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You know that feeling when the world is driving you nuts, and you have to head for the hills no matter what the forecast? I can tell you that it is even more gratifying when the forecast proves to be wrong and you have a great day out; and that happened to me last Sunday.
It was absolutely deluging down when I fed my chickens before dawn on Sunday, and it did cross my mind that it would be ‘interesting’ to combine this rain with a strong wind at the top of a mountain in Wales. To hell with it, I’m going anyway.
It was a wet old drive across Mid Wales with my chums, but the rain petered out when we arrived at the foot of Y Garn just north of Dolgellau. The clouds were still glowering overhead when we set off so all of us donned full waterproofs, but soon noticed just how warm it was. The maps all show a footpath on the left side of the river, but all that remains of it is the first stile. We brambled our way through tangled undergrowth, forcing a route along the left bank whilst noting a shiny tarmac strip running alongside the right bank…. We emerged from the brambly bracken by a footbridge and met the path that leads to the wonderful Rhaeadr Du falls. Trusting the maps more than our own eyes we turned off this path, and soon found ourselves once again in soggy undergrowth. Finally we did break through onto a clear path, and worked out that it must inevitably lead back to the falls. Oh well, we are here now.
The path winds through the woods with temporary streams running all over the place, but soon a stile to the right leads to clearer ground. Time to strip off some of the gear, it’s not fleece weather!
Past a farm and up a winding steep and stony path through another section of woods, and then we arrive at the foot of the mountain proper by a lovely old stone barn. For those of you who have read Poppiesrara’s report on this hill, you will need to appreciate that we reversed the route. Ahead is a decent but vegetated crag, certainly awkward in descent, however there is a clear but steep way up to the right past the farm’s obvious water butts.
The first section of this hill is steep grass with rocky outcrops, and it definitely gets the lungs working. A wall runs along the the top of the first slope, but there is a break in it atop an obvious shoulder. The views from this point are quite something, across to Rhobell Fawr and the Arans with dappled sun breaking though the scudding clouds.
Another steep bouldery slope follows, and a few ‘strategic photographic breaks’ prove necessary to get our breath back – and allows my mates to continue their haggling over the price of a GPS one of them has for sale!
Finally, at around 460 metres the steep slope runs out, but we are confronted by a problem – a large stone wall with a fence along the top of it, and no obvious way round or over it. Even going to the highest point of a slope doesn’t help, but we note there is a boulder at the foot of the wall. Nothing for it, clamber on to the top of the wall and then limbo under the fence whilst trying not to get camera bags and rucksacks tangled.
Last unexpected obstacle out of the way it is a gentle undulating half mile wander to the top of the mountain. As the views open out, it becomes clear that all the other mountains apart from Rhobell Fawr and Dduallt are covered in heavy, and probably very wet, cloud. The nearby Rhinogs certainly look ‘damp’ but also very atmospheric.
When I reach the pointy cairn at the summit, I poke my head over the skyline to get the famous view of the Mawddach estuary, and promptly get dumped on my backside by the wind. It’s blowing an absolute Hooley and we hadn’t known it as we were on the sheltered side of the hill, so its back down out of the wind for our lunchtime picnic. We don’t hang around long, as the wind-chill up here is quite significant.
Down the undulating south ridge, and we pick up THAT wall again, but at least on this side of the hill there is a ladder stile. Follow the wall down-hill, keeping well away from the nasty barb wire topping that is just at the right height to rip a hole in a jacket sleeve. An obvious stream valley provides a usable break through the crags, and soon we are on gentle slopes.
We come upon a whole series of fenced off mine shafts and drifts, this area was mined for gold not that long ago. Being the proud owner of a Welsh gold wedding ring, I couldn’t resist a closer look. The old mines are all abandoned now, and are starting to fill with water and are caving in, hence the National Trust don’t really want people poking about.
Below the mines it is back to the woods, and down to the wonder Rhaeadr Du falls. As you can imagine after a drop or two (!) of rain, these were going well. I’m a sucker for a decent waterfall, and bored my mates rigid whilst I took picture after picture. Hope you like this little selection.
From the falls we crossed the footbridge and went back to the car along the road route we should have taken on the way up!
As we got back to the car and got our boots off, the heavens opened. Someone had clearly been watching over us, for we had had a wonderful day – scudding clouds above our summit and warm and dry. What more could you ask for on a stormy October day.
To round off a cracking day it was down to the Brigand Inn near Dinas Mawddwy for a top pint of Sharps Doombar. Fantastic!
I thoroughly recommend Y Garn, it’s a lovely little hill with superb views. 9 to go!
