Shrewsbury Ramblers Walk April 16th 2019

Walk Day Considerations: Drop off point: Joe Browns Outdoor Shop, Capel Curig, To facilitate a speedy drop off point please arrive already ‘booted and suited’. (clean boots only on the coach please).

Public Toilets available at a cost of 20p:  Capel Curing – arrival.  – 4 miles into walk  – 5.5 miles into walk, post lunch.

1. Capel Curig is a village and community in the historic county of Caernarfonshire, currently administered as part of the unitary authority of County Borough, in . It lies in the heart of Snowdonia, on the , and has a population of 226. The village is a popular centre for walking, climbing, mountaineering, mountain biking and other outdoor pursuits and is served by the Sherpa bus network.

2. Cwm Glas Crafnant National Nature Reserve – Coffee Stop on Walk day. The Cwm Glas Crafnant NNR lies at the head of the steep and narrow Afon Crafnant valley, adjacent to Llyn Crafnant, The reserve is a mixture of woodland and open upland grasslands, which support many interesting plants and wildlife species. A scattering of ash woodland covers the reserve, with a range of trees which also include wych elm, bird cherry, hazel and hawthorn. The ground flora includes a wide variety of species, such as grass of Parnassus, herb bennet, primrose and hart's tongue fern. The quiet upland reserve is believed to be the home to some threatened species of mammals such as the red squirrel and pine marten, and some rare upland moths have also been recorded here.

3. Llyn Crafnant is a lake that lies in a valley in Wales where the northern edge of the meets the lower slopes of the mountains. The head of the valley offers a profile of crags which are silhouetted at sunset. The Forest Park guide (2002) states that "the (view along Llyn Crafnant) is one of the most breathtaking views in all Snowdonia". Crafnant takes its name from “craf”, an old Welsh word for garlic, and “nant”, a stream or valley

4. LLyn Geirionydd and The Taliesin Monument. Lunch Stop on Walk Day

Llyn Geirionydd lies in a valley in also on the northern edge of the Gwydyr Forest meets the lower slopes of the Carneddau mountains. The lake is almost a mile long and covers an area of 45 acres (180,000 m2), but is never any deeper than 50 ft. The Taliesin Monument overlooks Llyn Geirionydd. According to tradition the banks of the Geirionydd were the home of the 6th Century Welsh poet, or bard, Taliesin, and some say both his birthplace and burial place. The Monument was erected to commemorate the festival around 1850, and restored in 1994 by the Community Council, following damage by lightening. Today the Taliesin memorial is often used by locals as a focal point in the fight to return the valley to the peace and quiet of bygone times and banning the use of noisy power boats and jet skis.

Capel Curig, Llyn Crafnant, Llyn Geirionydd, 9.5 miles +

Tue 16 Apr John Law ( 07484 113724 / 01743 363895 ) 9.5 miles Moderate +. Coach Trip to Capel Curig, Snowdonia - Walk full of interest, moors, rocky paths, forest trails, three lakes, Cwm Glas Crafnant Nature Reserve, Taliesin monument. Ascent 1550ft, sticks and boots advised. Book via form on p 4 of the Newsletter. Meet 08:00 Cineworld Car Park.

Please Note: Although the walk takes place in a mountainous context it is not in essence mountaineering and well within the capabilities of members familiar with walking in the Shropshire Hills.