestic residence. A sneaky little route of lostways through the Central Ammunition Dump of 2WW fame will take you to the Llynclys Gap, if you are lucky you will bet a good view of the portal into Wales from Bomere Heath when you are 15 miles from it. This route is the stepping off point for the Wayfarers Gap through the Berwyns or the Tanat Valley.


Just a few possibilities, the Arenig Fach is an option on the Wayfarers route as it is gives you disused tunnels and viaducts on the route to Trawsfynydd.


I should have added the Magninnis Bridge has a Right of Way either side but is not actually a right of way. A barbed-wire topped locked gate hints at some possible difficulties. Either an unobserved approach or the gift of the blarney can be helpful.

[DaveyK]

Good afternoon, I hope you are well.
Thank you for the response and information, now I’ve got even more to consider!!
 I was actually trying to plan a more direct route??! Aiming to keep south of Welshpool and Machynlleth, north of Carno?? Possibly follow the Severn up to near the source and cut across from Llanidloes???
I’m going to try and get the map laid out properly and start plotting each daily section, so I will keep you informed
I’m planning to wild camp with a bivvy, probably committing some accidental trespass - blamed on my map reading skills... purely to allow me to get back on the righteous way etc etc and see how it goes.


Regards
Dave

[gunwharfman]

Is the walk from Welshpool the Glyndwr Way route or a different one?