Author Topic: TR - North Berwyn Way 2-day backpack  (Read 2993 times)

vghikers

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TR - North Berwyn Way 2-day backpack
« on: 15:46:47, 21/10/18 »
A 2-day autumn backpack of the North Berwyn Way (NBW) waymarked trail, a route traversing the heather moorland to the south of the Dee from Corwen to Llangollen.

We have walked sections of the NBW on previous backpacks and this was an opportunity to walk the complete trail, in particular the industrial heritage section covering the quarry site below Moel Fferna that we have never visited. The trail is signed with the NBW logo pictured above and is generally very easy walking on clear lines, just a few scrappy and squelchy bits on the quarry circuit.

The vibrant autumnal hues of the trees and bracken made this a colourful and rewarding backpack and we saw no other walkers at all until the outskirts of Llangollen at the end.

Full report & photos


pdstsp

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Re: TR - North Berwyn Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #1 on: 20:44:49, 21/10/18 »
Looks a nice route and lovely weather to do it in.

Rob Goes Walking

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Re: TR - North Berwyn Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #2 on: 11:07:22, 22/10/18 »
Nice photos

barewirewalker

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Re: TR - North Berwyn Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #3 on: 12:27:31, 22/10/18 »
Great photos, wish I could show mine. I was there last Saturday the 20th, we did a 5 mile circular on Y Foel. I suspect you cut down by the Ffynnon Las wood from a little copse of fir trees, where we, walking from the south, turned along the fence line to take on the North slope of Y Foel. There is a lovely fallen Scots Pine, made a great spot for a coffee break. Sitting in the sun, just enjoying being there, looking across at the Eglwysegs, which were bathed in the sun all afternoon. There are so many mini routes of such variety in that area, all with different features.

Any one looking on the OS map due south of the Moel Ferna quarry, will see the RoW from Dolydd Ceriog, this runs parallel to the infant Ceriog river and waterfalls are marked 4x, this is a lovely leg for a walk of real quality. Especially if the stream is running full. Anyone walking the path on the west side would think they were walking over flat terrain and not know it is there. Used to do that walk before Open Access, many of Sir Alfred McAlpine's keepers did not know of it, just as well as it was a favourite spot for Peregrine Falcons.

Reason I can't show my photos, put in a memory card from an old camera in a hurry, got to see if I can recover them. Yet another learning curve.

Got chatting to a farmers wife, who had walked up from Glyn Ceriog, she was on the phone to some friends, she should have been with, walking on Snowden,  said they were in clag. Also got some interesting comments on neighbors of hers, who do not like walkers, we had a bit of a laugh because I have fallen foul of a few of them.  ;D
Interesting position that copse with the fallen Scots Pine, almost sure it must have been on one of the old drovers routes, perhaps even the main route from Anglesea.
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

April

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Re: TR - North Berwyn Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #4 on: 21:06:53, 22/10/18 »
Lovely autumn colours vghikers  O0
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vghikers

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Re: TR - North Berwyn Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #5 on: 04:55:49, 23/10/18 »
Thanks pdstsp&Rob&April, that part of the Berwyns is often forsaken but we find the solitude and spaciousness a big attraction.

barewirewalker - just missed by a day, the Saturday forecast didn't look good when we set out. Yes the NBW descends by Ffynnon-las wood, that copse of firs (larches I think) is attractive but always seemed a little out of place up there. I remember Y Foel well, the arduous very rough terrain to negotiate to gain the summit but we found a small patch of grass right next to 'Biddulph Tower' for a pitch.
We have walked that line to south to Dolydd Ceiriog, on the shooters track of course, and then turned eastwards through the forest. The steeply cut ravine south-east of Dolydd Ceiriog looks very inviting on the map but I imagine the terrain is horrendous.
The comment about the neighbours disliking walkers confirms a remark made by John and Anne Nuttall in their book regarding local landowners' reluctance to admit the existence of rights of way.
Don't give up on the memory card photos: a few years back a forum member submitted a card to a commercial recovery service and they failed, but she sent it to me and I recovered 98% of them.

adalard

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Re: TR - North Berwyn Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #6 on: 06:21:37, 23/10/18 »
Excellent trip report, vghikers, and wonderful pictures. It looks like a great walk and I'm guessing do-able in a day too, if you're not into camping.  O0

vghikers

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Re: TR - North Berwyn Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #7 on: 12:38:23, 23/10/18 »
Thanks adalard. It would indeed have been a day walk 10 or more years ago and a pretty easy one, but the effects of time and all that, plus a fairly late start...With daylight hours shortening rapidly now, any winter trips will be really short.

barewirewalker

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Re: TR - North Berwyn Way 2-day backpack
« Reply #8 on: 14:26:37, 25/10/18 »
The comment about the neighbours disliking walkers confirms a remark made by John and Anne Nuttall in their book regarding local landowners' reluctance to admit the existence of rights of way.
I have had several run ins with keepers, farm workers or contractors, farmers and even possibly a full blown landowner in the Ceriog valley and on the south side of the Dee valley. I put it down to the legacy of the shooting influence around Sir Alf McAlpines time and then the winding up of rural community by the CLA after the intro of Open Access.

Funny there has been no comments from 'the have you read in the news' themers on the female american celeb gunny slaughtering harmless sheep and goats in Scotland. Some of the shoots up there are feeling the pinch, if they need to put black face sheep on the hit list for yank tourists. Last figures I heard, walking was earning the Scottish economy 500 to 50 £million to the earning power of all field sports.

We have walked that line to south to Dolydd Ceiriog, on the shooters track of course, and then turned eastwards through the forest. The steeply cut ravine south-east of Dolydd Ceiriog looks very inviting on the map but I imagine the terrain is horrendous.
A great walk but would qualify as a scramble, and maybe a good half of a day to properly explore the route, which involves criss crossing the water, several times. The crux is about half way up from the downstream entry and this might need a bit of commitment to either rock or steep wet vegetation. Mrs BWW loves it, if I had put to this sort of route when we first started walking, we probably have stopped there and then. Now it is, "When are we going up those lovely waterfalls again" and my answer is, "Tomorrow, If you think you can push these old bones up the steep bits".
Don't give up on the memory card photos: a few years back a forum member submitted a card to a commercial recovery service and they failed, but she sent it to me and I recovered 98% of them.
Found I have an old free key to RescuePro, it's running at the moment, it was only for a year so I did not use it, and that was 2 years ago. Only remembered it after downloading a free version and finding it don't allow me to save the recovered files. Nor does EasUs recovery, but the do seem good if you can stump up £50 or so.



 
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

 

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