About Me

My photo
When? Started: 1993 Who? Started with staff and friends from U H S, Chester. Organiser: Martyn Harris We walk every Wednesday and Saturdays, New Years day and May Day. How many walk? Walks take place as long as there are at least 2 wanting to walk on that day. More walk on a Wednesday than on a Saturday. Most ever: 29. Current group size walking: 2-7 in mid-week and 2-4 on Saturday. Where do we walk? Saturday: Anywhere in North and Mid-Wales, Peak District, Shropshire and the Long Mynd and as far North as the Trough of Bowland. Thursday: Anywhere within about 40 miles of Chester. Type of walk: Distance: 6 – 14 miles (but usually under 10 miles). Climb: up to 4000’ (but usually very much less!). People involved on walks in 2024:- Martyn Harris, Fran Murphy, Sue and Michel Pelissier, Mike Dodd, David Savage,, Ed Meads, Nigel and Elaine Taylor, Winston Feather.

Saturday, 28 April 2012

Cwm Porth-Llwyd and Falls 28th April 2012

Part of Dolgarrog Memorial Reserve.
(1925 dam burst and disaster that destroyed part of the village with the loss of many lives)
The Conwy Valley from above Dolgarrog.
Coedty Reservoir from the track leading to Llyn Eigiau.
The view of the Carneddau from our lunch spot at the Llyn Eigiau dam.
The upper section of the Prth-Llwyd Falls.
Walk stats: Distance: 10.3 miles. Climb: 2102'.
Time: 6 hours 5 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.2 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.7 m.p.h.
Group: Martyn and Dave J.
A largely dry day was forecast, with feel like temperatures of around 7 Celsius and a 43% chance of rain.  Thankfully we didn't get any rain and they were about right between Coedty Reservoir and Llyn Eigiau, but in lower sections of the walk, I felt that I was a little over-dressed!
We started the walk by exploring the Dolgarrog Memorial Nature Trail, where the only birds heard or seen were Chiffchaff, Willow warbler, Song thrush and Blackbird.
Although I have done this walk several times, much of it seemed new. Alas another example of memory fading with age, but it does have the advantage that it looked like a new walk!
On this occasion we decided that we would follow the Cwm Porth-Llywd walk as described, taking the track that went past Coedty Reservoir as we had not included this track on a walk before.  This delightful track gave us the highlight of the day, as we approached open country we had superb views of a Cuckoo, at one point posing on a bush less that 50 yards away. Hearing the Cuckoo call is always a joy, but seeing it it as well is even better that the icing on the cake! The characteristic Cuckoo call was heard several times too.  The Cuckoo was the bird of the day, despite having seen a Pied flycatcher earlier on.
Lunch was taken at Llyn Eigiau, where we took shelter from the cool North-easterly wind by staying behind the remains of the dam wall.
The return route involved about 3 miles of road walking, so we decided to investigate field paths. This turned out to be a mistake as the path no longer existed on the ground and only two stiles remained and all other crossing points had barbed wire fences and that included one of the "stiles". We now know why the described route took the easy option along the road. Next time we will do the same!
Birds seen or heard today included: Cuckoo, Pied flycatcher, Blackcap, Blue tit, Great tit, Willow warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Goosander, Barn swallow, Kestrel, Meadow pipit, Skylark, Stonechat, Carrion crow, Raven, Common buzzard, Winter wren, Common blackbird, Wheatear, Pied wagtail and Grey wagtail.
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Britannia Inn  at Halkyn, where the Lees bitter as usual was in good form.

No comments: