Diffwys & Crib y Rhiw Circular 08/04/17

[Penygadair]

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

 
 



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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

[adalard]

Thoroughly enjoyed that, Penygadair, and the photos are great. I've been meaning to do some walking around there for a while and your TR has emphasised to me what I'm missing out on by putting it off. That sort of landscape is just my cup of tea - and it looks like you had it all to yourself! It looks wonderful. 


It beggars belief that the water company could even conceive of doing something like that to that ancient pack bridge.    It must be a scheduled monument, surely? They should have been slapped with a monumental fine and not just the outrage of the public.

[phil1960]

Great stuff Penygadair 

[Penygadair]

Thanks Guys, comments very much appreciated.


Adalard - I met three people. A man being walked by a dog, a guy pushing a mountain bike and a lone female fell runner. Otherwise peace.

[Dyffryn Ardudwy]

Three people, i can beat that.
Last week, it was congestion beyond belief when i took my friend along the Moelfre, Llether skyline, we bumped into four walkers from Scotland.
They were staying in Dolgellau, and had done Cader Idris, and were drawn to the Rhinogs, as they were so close, and the weather being amazing.
It was their first visit to the area, and even they thought it strange that such sublime walking country was deathly quiet.



One thing that i do find upsetting, is the severe erosion being caused by off road 4/4 vehicles, along the Pont Scethin Harlech Coach road.


This year has seen an unprecedented amount of fresh damage to the hillside, its almost as if a Cheiftain tank has decided to pay a visit, and with the water board requiring access at all times, there is little the National park can do, to stop access to the hillside, its a public right of way, so everyone and everything can have access at all times.


It is very upsetting to see the recent, (in the past 6months) severe damage caused by vehicles, is almost as if its been done deliberately- SO sad in such a beautiful area.

[ljmeerkat75]

Three people, i can beat that.
Last week, it was congestion beyond belief when i took my friend along the Moelfre, Llether skyline, we bumped into four walkers from Scotland.
They were staying in Dolgellau, and had done Cader Idris, and were drawn to the Rhinogs, as they were so close, and the weather being amazing.
It was their first visit to the area, and even they thought it strange that such sublime walking country was deathly quiet.



One thing that i do find upsetting, is the severe erosion being caused by off road 4/4 vehicles, along the Pont Scethin Harlech Coach road.


This year has seen an unprecedented amount of fresh damage to the hillside, its almost as if a Cheiftain tank has decided to pay a visit, and with the water board requiring access at all times, there is little the National park can do, to stop access to the hillside, its a public right of way, so everyone and everything can have access at all times.


It is very upsetting to see the recent, (in the past 6months) severe damage caused by vehicles, is almost as if its been done deliberately- SO sad in such a beautiful area.

Have you ever been diagnosed as anhedonic DA you are always so grim

Anyway great TR Penygadir and some lovely photos a part of Snowdonia I haven't been to myself but should visit after seeing those pics 😊

[Penygadair]

It is very upsetting to see the recent, (in the past 6months) severe damage caused by vehicles, is almost as if its been done deliberately- SO sad in such a beautiful area.

I've given up reporting it. i  used to know two people on the local access forum but they have retired so I no longer have ears to bend.#


AFAIK the track frpm Cors y  Gedol to Pont Scethin and the stagecoach track are both bridleways. Up until about 10 tears ago there was a sign at Cors y Gedol prohibiting motor vehicles from proceeding east. Obviously the water board and farmers ignored it as they were entitled to access. Now it's a free for all,   

 
The irony is that even if you manage to take a motor vehicle over the stagecoach road, the bottom  gate NW of Bontddu is only 3ft wide - so you would have to turn round unless ytou could find a cross county route out.  

 
I think we need a campaign