Just missed the train!
A waterfall on Afon Goch in Cwm Bychan - commemtary by Ed.
The way ahead through Cwm Bychan.
Time for a rest and admire the view.
The view down Cwm Bychan all the way down to the sea.
Our first view of Yr Wyddfa as we started to descend towards Llyn Dinas.
Yes it's definitley Yr Wyddfa that we can see.
A distant Cuckoo calling Cwm Bychan.
Llyn Dinas and our lunch spot awaits!
it's all about Beddgelert!
Ed's Eagle - I didn't spot this one!
Gelert's Grave.
Ed with Gelert!
Ed's train spot - just in time.
The train on its way to Beddgelert.
The Afon Glaslyn from the Fisherman's Path.
On the Fisherman's Path heading for Nantmor.
Look - no hands!
Walk stats:Distance: 6.6 miles. Climb: 1070’.
Time: 4 hours 57 minutes. On the move walking average: 1.8 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.2 m.p.h.
Temperature: 15.7 Celsius at the start. 25.5 Celsius at lunch by Llyn Dinas.
Beaufort Wind Force: Max - 1, occasionally reaching a pleasant (Light Air) very gentle breeze.
Group: Martyn and Ed.
It was a last minute decision encouraged by an excellent weather forecast to change the walk and head towards Yr Eryri.
After passing through Betws-y-coed and Capel Curig we realised that many more people thought the same. It wasn’t even 10-00 and cars were parked everywhere, not all of the legally, so we decided to start our walk from Nantmor where there was a National Trust Car Park.
Our walk started with a steady climb up through Cwm Bychan, and it wasn’t long when runners / walkers started to meet us. It turned out that much of our walk was on the route of an ultra-marathon event (1000k or 100 miles). One runner I spoke to had had started from Llanberis 24 hours earlier and still had some way to go.
It was very warm throughout the day and sun cream and wearing a sun hat was the order of the day. A more persistent breeze would have been very welcome.
Distant views were very good, we could see the coastal sands near Portmadog. Later on we had good views of Moel Siabod, Yr Wyddfa, Moel Hebog and part of The Nantlle Ridge.
As a change, we decided to complete the walk in a clockwise direction, leaving Coed Bell and its Bluebells towards the end of the walk.
This wasn’t a Bluebell walk, but we did see patches of Bluebells and smell them too, particularly as we descended towards Llyn Dinas.
Birds seen and heard today included: Chiffchaff, Common chaffinch, European robin, Winter wren, Common blackbird, Goldfinch, Willow warbler, Common whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Herring gull, Black billed magpie, Dunnock, Little egret, Stonechat, Mallard, Canada goose, House sparrow, Barn swallow and Cuckoo.
We were lucky enough to hear Cuckoo calling on several occasions, once with one Cuckoo calling and another Cuckoo replying.
Cwm Bychan had lots of abandoned iron work a reminder of the copper mining done it this area. Waste tips were evident too, but exactly where the mine entrances were wasn’t so obvious.
Lunch was taken sitting on the bank of Llyn Dinas where we were entertained by canoeists and swimmers in the lake. I must admit in the heat of the day, the clear water did look very tempting.
We had a very leisurely lunch before heading to Beddgelert and the riverside path back to Nantmor.
After the obligatory visit to Gelert’s grave we could look forward to challenges of the well known Fisherman’s Path.
Once again we had good views of the Snowdonia Mountain Train as it headed towards Beddgelert.
We arrived back at the cars, having completed a very leisurely walk (our slowest for a long time), but the walk today wasn’t one to be rushed!
We had problems on the way home as the main road from Betws-y-coed to Llanrwst was closed, so we had to take the more minor road on the west side of the Afon Conwy and the challenge to cross the narrow bridge into Llanrwst.
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