magazine winter 2012 magazine winter 2012 Wales 09/11/2012 11:22 Route 05 Dyffryn , Route 06 Felindre, Powys master G Distance 16km/10 miles G Time 5-6hrs G Type Hill master G Distance 19½km/12 miles G Time 6hrs G Type Hill NAVIGATION LEVEL FITNESS LEVEL NAVIGATION LEVEL FITNESS LEVEL

Plan your walk Plan your walk G G Liverpool Liverpool G Bangor GWYNEDD POWYS G FELINDRE Stafford DYFFRYN

ARDUDWY G Birmingham G Builth Wells G Cheltenham

Carmarthen Hereford G G Swansea G G G G Bristol Cardiff

WHERE: A linear walk WHERE: Circular walk from from Felindre along part to over the of Glyndwˆr’s Way. PHOTOGRAPHY: FIONA BARLTROP PHOTOGRAPHY: southern end of the FIONA BARLTROP PHOTOGRAPHY: START/END: Felindre village Rhinogs. The Rhinogs – or Rhinogydd in 1. START Follow the road from hall car park (SO170811). The 217km/135-mile Glyndwˆr’s 1. START Turn R out of the START: Dyffryn Ardudwy Welsh – derive their name from the station (SH582233), ignoring TERRAIN: Moorland Way National Trail is set in the village hall car park (SO170811). railway station (SH582233). the two best-known peaks, the turn to the L, then fork R (some boggy patches) and heart of Mid Wales, one of the Soon you’ll see a turning on your END: Barmouth railway and , along a lane to the main road. fi elds, with a short stretch quietest areas for walking in R with a Glyndwˆr’s Way signpost station (SH612158). which lie in the notoriously rocky, Turn R and soon L up a path along a quiet lane. Much the country. It starts at Knighton on the verge to your L. Follow TERRAIN: Stony and grassy heather-clad northern end of the beside the school signposted of the route follows the (through which the Offa’s Dyke the drive up to Brandy House moorland tracks and paths, range. This is some of the wildest Dyffryn Burial Chamber. This well-waymarked Glyndwˆr’s Path also runs) on the English Farm, bearing R just before the a grassy ridge-top path country in Wales, and not easy leads to a part-Neolithic tomb Way National Trail. border, and meanders its way buildings to go up a stony track and short stretches along underfoot. The southern half, comprising two chambers, MAPS: OS Explorer 214; northwest to Machynlleth. It (which climbs steeply and can be tarmac at the start, with however, is mostly grassy terrain, originally covered by a stone Landranger 136. then heads back east again to muddy higher up). Go through a a waymarked section of with good clear paths and tracks cairn. Continue on the footpath GETTING THERE: National Welshpool, where you can join gate and soon turn L, continuing the Ardudwy Way. to follow. This walk takes you that goes diagonally R across Rail services stop at Knighton, the Offa’s Dyke Path to form a to follow Glyndwˆr’s Way up the MAPS: OS Explorer OL18; into some remote surroundings the fi eld and follow the yellow from where infrequent complete circuit. Named after the grassy slopes of Cefn Pawl. Cross Landranger 124. and includes the southern footpath waymarks, which will bus service 41 runs to Welsh hero Owain Glyndwˆr, the the hill-top road and continue GETTING THERE: Rhinogs ridge, from where lead you to a road (Ffordd Gors). Felindre (✆ 0871 200 2233, trail goes past a number of sites down a track to a junction of Arriva train service T5 – there are excellent views south Turn L along this to its end, www.powysbus.info). where he fought battles against paths. The Way leads you south Birmingham to across the Mawddach estuary bearing R past the entrance EATING & DRINKING: Wharf the English in the early 15th over moorland grazed by wild via Machynlleth, Barmouth towards . The southern drive to Cors y Gedol Hall. Inn, Felindre (✆ 01547 century. He held Wales’ fi rst ponies, across Warren Brook, and Dyffryn Ardudwy section of the Ardudwy Way – 510220); Radnorshire Arms, Parliament at Machynlleth in up past a grove and over the (✆ 0871 200 2233, www. a signposted route of 38½km/ 2. Pass the car park and continue Beguildy (✆ 01547 510634); 1404. Much of this route follows side of Black Mountain. travelinecymru.info). 24 miles from Barmouth in the along the walled track, which there’s also a village shop the well-waymarked trail and EATING & DRINKING: south to Llandecwyn in the north turns R, then L further on. next door. takes in the Beacon Hill reserve 2. At the col between Black Cadwgan Hotel, Dyffryn – links Talybont, near Dyffryn Looking northwest you can SLEEPING: Brandy House (common land owned by the Mountain and Stanky Hill, where Ardudwy (✆ 01341 247240, Ardudwy, with Barmouth but by a see the long fi nger of the Llˆyn Farm, Felindre (B&B and Crown Estate but managed by Glyndwˆr’s Way bears L, turn R www.cadwganhotel.co.uk). shorter route, missing out the fi ne Peninsula stretching out into the self catering, ✆ 01547 Radnorshire Wildlife Trust), from down a track to the road. Cross

Lots of choice in Barmouth; ridge-top section. However, you’ll sea. The rounded hill ahead of 510282, www.brandy where there are far-reaching and carry on up the track opposite L

nothing on the route itself. L join the Ardudwy Way for the you is . A path joins from housefarm.co.uk); views – as indeed there are to a house, turning R just before fi nal stretch down to Barmouth. the L – the route of the Ardudwy throughout the walk. it. Follow the path up to a gate ▼ ▼ 53-54 walk37 routemaster_WALES.indd 1 53-54 walk37routemaster_WALES.indd 2 Ordnance Surveymapping©Crowncopyright.AM34/08 Ordnance Surveymapping©Crowncopyright.AM34/08 continued...

Sleeping: Cadwgan Hotel (as before). There’s a good selection of hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses in Barmouth, plus a choice of self-catering accommodation in the area; ie, Maes y Wennol (✆ 01654 782674, www. caderidrisholiday.co.uk). ViSitor information: Barmouth TIC, Station Road (✆ 01341 280787, www.visitmidwales.co.uk). gUiDeBooKS: Hillwalking in Wales, Vol 2 by Peter Hermon (£12.95, Cicerone, ISBN 978 1852844684); Ardudwy Way (set of three leaflets), available from TICs; see also www. taithardudwyway.com. local ramBlerS groUp: Meirionnydd Ramblers (✆ 01341 247693, www. Map not to scale. ramblers.co.uk/groups). Representation of Map not to scale. OS Landranger MAP Representation of 124 1:50,000 OS Landranger MAP 136 www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk 1:50,000 Way, which is followed for a www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk short distance. Leave the track and take the path on the R that leads down to Pont-Scethin, an that leads onto common land 4. Turn R up the lane towards old pack-horse bridge once used continued... once more. Continue with the Hope’s Castle Farm. Just before by drovers. Cross and bear round fence on your R briefly, then you reach it, turn sharp R along to the R briefly, then keep ahead Trevland B&B, Felindre bear L over rough, boggy a track, soon leaving it to go L where the Ardudwy Way turns (✆ 01547 510211); Cefn Pawl ground, heading northwest to through a gate. Keeping the R and continue uphill. Just holiday cottage (✆ 01453 cross the west side of Warren fence on your R, the Way leads after the path does a sharp R Way also crosses this col but walk. The Way leads to a house, 882332, www.cefnpawl- Hill. The track becomes more you along the top of Rhuvid turn, you’ll pass a memorial to carries on downhill.) With the Gellfawr, where it turns R. Further cottage.co.uk). obvious as you reach the brow. Bank, then down a track to one Janet Haigh, “who, even wall now on your R, carry on on down you pass some ruins. ViSitor information: Descend to a copse on your R. Rhuvid Farm. Cross the farmyard as late as her eighty-fourth up the ridge along a somewhat There are more superb views over Knighton TIC, Offa’s With the fence-line now on (the barking dogs may be loose year, despite dim sight and stonier path to reach the trig Barmouth and the Mawddach Dyke Centre, West your R, follow the track that but should keep their distance) stiffened joints, still loved to point. Continuing ahead, you’ll estuary as you descend, joining a Street (✆ 01547 528753, runs close to it until you meet and carry on along the track walk this way from Talybont to cross another stile. When you lane at the end where you turn www.visitmidwales.co.uk). a road that joins from the L. beyond. This leads up onto a Penmaenpool”. The track leads reach the next stile on your R, L down to the town. gUiDeBooKS: Glyndwˆ r’s Continue down this to rejoin grassy ridge. At the top, where you up to the col on the ridge. don’t cross but follow the wall Route devised by Fiona Barltrop Way by Ronnie and Chris Glyndwˆr’s Way at the northeast you begin to descend, do not down on your R (quite steep Catling (£10, Cicerone, ISBN end of Fron Top. go through the metal gate but 3. The ascent continues as you near the end, though you’re on 978 1852842994); Walks keep the fence on your L and turn R (keeping the wall on grass). You’ll see a mast below, Around Knighton by Jane 3. Leave the road and turn R continue down the grassy slopes. your L) and follows the ridge and there are marvellous views Griffiths (£4.95, Kittiwake, through a gate, following the At the bottom, go through the south-southwest over Llawlech, of the Mawddach estuary and ISBN 978 1902302607). Glyndwˆr’s Way waymarks across farmyard of Upper House Farm, descending to the col of Bwlch Cadair Idris. local ramBlerS groUp: fields. Cross a surfaced track turn L along the lane and R at y Rhiwgyr. The lovely Mawddach East Radnor Ramblers and continue northwards. Go the crossroads, back to the start. Valley lies over to your L. 5. Turn R along a footpath via (✆ 01547 520266, www. through a small, overgrown Route devised by Fiona Barltrop Bwlch y Llan. You’re now back

09/11/2012 11:22 powysramblers.org.uk). copse, then downhill to join a 4. Go through the gate at the on the Ardudwy Way, which is track that takes you to the road. col and turn R. (The Ardudwy followed for the rest of the