Ramblers Routes

Wales 04 Penmaenpool to Ramblers Fairbourne, Gwynedd Routes DISTANCE 18.5KM/11½ MILES ASCENT 544M/1,785FT TIME 6 HOURS TYPE VALLEY AND HILL To download this route NAVIGATION FITNESS PERFECT NUMBER and hundreds of others, visit LEVEL LEVEL FOR OF STILES ramblers.org.uk/routes EASY MODERATE VIEWS 7 The Mawddach Trail, which runs along START Anglesey 1 the track bed of the old railway line on the southern side of the beautiful Mawddach estuary, is one of the most scenic 2 PENMAENPOOL railway paths in the country. This walk combines a stretch of it with a visit to the picturesque Cregennan Plan your walk Lakes in the foothills 3 WHERE Linear walk from Penmaenpool to Fairbourne. of Cader Idris START Bus stop on A493 5 near Penmaenpool Bridge 6 4 (SH696185). END Fairbourne railway station – free car park (SH616129). TERRAIN Surfaced cycle/ footpath, riverside and hill FINISH paths, country roads. MAPS OS Explorer OL23; Landranger 124. ROUTE BY Turn L just before the bridge When the road bends R, keep GETTING THERE 28 bus from 2 5 Fairbourne to Penmaenpool FIONA BARLTROP and follow the path along the ahead along a footpath beside (01654 702100, lloydscoaches. river. When you reach a gate on your the wall, following the footpath START From the bus stop, R, go through it and follow the track, waymarks. You’ll join a track (ignore com). Trains to Fairbourne from 1 Shrewsbury and Birmingham. facing the road, turn R and which becomes a drive leading to the a R turn) leading to a valley, where EATING & DRINKING George III R again down the access road A493. Continue up the lane on the you bear R to cross an old stone Hotel, Penmaenpool (01341 to join the Mawddach Trail at opposite side to Kings Youth Hostel. bridge. Turn R to descend quite 422525, georgethethird.co.uk); Penmaenpool. The trail, which was steeply to the A493/Arthog. included in BBC Four’s Railway Just past the YH, turn R up a Station Café, Fairbourne Steam 3 Walks with Julia Bradbury, runs path through trees, rejoining Continue on the footpath just Railway (01341 250362). 6 from Dolgellau to Morfa Mawddach, the lane, bearing L opposite a ruined along the main road to the L. SLEEPING George III Hotel, as above; Cader Idris Farm Holidays, where it links to the railway bridge chapel. Soon, when the lane bends L, This leads to the Mawddach Trail, self-catering (01654 782674, across the estuary to Barmouth, keep ahead along the track/footpath where you could turn L to Morfa caderidrisholiday.co.uk). an overall distance of nine miles. that leads to the Cregennan Lakes. Mawddach, but better views are In the past, Penmaenpool was one to be had by following the footpath VISITOR INFORMATION of the estuary’s main shipbuilding Although the climb to the top via Mawddach Crescent. Continue mawddachestuary.co.uk 4 sites; the industry slowed down with of the south-western end of along the embankment path – the GUIDEBOOK Walks Around the coming of the railway, and then Pared y Cefn hir that follows could be Wales Coast Path – to Fairbourne, Barmouth and the Mawddach came to an end. The railway, too, omitted, if you’ve got the stamina it’s the last leg parallel to the miniature Estuary by David Berry closed in the 1960s. The old signal worth it for the views. Just before the railway (or take the train from Morfa (£4.95, Kittiwake, box is now a wildlife centre and ladder stile (not far from the road), Mawddach for a three-minute ride!). ISBN 978 1902302812). observation post owned by the turn sharp R up the path that takes LOCAL RAMBLERS GROUP Snowdonia National Park. Head you to the top (a bit of scrambling on Report a path problem Meirionnydd Ramblers west/south-west along the trail the way can be bypassed). Descend Via the Pathwatch app or at (01766 540572, ramblers.org. for about 2.5km (1½ miles) to the same way and continue to the ramblers.org.uk/pathwatch uk/meirionnydd). PHOTO: FIONA BARLTROP. MAP: CROWN COPYRIGHT 2017 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA LICENCE 047/17. CREATED WITH MEMORY-MAP WITH MEMORY-MAP CREATED MEDIA LICENCE 047/17. ORDNANCE SURVEY. 2017 COPYRIGHT MAP: CROWN FIONA BARLTROP. PHOTO: the River Gwynant. road, turning R downhill. Book your free place at a Ramblers Roadshow in Swansea ramblers.org.uk/swansearoadshow Walk55_51_RR0_WALES_Rev2.indd 51 1/05/2017 10:50.

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