Weezing vs Articuno

[aaquater]

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I know, a cheap title. Looking at the name Plynlimon, I couldn't help but think it sounded like a 'plyn' (gas) kind of Pokémon - and with the weather turning a lot colder, the gas Pokémon would've been under the attack of an icy one. Perhaps.

Either way, I had one last chance for a Welsh walk, at least for the time being, so I wanted to go to an area I hadn't been to before. Stopping in the free layby a little E of the 5-quid parking, I walked to the farm by the side of the road, something I'd been a bit apprehensive about, but up until the very last turn, the verge was maintained and suitable for walking. Beyond the farm, the 'uphill' began.

The track on my right led to Plynlimon alongside Afon Tarennig, a steeper uphill part supposed to await at the end

But I took the left one, heading up towards the woods, then going around them anti-clockwise

After a while, the track bent right, a much fainter path continuing ahead. The path was boggy at times, the bog starting to ice over - but not trusting the ice to hold me, I rather took evasive action when needed.

Continuing ahead, to where the first Hewitt, Y Garn, was meant to lay

The way to the summit was wavy, and I went up and down at least three times before the actual summit was reached. Up there, it was getting a bit cold, but while I was on the move, I didn't feel it too much; at least it wasn't windy. But while the grass and dirt weren't slippery, the frozen rocks were; I don't usually climb cairns, but this one felt reachable - until I stepped on it, and reached it immediately. With my hands, the feet followed later...

Getting a better view of the Nant-y-moch Reservoir was still worth it

Going back half a mile, at first I thought I'd cross the fence again and continue to Pen Pumlumon Fawr on its E side, as drawn on the map.

But then I saw a path W of it as well and decided I'd spare myself the effort

On the way up, I saw some walkers descend E of the fence on a path that seemed better than the one I was on, but mine was easily walkable as well. The E path may be the canonical one, but I think both ways are fine, and crossing that fence isn't worth the trouble.

On the summit, looking E to the rest of the Plynlimon hills

And N over the Llyn Llygad Rheidol valley (the reservoir itself currently out of sight)

Some people were sat down on the summit, having lunch. I ate mine standing up and my fingers still got cold, so I was keen to move on.

Beyond Pen Pumlumon Fawr, the map suggested the path to run N of the path. Once again, there seemed to be a path running alongside the fence from both sides, so I just stuck to the one I was on and continued.

At least until the 691 m col, where I found my way blocked by an impassable bog, so I had to cross the fence. The path on the other side looked fine

Then I reached the 727 m top, found out that the summit cairn was on the other side of the fence, and had to cross back.

Back towards Pen Pumlumon Fawr

And ahead towards Pen Pumlumon Arwystli

Fawr was the main hill, and Arwystli looked at least a bit hill-like, but the 727 m 'top' I was on was actually the main summit of the Hewitt Pen Pumlumon Llygad-bychan. I mean, I'll take it. But Llygad-bychan is the main reason why the title of this report mentions a Weezing, not a Koffing.

In the 680 m col, the path split, the official one taking a shortcut directly to the summit of Arwystli

I went for the shortcut, reaching the summit 7 minutes later and thinking I'd take the longer way back and return along the fence.

Looking NW down Cwm Gwerin

And SE towards what I now realise are the upper valleys of the Wye

On the way down, I realised why there'd been a shortcut from the 680 m col: there was no path leading from the summit to the fence. (For the 80 m separating the two.) But I reached the fence and, as I couldn't even see the path next to it, crossed it. Immediately, before the wires turned barbed.

The S side didn't have an obvious path either, but it was more convenient to stick to that side anyway

So I hugged the fence and kept following the left branch after every junction. Eventually, the slope became steeper

Honestly, the last descent, until the track was reached, had to be the most technically challenging part of the whole walk, including a little landslip I even had to hold onto the fence for.

But the valley was below me, I saw a track heading down, so I turned right on the track I'd just reached and started following it

I came across a junction and turned left immediately. Then doubt set in. The track was meant to run on the left side of the valley and go downhill. The one in front of me ran along the right side and didn't seem to head down for quite a while. So I had another look at the map, realised I should've gone on ahead without turning, and returned the few steps to that junction.

While feeling like a right fool. Aside from me not seeing this valley from above, everything else said clearly that I shouldn't have gone left. In my defense(?), the target normally never seems to be closer than I expect

So I went down this valley. At the end, I found my way blocked by a sign saying Private Property, so I bypassed the house from above, joined the road again, and returned to the car. I felt like I'd barely started the walk and it was over - but the sunset was fast approaching, and I still had a long way to go.

Walker gains 4 experience points.