Return to the Berwyn ridge

[stig_nest]

Having read Poppiesraras report on his recent walk in the Berwyns I found myself heading up a similar route. The weather being just about perfect for an afternoon trample. Living locally to the Berwyns it made sense and as I had not made an ascent from the waterfalls for over 10 years I thought why not.

Heading from the rough free parking area initially towards the waterfalls I then headed up the valley following the stream to the sheepfold.

At this point the path all but fizzles out so a clamber up the slopes to meet the main path was required. From here the going became easier again leading up to Llyn Lluncaws. It seems that around this time the glacial lake is always shrouded in some sort of flora - water lily type thing maybe?

The climb up the shoulder of Moel Sych from here looks a bit daunting but the height is soon gained along an obvious path which stays close to the edge without ever becoming precarious.

Once the path levels out its just a matter of choice at which point you clamber away from the edge and head for the cairn atop Moel Sych. The cairn is obvious enough and having reached the top I sat down a while savouring the grand view laid out in front of me.

Leaving Moel Sych I headed back to the line of the ridge and the obvious summit of Cadair Berwyn before settling down for a bite to eat at the trig point on the deposed summit.

My descent route was via Moel yr Ewig to the Southern top of Godor (682m). As much as anything I just fancied a look at the view of the main ridge from there. The drop off the col between the two main tops is fairly easy to locate and is nowhere near as iffy as one might think - grassy almost all the way. The route out becomes more and more heathery as well as spongy - It's not a route I could recommend but the retrospective views back to Moel Sych over Llyn Lluncaws just about made it worthwhile.

To get back to the car involved a very steep drop off the now pathless heathery hill, passing the Llynau Talfryn and following the fence down to the track at 077300.

I take the view that if a farmer managed to put a fence or wall up a slope it should be just about passable to walk down - though this was about as steep as it gets without being uncomfortable.

The stroll out back to the car park was extended to take a peek at the waterfalls though the amount of water passing over it was somewhat less than normal. All in all though a worthwhile walk.

[poppiesrara]

Bravo on that return route, Stig! Godor is definitely a once-at-most hill, and I can't say I looked at that descent route and imagined it was possible... The main route is lovely though.

Interested in what that is lying on Llyn Lluncaws? - I'm sure it wasn't there (at a similar time of year) a few years' back.

[stig_nest]

It was very heathery, rough and character building for sure, but nowhere difficult. I normally walk out over the Eastern top of Godor when doing the Maen Gwynedd round. Though I'd say dropping down to the old level and wheelhouse to then descend down the bottom of the valley is far more comfortable.

I've seen the vegetation on Llyn Lluncaws a few times before - but it's certainly a seasonal thing and I've never seen a similar scene on Creiglyn Dyfi in the Arans.