A HuMP and a Hewitt.

[Rekrab]

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Today I found myself with a day off of 40mph winds and a low cloud, but it still wasn't enough for me to subject myself to a day indoors watching films so I recruited Adrian to Come to Dolwyddelan with me for Y Ro wen, Foel-Fras and Moel Penamnen.

we parked at the Train station car park, headed over the bridge and up the old quarry road.
it was a good start and the map said that the road went right to the cairn so Navigation wasn't going to be an issue, finding the road was very easy so we were off to a good start.
I turned around halfway up and saw that Moel Siabod's summit was clear and that made me think there might be some chance of some views today.

Meol Siabod.

our plan was to gain the ridge of y ro wen then skirt round the tree line and follow it until it ended at Foel-fras a Dewey at just under 600m we would then continue to Moel Penamnen, swing around NE heading back towards the tree line and head E steeply down a footpath to the roman road and walk another 2 miles-ish to get back to Dolwyddelan. Just a large horseshoe taking in 3 small-ish hills.

The road section was nice and was a good warm-up it did as the map read take us right to the summit where I was surprised to find a large shelter. I thought this was a relatively un-climbed hill but I must be wrong.

y ro wen from the old quarry road

Y Ro wen Summit

Meol Penamnen from y Ro Wen

Looking S and W I could see our horseshoe panning out but Moel Penamnen looked Miles away still.
Looking to the E I could see Moel Pen-y-bryn the original HuMP that I wanted to link up with Y Ro Wen from Panmachno but the logistics were just to tricky.

Meol Pen-y-bryn from Y Ro Wen

but lookin at it up here it looks do-able with a car left at Penmachno and a bus out to Dolwyddelan.
we quickly found a path heading S to the forest which we were using as a guide to follow round and followed it, the path was very wet underfoot now and it was going to be that way alllllll day.

Forestry which if skirted around Leads right to Foel-fras.

before we turned the corner and y ro wen disappeared I got one last pic of it.

Y Ro Wens south side.

soo as we turned the corner Manod Mawrs N top showed it's face along with some really nice cloud features over the Migneints and Arenigs.

Manod Mawr N top with Clouds and Light!!

Manod Mawr n Top with Manod Mawr popping out from behind.

after only an hour we were on top of Foel-fras and looking across the valley at Y Ro Wen, we couldn't believe the speen in which we were walking these hills.

Looking across the Valley to y Ro wen

once one foel-fras it is a hop, skip, and a jump over to the Hewitt Moel Penamnen which was the biggest of the day.

en route to Moel Panamnen from Foel-Fras

Jones and I on Moel Penamnen

we were treated to some nice views of the Moelywns and the Manods while we lunched on the top.

sun hitting the Moelwyns and Blaenau.

The two Manods from Moel Penamnen.

after lunch we descended NNE following all the bumps on Moel Penamnens ridge to a clearing where we easily found our footpath down to the roam road.

Moel Penamnens NNE ridge.

Descending through the forest.

Once the roman road was reached it was a pleasant flat walk out past Carreg Alltrem to Dolwyddelan.

Carreg Alltrem.

good day glad I chose to go ou rather than sit in all day.

thanks for reading again!!!

MacKenzie.

[ChrisW]

Great stuff as always MacKenzie, definitely a walk I would have enjoyed. You made a great choice by avoiding the worst of the wind but still getting out there.....beats watching TV any day

[malky_c]

Looks mixed, but still with some good views

Been up Y Ro Wen a couple of times, and always meant to do this circuit, but ended up cutting it short. Took me until the WH meet last October to do Moel Penmaen, but it was worth it in the end.

I like the photos looking across the lakes to Manod Mawr

[john923]

Good stuff, MacKenzie. I thought Y Ro Wen looked a worthwhile hill when we were going up to Manod Mawr N Top after doing Moel Penammen last November. Didn't realise access was so easy from the north so thanks for this.