Plynlimon +

[Broggy1]

I was due to work in Aberystwyth on Wednesday and with the forecast good I decided to book off Tuesday to do some new Hewitts on my way down there.

First up with was the Plynlimon 4 (or 5 if you are doing Nuttalls). If possible I always try and start from a main road rather than a minor road so parked up at the car park on the A44 - it's £5 for the day but it's a good car park and off the road. It's probably higher than I would usually like to start a mountain walk from but this whole area appears to be on somewhat high ground.

The weather was more overcast than the forecast suggested and I could see some summit cloud about.

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Starting out - good paths pretty much all the way round these makes them pretty straightforward

Heading for Y Garn

Y Garn summit and the cloud is in

Pen Pumlumon ahead - easy grassy slopes that may be wetter than I found them on this day

Pen Pumlumon getting closer

Pen Pumlumon - clouds lifting and while not a spectacular hill it is the highest hill for some distance so does feel quite like a mountain

Pumlumon Fach needs an out and back to include - I'm not so bothered about Nuttalls but I had a full day to fill after an early start so thought it was worth the detour

Looking back at Pen Pumlumon from it's smaller brother which is actually the lower of two sub tops but further away and thus classifies as it's own hill....I went up both just in case things change though

The route ahead is now clear and looks easy

Pen Pumlumon Llygad-bychan summit - there's a slightly boggy bit to contend with on route

Pen Pumlumon Arwystl summit looking back

I then headed back over Pen Pumlumon Llygad-bychan before contouring to meet the track down to the old mine

On the track back to the car park with loads of time to spare

The weather was now pretty hot and muggy but I still had plenty of time before I could check in to my hotel so I did the short drive round to The Arch to do Pen y Garn.

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The Arch - it's possible to save some miles on this one by parking further up but again I had loads of time so parked here

A good track leads through the forest and past a farm

You then come out at a minor road and the obvious track heads uphill. I could see that this wasn't access land at first so was a bit cautious and tried to join it from higher up the road.

This was a boggy and overgrown track and I soon gave up and backtracked...appeasing myself that most others who have done this hill must have used the initial bit of non access track too.

Higher up the track zig zags but makes its way easily to the top

My morning hills now in view

Pen y Garn Trig Point

I dropped off the other side of the top to join the Forestry Track - a bit rough at first but once on the track it's easy walking

This track leads all the way back to The Arch - here looking back at Pen y Garn

All in all two good routes that can be combined for a longer day or shortened for two easier ones. Easy walking on these hills and all quite pleasant.