Ramblers Routes
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Ramblers Routes Ramblers Routes Britain’s best walks from the experts Britain’s best walks from the experts Wales Wales 09/02/2016 16:52 05 Cregennan Lakes, Gwynedd 06 Pennard Cliffs, Gower G Distance 13km/8 miles G Time 4hrs G Type Upland valley and estuary G Distance 12.5km/7¾ miles G Time 4hrs G Type Coast NAVIGATION LEVEL FITNESS LEVEL NAVIGATION LEVEL FITNESS LEVEL walk magazine spring 2016 spring magazine walk walk magazine spring 2016 spring magazine walk Plan your walk Plan your walk G Bangor CaernarfonG Brecon GWYNNED G G GOWER St David’s G Swansea CREGENNAN LAKES PENNARD CLIFFS G Aberystwyth WHERE A circular walk on WHERE Circular walk from the southern side of the Pennard Cliffs to Brandy PHOTOGRAPHY: FIONA BARLTROP PHOTOGRAPHY: Mawddach Estuary. BERRY DAVID PHOTOGRAPHY: Cove via Pwlldu Head, with START/END Snowdonia an out-and-back fi nal leg to National Park Authority car This walk of great variety explores 1. START From the small car park Three Cliffs Bay. Pennard Cliffs is a rugged and day you can also see the north park, Arthog, Gwynedd the stunning landscape lying on the site of the former Arthog START/END Pennard Cliffs beautiful stretch of the Gower Devon coast. (SH640148). between the Mawddach Estuary station, return along the road and National Trust car park, coastline, with Three Cliffs Bay, a TERRAIN Waymarked paths, and the Cadair Idris range in the take a signposted path through a Southgate (SS554874). much-photographed beauty spot, 1. START Facing the sea, turn L tracks, quiet minor roads and southern part of Snowdonia gate on the L. Follow it along the TERRAIN Well-signed at one end, and picturesque, along the grassy cliff-top from the a former railway line. National Park, offering superb fl ood embankment, soon beside cliff-top coast path; short secluded Pwlldu Bay at the other car park. Although the Wales MAPS OS Explorer OL23; views and hidden gems. The route the Afon Arthog, and onto the stretches along quiet lanes. end. From the National Trust car Coast Path is shown following the Landranger 124. follows the Afon Arthog up a A493. Turn L, then, opposite MAPS Explorer 164; park conveniently located part- lane, there are better views to be GETTING THERE Arthog is narrow wooded gorge past St Catherine’s Church, take a Landranger 159. way along, you can follow the had if you keep nearer to the cliff accessible by bus service 28 waterfalls, then heads to signposted path up through GETTING THERE Pennard coast path in either direction, edge – this is open access/common Dolgellau to Tywyn (Lloyds Cregennan Lakes, lying at nearly trees above the river to the large Cliffs is accessible by bus returning the same way, or do a land, so you are free to walk Coaches ✆ 01654 702 100, 240m/780ft below the Cadair Idris old stone gateposts. Follow the service 14 from Swansea. circuit (an information board map where you like along the grass. www.lloydscoaches.com). range. It continues along a wide wide path ahead briefl y, then Regular trains to Swansea has a few suggestions). This walk Soon after Hunts Farm, the coast By car, take the A493 just upland valley, passes a remote take the waymarked path on (Traveline ✆ 0871 200 2233, heads east fi rst via Pwlldu Head, path – signed for Pwlldu Head – west of Dolgellau towards ruined chapel, descends to Kings the R, rising steadily above the www.traveline.info). the highest headland on the offi cially turns off the road. Going Fairbourne/Tywyn. Descend Youth Hostel then follows the river cascading down a narrow EATING & DRINKING Three Gower, then descends to the bay round Pwlldu Head, you pass into Arthog, cross a narrow River Gwynant down an attractive wooded gorge. Just before a Cliffs Coffee Shop by bus of the same name and continues behind an Iron Age fort, descend bridge, then turn right into wooded valley and onto the waterfall, it bends R up across stop/car park at start; along the coast as far as little some stone steps, then climb back a gated side road by a green Mawddach Estuary. Here, you the wooded slope, then rises to Pennard Stores in same Brandy Cove. The return route up again and head north towards corrugated building and sign join the popular recreational a ladder-stile. The stiled path building, open daily follows a higher cliff-top path Pennard Farm. Bear R, as signed, to for Min y Don Centre. Follow Mawddach Trail, established on continues above the river, past (✆ 01792 233230, back to Pwlldu Bay and takes a descend to Pwlldu Bay. this to a small car park, on the former Ruabon to Barmouth further falls to a ladder-stile and www.threecliffs.co.uk). short-cut across the headland. the site of Arthog station, railway line beside the fast- onto a track beyond. SLEEPING Great Lunnon Once back at the car park, you can 2. At the bottom, at a signed which is crossed by the changing tidal estuary. Although Farm holiday cottages – high pop into Three Cliffs Coffee Shop junction, the coast path turns L, Mawddach Trail. tranquil today, it was once a hive 2. Cross the nearby stone clapper standard, Walkers are for some refreshment before the but to visit the beach – which is EATING & DRINKING George of activity, with sailing boats and bridge over the river. Just upstream Welcome cottages, which fi nal leg to Three Cliffs Bay and worth doing – turn R. It’s mostly a shipbuilding, then steam trains is the site of Llys Bradwen, the back. As well as the superb coastal pebble beach with some sand at make an ideal base for this L III Hotel, Penmaenpool L that brought visitors to the area. reputed court of a legendary scenery of south Gower, on a clear low tide. It’s possible to walk ▼ ▼ P53-5_WALK50_RR_WAL_rotated.indd 1 P53-5_WALK50_RR_WAL_rotated.indd 2 ©Crown copyright 2016 Ordnance Survey. Media037/16 ©Crown copyright2016OrdnanceSurvey. Media037/16 ©Crown copyright2016OrdnanceSurvey. Continued... 5 (✆ 01341 422525, www. georgethethird.co.uk). There are other options in Fairbourne or Dolgellau. SLEEPING YHA Kings (✆ 0800 4 0191 700, www.yha.org.uk); Garthyfog Farm log cabins 3 and camping, Arthog 1 (✆ 01341 250254, www. START snowdonialogcabins.co.uk); 4 FINISH 2 Cefn Coed Bunkhouse (✆ 01341 423584, www. cefncoed.co.uk); George III Hotel (as above); Graig Wen B&B (✆ 01341 250482, 1 www.graigwen.co.uk). START 3 VISITOR INFORMATION FINISH Dolgellau Information Centre (✆ 01341 422888); Barmouth TIC (✆ 01341 280787, www. 2 mawddachestuary.co.uk). Continued... This walk is one of 40 specially selected Also www.visitmidwales.co. Sport Relief routes designed to get more people uk; www.visitsnowdonia.info. and other Gower walks walking, and, in doing so, change lives. Find out GUIDEBOOKS Walks Around ✆ Barmouth and the Mawddach To download this route and hundreds of others, ( 01792 371351, www.great more at www.ramblers.org.uk/sportrelief lunnonfarm.co.uk). Visit www. Estuary by David Berry visit www.ramblers.org.uk/routes (Kittiwake, £4.95, ISBN 978 the-gower.com for more choices. at the junction, the official route the cliff edge. You could finish the VISITOR INFORMATION 1902302812); The Mawddach 3. Turn L along the signposted path Follow it down to a junction by turns L and takes you round the walk here, but it’s well worth ✆ Ardudwy Trail by David Berry to a ladder-stile, then take the Kings Youth Hostel, then along Mumbles TIC ( 01792 361302, back of the bay across a carrying on along the coast path (Kittiwake, £8.95, ISBN 978 lower R fork to pass above the the wooded Gwynant river valley www.enjoygower.com); footbridge. Continue along the as far as Three Cliffs Bay – or at 1908748102). large lake. Continue along the and down to the A493. Turn L Swansea TIC (www.visit coast path to Brandy Cove. least until you reach a good view LOCAL RAMBLERS GROUP wide upland valley beneath Pared then R down Abergwynant Farm’s swanseabay.com). of it. Once again, you can avoid GUIDEBOOKS Pathfinder Meirionnydd Ramblers (www. y Cefn-hir, on which is a small Iron driveway near the river, past Ty 3. At the signed junction here, the initial tarmac by keeping Guides: Gower, Swansea and meirionnyddramblers.org.uk). Age hillfort, later accompanied by Gwyn and the road bridge over leave the coast path and turn L closer to the cliff edge. Cardiff – Walks a wall. The path bends L with the it. At its bend, go through a by Dennis and heading inland. Soon turn L again wall, then descends to a gate and waymarked gate ahead. Follow Jan Kelsall (Crimson, £11.99, and head on up through a field 4. When the tide is out, you Circular gateway below, with a large house a track to another gate, then ISBN 978 1854585684); and woodland to follow a path can walk from Pobbles Beach medieval chieftain. Follow the path Walks In Gower nearby. Go down the next field to L below Coed Abergwynant, soon by Nick Jenkins along the grassy cliff-top above (pictured on previous page) to a track. Follow the track to a gate another gateway and follow an beside the river. When the track (Llygad Gwalch Cyf, £5.50, the coast path (visible below). Go around the foot of the three cliffs and up to another, then the initially green track down to a bends R, keep ahead to reach ISBN 978 1845241261). through a gate on your R and turn from which the bay takes its waymarked path ahead, along the LOCAL RAMBLERS GROUPS gate, then beside the river to a former railway bridge over L down the lane which becomes a name.