www.pdwc.org Vol: 23 Issue 7 28 June 2009

BETWS-Y-COED & OGWEN Coaches leave Betws-y-Coed at 5.30pm, Ogwen at 6.00pm

FUTURE WALKS Coach Walk 8.00am Start : 6.00pm Return Sun 26 July Buttermere A: A Benson B+: P Stevens B: D Dobson C: W Manning

Important Peter Barnes, Coach Booking Secretary, will not be available to take bookings from the th th inclusive 4 to the 18 July

Coach Walk 8.00am Start : 5.30pm Return Sun 23 Aug Aysgarth & Leyburn A: D Colbert B+: C Hunt B: D Shackleton C: Alison & Lesley

Thursday Car Walks 10.30am Start Thurs 9 July Witton Park B Walk with Dennis Barnish Meet opposite the running track: GR663271 Thurs 13 Aug Winter Hill B Walk with Derek Lowe Meet at Rivington Lower Barn

Alteration th Please note that the grid reference for the Thursday Walk at Standish on 10 September should be

GR581099

Sunday Car Walks 10.30am Start Sun 12 July Appley Bridge C Walk with Derek Lowe Meet at the canal car park, 6 miles / 9.7km climbing 495ft / 151m Appley Bridge From the car park we walk back to the road, turning right to cross over the River Douglas where a footpath goes down the side of the river and across a field to link up with a woodland track. We reach a road where we turn left and a short walk along it brings us to another track on our right. We start to climb gradually westwards to meet a path on our right which heads northwards and eventually brings us to a Manor House. Here we follow field paths to bring us to the foot of Ashurst Beacon. Lunch will be taken at the Beacon. After lunch we start to descend, following field paths and with a bit of roadwork, until we reach the Leeds / Liverpool Canal at Bridge 40 and the last mile back to the car park. It was muddy here, muddy there, muddy nearly everywhere. (Yippee!)

Sun 9 Aug Dunsop Bridge B Walk with Judith Rawlinson Meet at the village car park Sun 9 Aug Longton C Walk with Barbara & Chrissy Meet at the Brickcroft Nature Reserve

Crown Green Bowling Due to unforeseen circumstances this has been cancelled

Seat belts are a legal requirement. Please use them. Dogs must be kept on the lead at all times. The coaches are non-smoking areas.

Editor: Maurice Bradbury Please note – All Walk details must be in 2 (TWO) weeks before each coach excursion.

Today’s Walks Today’s starting points: A , B+ , B, & C Betws-y-Coed Toilets at Betws-y-Coed car park are 20p …. Yes 20p!!!!, there are some free toilets in the town (over river bridge).

Tryfan and Y G lyderau with Dave Colbert . Grade A Distance 5 miles / 8 km Climbing 3300ft / 1000m

This walk is about rock, lots and lots of rock, and is probably one of the shortest ‘A’ walks on record, but arguably one of the best. However, it is a serious mountain route requiring sustained and in places exposed . Poor weather conditions such as strong winds and/or rain will necessitate an alternative route, details to be advised on the day. (915m) rears up steeply from Llyn Ogwen to a narrow, triple-topped summit (hence the name), flanked on both sides by precipitous walls of rock buttressed with gullies. The narrow north ridge of the mountain provides one of the best scrambles in the ‘Caledonian’ mountains of , particularly when combined with an ascent of by the Bristly Ridge. We will be attempting both, a combined scramble of over 3,000ft. The twin summits of Glyder Fach (994m) and (999m) form the focal point of Y , a magnificent range of mountains stretching for over 13km from Capel Curig to Bethesda. The summit of Glyder Fach is stacked with a chaotic maze of huge boulders and tilted slabs, including the infamous ‘Cantilever’, a huge slab of rock jutting out in perfect balance on top of a heap of enormous boulders. We then hop over the jagged tor of , one of the weirdest rock formations to adorn any mountain summit in the British Isles. Beyond, the extensive plateau of Glyder Fawr is a wilderness of frost-splintered rocks. Finally, we descend alongside the dramatic cleft of Twll Du into ,

meeting the coaches at . Mwynhau!!

Crwydro Capel Curig with Pete Stevens Grade. B+ Distance 9½ miles / 15.3km Climbing 1450ft /442m 33 5m The walk today is one of contrast’s, varying from Mooreland to lakes, forests and river walking. Starting from the junction of the A5 and A4086 at Capel Curig (toilets available - free), we start our first climb of the day (gradual – 810ft 247m) to Blaen y nant, before dropping to Llyn (Lake) Crafnant Reservoir. Rounding the Reservoir to the other side, we start our second ascent of the day (360ft 110m) as we climb out of the valley through the forest and down to Llyn (Lake) Geirionydd. From here we head out of this second valley climbing gradually (279ft 85m) through forest and then a short road walk to a Victorian Lead Mine near Tynymynydd. Leaving the road, we begin our gradual descent via Hafotypencraig and Diosgydd-isaf to the Miners Bridge; from here we follow the

river (Afon) Llugwy back to the awaiting coaches in Betws – y –Coed.

Woods and Waterfalls with Barry Hayhurst Grade B Distance 7 miles / 11.3km Climbing 804ft / 245m

Victorians, Romans and some other bits in between. Today’s walk starts from the rear of St Mary’s Church, up a steep forestry road for a short distance before a sharp turn westwards leads across a slab bridge into woodland and along an adventurous path to Gatheryr (or what remains of it). Crossing through forestry plantations (peaty in places) brings us to the Ancaster Memorial overlooking (reservoir). Here we are offered an artist’s view of the highest mountain in Wales, , and the conifers of Gwydyr Forest. Following the lake south, look out for nesting gulls and mallards on the islands. Leaving the lake we spend some time walking on forestry tracks through pine woods before turning north west along some boggy paths up to the abandoned mining hamlet of Rhiwddolion – beware of swooping raptors! This leads us onto one of the principal Roman Roads, Sarn Helen, now a very rough stony track that turns into river when it rains. Halfway down we make a detour through woodland, where we are offered some views of the Falls, ending on the very busy A5. Crossing here brings us to the Miners Bridge over the Afon Llugwy. A sharp turn east over the bridge takes us through woodland (be very careful on the exposed tree roots) and a pleasant stroll along the river – look out for wading

birds – back to Betws.

Llyn Parc with Bill Manning Grade C Distance 5 miles / 8km Climbing 500ft / 152m

Starting from the main car park in Betws-y-Coed we head for the old stone bridge carrying the B5106 over Afon Lugwy. We crossing the river and take the first turn left after the bridge soon bearinf left to follow the riverside path. We reach a footbridge known as the Miners Bridge and turn right up the hillside path which rises to a lane where we continue up zigzag paths to some fields. Passing a farm on our left we cross a stile beside a conifer plantation. The walk continues through fields and forests and after a while we drop down to the outflow of . The paths leading us back to Betws with its tea rooms and the coaches provide us with fine views of the valley and take us close to the rocks of Clogwyn Cyrrau. Please help to keep the coaches clean by removing muddy boots. Please check that you have all your belongings and take newspapers etc. away with you. Thank you.