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Hillwalking trips have been few and far between in the first six months of the year with a mere 3 Hewitts and a couple of local Marilyns to add to our tally. This weekend we were camping at Fforest Fields, which made a good base to tackle Drygarn Fawr. This seems to be more often tacked from the north, but this route from the south proved to be an enjoyable outing.
We started from Abergwesyn, where there's a little carpark next to the village hall. 300m east of this a bridleway heads north, soon fording the Afon Gwesyn. Just after this we left the obvious track to slant across an open field to join a higher track which curved through a wood to the isolated farmhouse identified on the map as Trysgol. A gentle downhill track leads from here to the start of Cwm Gwysyn.
- Start of the bridleway from Abergwesyn
- The track leading into Cwm Gwesyn
The next stretch is easy walking on a decent path and height is gained only slowly. This really was a delightful valley at its best in its summer greenery.
- Cwm Gwesyn
- Cwm Gwesyn
- Cwm Gwesyn
- View back down Cwm Gwesyn
Further up a series of cascades, easily tacked on the right hand side, added more interest.
- Waterfalls
- Waterfalls
Above here the path peters out and the ground starts to get a little damper. Fortunately a rockier ridge slants in from the right at this point and we headed up this dry bank away from the stream for 100m or so before picking up a series of sheep trods which kept parallel to the Afon Gwesyn. Finally as the stream turned a corner we headed straight on and up (you can just pick out the path to the left of centre below) to the now visible summit cairns of Drygarn Fawr.
- The upper valley with Drygarn Fawr ahead
And what cairns they are - very impressive indeed - and after the obligatory photos at the trig point we sat down for lunch in the shade of the larger one. The heat haze made it difficult to see that far but it's a fine viewpoint nevertheless - it's pretty much a featureless expanse to the north but to the south the Beacons were just about visible.The short summit ridge to the second smaller one is dry and grassy. The east cairn is a bit smaller - as if it's outer layer of stones had collapsed.
- The west cairn
- It's taller than me
- Looking up to the west cairn
- Judith at the east cairn
- The east cairn
Our next objective was the rocky knoll of Carnau, a bit difficult to pick out at first and it would certainly be a challenge in poor visbility. I half-expected that this could become a bit of a bogfest but was proved wrong - the going was remarkably easy and we seemed to get there in no time at all.
- The crossing to Carnau
- Looking back to Drygarn Fawr
- View ahead to Carnau
Carnau is a dry(ish) grassy knoll with a small wind shelter. By the way the grey specks on the view to Gorllwyn are a midge attack in action - they were generally not too troublesome but I didn't spot them on the photo till later.
- View from Carnau to Gorllwyn (with midges)
From Carnau we picked up a more obvious descending path running south-west to meet the forest at a gate.
- Descent to the forest
The first section is already felled but after crossing a bridge with a view towards the rocky face of Creigiau Duon it is an upward stretch through the trees to a five way junction where a sharp right takes you out of the trees and to the bridleway which contours the hillside for the last couple of km to Glangwesyn farm.
- Looking towards Greigiau Duon
- Approaching Glangwesyn - view back
- Final descent to Glangwesyn
In worse weather no doubt the bridleway would come as some relief from the boggy moor but today, and with legs tiring in the heat, it felt like more of a trudge. Still, a good day out in open countryside after two months without.