TR Lake Vyrnwy - Hirddu Waterfalls.

[barewirewalker]

We have happily done this route for many years from my antiquated maps and not given any thought to accessibility, until I decided to write a TR. I was then I wondered if I should show the route on a more up to date map with Open Access shown on it.
Now the forum has helped me become a far more knowledgable fellow than I was, so off to 'Street Map' I go and harvest a brand new, up to date bit of mapping, only to find that I have been playing fast and loose with somebodies 'Private Land'. I never have been challenged and although this delightful route is little known there have been others, judging by foot prints and glimpses of distant figures, who have been prepared to cross partially opaque orange boundaries as well. It is just a very light footfall compared with other places.




The purpose of the walk is not to climb any particular summit, more to enjoy a few hours at the inland equivalent of beachcombing but on a rocky watercourse.




If you copy and paste this;
3°32'14.90"W 52°46'31.85"N
 into Google earth for a view of this route, the pin will appear on the Hirddu just downstream of the junction between the tributaries Hirddu Fach and Fawr at the point 3 on the map with the elevation profile.







My original map from which I planned the walk, not that I used a map because I know the area, but it is as I have it in my mind. So in blythe ignorance we set of 0.7m miles from Open access, still as I say we have never been told off not that we have ever met anyone here, so those who might want to follow in or footsteps, this is the proper map;









A pleasant forestry track along which Mrs BWW happily walks unaware of the heinous sin of trespass.









The gate marks the boundary of Open Access, relief washes away the guilt of our trespass, all 1200 yds of it. 









we continue along a track to a fork and take the left turn;










from the tip of the rock in the center of the picture go to 8 o'clock on the left edge, where there is a gate, from here the track back to center picture, then out to 11 o'clock, then to disappear behind a knoll.............









Mrs BWW boldly strides our...........BEWARE............









.......I think you are headed for 'Private Land'.









Passing beyond the knoll we can see Hafod Fudr, there is no activity there.....









Looking across the remains of, Lluest-Wen towards the valley of Hirddu Fawr, I don't think we are disturbing the privacy of any but ghosts.









The track peters out after Lluest-Wen and a short scramble takes us into the rocky stairway of the Hirddu Fach.









A brief glimpse of a Dipper, a kite hovers overhead. Time is taken just to enjoy pools and cascades. If there had been rain, this would be a soggy yomp along the banks trying to avoid falling into the violent flow of water.


 





But today it is a a magical staircase up to the moorland above. Where to step out.............??









the map show some tributaries to Hirddu Fach, but as the water course flattens these are difficult to find as they are hidden under the peat. They can be heard and provide a map reference to give a course north towards Hirddu Fawr. We could go due north to intercept, but is something between;









We have to climb to a higher contour to miss some boggy ground then veer east, by marking a feature on the skyline it is skyline it is possible to target a bearing that will get us to this sight line;









and this view down onto Hafod Fudr.







We then re-correct our course to hit Hirddu Fawr well upstream of the marked waterfall because...........









there is another further upstream, perhaps more, but this has a very deep pool below, balm to the feet and worthy of a skinny dip. Later in the year perhaps!!!









Heading downstream, boulder hopping from on side to the other until........









it gets a bit steeper and we have to keep to the north side.









untill the ground levels out before reaching the boundary of Hafod Fudr, here we can cross over and reach the last waterfall marked on the map as OA is on the north side of Hirddu Fach,


 



The is a curious convex water cascade.







No one seems to be about, we cross the bridge overlooking the Afon Hirddu is formed by the joining of Fach and Fawr and we leave by the ...............









Seem to be playing hopscotch    with private land.... or was it the hokey cokey....you put one foot...one out... shake all about and we all do the hokey cokey!!!!!
 







Still got to run the gauntlet 1200 yards back to the carpark. 









from across Lake Vyrnwy, the cleft in the skyline of Cwm yr Hafod with a distant skyline where we stood to look down on Hafod Fudr.

[Trenchfoot]

That's a great route with map detail. I particularly like TRs as they pass on the ideas for others to use and enjoy - thanks for sharing BWW. 

[barewirewalker]

Thanks Trenchfoot, I have been a bit lax in posting TR's, probably because I have little interest in just posting to say I have been there, I'd rather try to explain why I go there and what I learn. The waterfall photo's are hardly the best images but they were taken directly into the sun, but that was part of the magic, glistening, splashing water all the way up into the upper moorland.

[phil1960]

Excellent TR and lovely photos too. I've been up that way a few times but never walked there, another for my to do list 

[April]

Great stuff bww  Nice waterfalls and the private land hokey cokey/hopscotch sounds like good fun 

[barewirewalker]

Welcome the comments April, have to try to write up a few more anomalies, the 'RoW Two Step' is a favourite dance.


Hope you 'do get to do' Phil, if my route is a bit short, Craig y Gribin is a great view point over the lake, curiously very few, because of the convex nature of the moor edge above Vyrnwy. Here again one must play fast and loose with boundaries, a quick hop over the fence. When we were there the first time, I realised that we were not the first trespassers, some empty wine bottles had been left under the Scots Pines that mark the knoll. Though some years had past since their consumption.


The hotel at the other end of the lake faces west so sunset are the best light source for photography, Craig Y Gribin yields a view over the lake towards the east, so  sunrise would be the time to camp out for to get an interesting photograph. A rare image perhaps.

[April]

the 'RoW Two Step' is a favourite dance.

Mine too 

[Trenchfoot]

Thanks Trenchfoot, I have been a bit lax in posting TR's, probably because I have little interest in just posting to say I have been there, I'd rather try to explain why I go there and what I learn. The waterfall photo's are hardly the best images but they were taken directly into the sun, but that was part of the magic, glistening, splashing water all the way up into the upper moorland.

My sentiments too. I used to organise and then post up my findings here also, but that has lapsed. It's posts such as this that flesh out the walk with supportive detail and route that not only make for a interesting read, but help so much with others when planning something of their own. So on that note, I will shamelessly steal and adapt your route should I venture to Lake Vyrnwy in the future. 

[barewirewalker]

Mine too 

Don't get caught out on the transfers


Trenchfoot, Feel free.

[Ridge]

Lovely shots of the waterfalls.


I think a lot of landowners don't really mind the occasional walker, it is just the less accommodating ones that we come up against sometimes.

[barewirewalker]

Thanks Ridge, I am sure that you are right. My interest in this area goes back a number of years and I never have had any cause for concern. Were I in the Ceiriog valley then I would take you up on this point, there is localized anti-access attitudes that have shown up in a number of ways.


It was not until I actually thought to write this TR on a map with Open Access marking that I realised that a visitor with less local knowledge and with more respect for the markings on the map might be put off walking these natural features, which under the Scottish rule would be accessible.


The curious thing is; when I first started walking here, just before 'Open Access' the car park was a fully furnished Picnic Area and as the map shows it has a footprint icon denoting a walk. The creation of OA was a very expensive bureaucratic exercise, has an element of 'Political Correctness' in recognising the 'Private Area' of Hafod Fudr and the complication of not having a right of access to the OA actually terminated the Picnic Area that was situated there?

[Penygadair]

I've heard it said locally that OA resulted in a boom in barbed wire sales to protect the non access land.