Around Llyn Brenig and Gors Maen Llwyd Nature Reserve 2024

The view of Llyn Brenig from the car park off the Nantglyn Road.

The wind turbines seem to be multiplying.!

I can hear the Skylarks, but I can't see them!

A Meadow pipit posing.

Walking on the edge.

A posing Stonechat.

Our first view of the Osprey.

Another view of the Osprey.

Drinks break by the lake.

Llyn Brenig from drinks spot.

Catch of the day!

Another distant view of the Osprey's nesting platform.

The sailing club are out on Llyn Brenig.

The view from our lunch spot.

Looking down Llyn Brenig from the dam crossing.

Greylag geese protecting their goslings.

Win turbines up-close!

A Cuckoo calling - like the Skylark heard but not seen!

The path uphill to where we are parked.

Hazy views of the Clwydian Hills, possibly Moel Famau. 

Walk Stats:
Distance: 11.2 miles. Climb: 719’
Time: 5 hours 50 minutes.
On the move walking average: 2.6 m.p.h.
Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.
Temperature: 13.5 Celsius at the start. 17.8 Celsius at lunch in the shade. !6.7 Celsius mid-afternoon.
Beaufort Wind Force: Max 3, a 11.2 m.p.h. Gentle breeze mid-afternoon on the eastern side of the lake.
Group: Martyn, Mike and Ed.
The weather forecast today was looking good, with only a small chance of a shower around lunchtime. In fact, the weather we better than we expected and, in the morning, we were blessed with warm sunshine and very little wind.
After lunch it was more of intermittent sunny spells an mor breeze, especially as we crossed the dam.
Arriving at the start, it felt quite cool, but it wasn’t long before some of us were discarding some of their outer gear.
Although the main aim of the walk was to see the Osprey, the walk started well when we heard our first Cuckoo calling s we descended the path to the lake. In fact, we heard Cuckoos calling all round the walk.
Llyn Brenig was higher than on previous visits and we were unable to walk along the “beach” and had to stick to the path through the Heather.
Although quite a long way off, we were able to see the Osprey on its nest, and much better on the live streamed camera showing in the Wild Life Trusts Observation Hut.
Lunch was taken at the visitor centre where we used one of the picnic tables overlooking the lake.
Distant views were very hazy and even Moel Famau wasn’t that distinctive.
Overall, an enjoyable walk, although by the end my feet were telling me this walk had been longer than our usual walks.
Birds seen or heard today: Carrion crow, Jackdaw, Black billed magpie, European robin, Common blackbird, Common chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Winter wren, Common whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Skylark, Meadow pipit, Lesser black back gull, Goldfinch, Common starling, House sparrow, Canada goose, Greylag goose, Willow warbler, Mallard, Common buzzard, Blackcap, Sand martin, Cuckoo and Osprey.
Two of called in to the Dinorben Arms at Bodfari for refreshments, where Mike enjoyed id pint of Timothy Taylor’s Landlord and enjoyed my pot of tea!

Around Pentrefoelas, Ffridd-y-Foel and Foel Las Motte 27th January 2024

Setting off from Pentrefoelas along the Merddwr, heading towards Gallt-y-celyn.

Looking north eastward towards Pentrefoelas.

Leaving Gallt-y-celyn with the dogs still giving us a welcome!

Heading for trouble!

You wouldn't think this was the path, would you?

I think the path crosses the wall here!

It doeasn't look any easier from this side!

Heading across Bryn Prys.

Crossing the Merdwr.

The view from our lunch spot.

Our lunch spot south of Cefngarw.

The first Snowdrops of the day, east of Cefngarw

Evidence of the power of nature!

Evidence that reporting footpath problems can sometimes pay off!

Is this Moel Siabod?

Heading south towards Cefn-y-gadfa.

Maes Gwyn dating from 1665.

Foel Las Motte.

A magnicent display of Snowdrops near Hen Voelas.

A waterfall on the north side of Pentrefoelas.

Walk Stats:
Distance: 10.7 miles. Climb: 1233’
Time: 5 hours 38 minutes.
On the move walking average: 2.5 m.p.h.
Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.
Temperature: 7.7– 8.2 Celsius.
Beaufort Wind Force: Max 2/3, just a Light to Gentle Breeze
Group: Martyn, Mike and Ed.
A dry day, feeling cool was forecast for our walk today. Thankfully it didn’t feel as cold as the 2 Celsius suggested it might be.
Distant hills were always in cloud, causing us to debate the identity of the hills we could partially see.
Route finding in the morning proved challenging, but eventually we always managed to get back on track.
As expected it was pretty wet underfoot and our trousers all ended up pretty muddy, almost as bad as last Wednesday.
Probably the highlight of the day was seeing two Brown hares – only Ed managed to see both of them.
At one point crossing below Ffridd-y-foel we ended up wading across a flooded section of the path, but with gaiters on our feet remained dry.
Birds seen or heard today included: Jackdaw, Carrion crow, Rook, Common blackbird, Black billed magpie, European robin, Great tit and Common buzzard. An enjoyable walk, celebrated at the Foelas Arms at Pentrefoelas where a real fire welcomed us and the local Nant brewerty beer was sampled. Even my mug of strong tea went down well.

Around Gors Maen Llwyd NR and Llyn Brenig 27th May 2023

Mike in his Marie Curie Shirt - about to set off on a training walk, ready for his Three Peaks Of Yorkshire sponsored walk on the 17th June 2023.

If you want to sponsor Mike, contact him and he will give you details of his Just Giving link.

The start of the track round Gors Maen Llwyd NR.

First view of the Osprey nesting platform.

Getting closer to the Osprey nesting platform.

Not an Osprey, just a Meadow pipit.

The Osprey Nesting Platform, but can you see an Osprey?

The Osprey Nesting Platform, but can you see an Osprey?

The Osprey Nesting Platform, but can you see an Osprey?

The view from our lunch spot near the Visitor Centre.

Looking northward from Llyn Brenig dam.

Walk stats:
Distance: 11.4 miles. Climb: 771’.
Time: 5 hours 47 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.6 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.9 m.p.h.
Temperature: Max -22.4 Celsius. 21.2 Celsius at lunch in the near the visitor centre  overlooking the reservoir.
Beaufort Wind Force: Max - 3, briefly reaching a pleasant 9.8 m.p.h. gentle breeze as we crossed the dam after lunch.
Group: Martyn, Mike and Ed.
Another good day for walking, although at times it was a little on the warm side, only mitigated briefly by the occasional gentle breeze.
We started the walk from Gors Maen Llwyd NR parking area on the B4501 road.
We started by exploring the paths around the Gors Maen Llwyd NR, following a good track through the moor down to the water edge. We walked on the stony shore before picking up the path through the heather. At one point we had our nearest view of the Osprey nesting platform and could just about make out the head of a bird on the nest. We had better views from the Wildlife Trusts Observation Point where we were able to view the Ospreys through their telescopes.
From start to finish, we heard Cuckoos calling, but as on Wednesday we didn’t actually see one with any degree of certainty.
Birds seen or heard today included: Cuckoo, Meadow pipit, Skylark, Willow warbler, Stonechat, Carrion crow, Winter wren, Woodpigeon, Greylag goose, Canada goose, Common chaffinch, Herring gull, Lesser black-back gull, Common buzzard and Osprey.
The landscape looks totally different as we walked along forest tracks with only tree stumps to see and stacks of felled tree trunks next to the track waiting to be collected.
Llyn Brenig was a popular place today with plenty of boats on the water, mainly used by people fishing.
We arrived back at the cars, having had a good walk, but still glad to take our boots off and let our feet enjoy being exposed to the fresh air!
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Blue Bell Inn, where we had to suffer the smell of pork being roasted on a spit in the car park and watch people enjoying a pulled pork batch. My pork pie when I got home didn’t quite cut it!

 

Pincyn Llys from Bontuchel 7th January 2023

Moel Famau from the Bontuchel to Hiraethog Road / Clwydian Way.

The Clwydian Hills from the Bontuchel to Hiraethog Road / Clwydian Way.

Part of the new path to Pincyn Llys from the car park north on the Bontuchel to Hiraethog Road / Clwydian Way.

The Clwydian Hills from the trig point on Llysy Frenhines.

Time for a rest at Pincyn Llys, but alas too early for lunch.

View southward from our lunch spot.

Rainbw over Cyffylliog.

One of the chapels in Cyffylliog.

Lots of water coming over the weir on the Aon Clywedog west of Bontuchel

Walk stats:

Distance: 10.1 miles. Climb: 1532'.

Time: 5 hours 2 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.0 m.p.h.

Temperature: 7.8 Celsius to 10.1 Celsius.

Beaufort Wind Force: 1 - 3. Mainly light breeze , gusting to a gentle breeze (12.1 m.p.h.).

Group: Martyn and Ed.

We set of from the Bontuchel forest car park, in bright sunshine, but anticipating we would get rain at some point on the walk.

Much of the walk today was on minor roads, in fact the only part not on firm surfaces was the track to Pincyn Llys. The descent from Pincyn Llys southward to the forest track through the forest was not very nice - steep with many fallen trees  needing to be negotiated. A note has been made - "never try descending southward from Pincyn Llys ever again!"

After lunch it started to rain quite heavily and I had to make use of my bathing hat and umbrella once more.  After about an hour the worst of the rain stopped and afterwards it was just very light rain on and off.

Thankfully it totally stopped as we got back to the car.

Birds seen or heard today included: Great tit, Common blackbird, Blue tit, House sparrow, Winter wren, Carrion crow, Mallard, Common pheasant and Common buzzard,

Despite the amount of road wa;lking involved, we dit get lots of good views of the hills in all directions and we did hae the bonus of seeing a rainbow as well.

After walk drinks were enjoyed at Wetherspoons Castle Hotel in Ruthin, where Ed enjoyed some Lancaster Red and I had a couple of coffees!