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Day 1 here
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=46372MWIS forecast said eastern Snowdonia would have the best of the weather. Sure enough this was true, had to crack out the sunblock
Parked at the first car park you reach after leaving Abergwyngregyn for Aber Falls. £2 to park for the day. Mistook the road for the second car park as the start of the walk! Quick retrace of our steps and we made good progress up the track to the third and final car park underneath Foel Dduarth.
Picked a track though the gorse bushes to reach the remains of an enclosure. You can see a track leading up to Foel-ganol. You could stay on the North Wales Path but we decided to gain some height and views! Here we found the first of the wild ponies that inhabit the Carneddau. A good track leads over the tops before rejoining the main path heading up to Drum. Had a quick bite to eat inside the massive shelter cairn before embarking on the trudge upto Foel-fras. A lot of effort has been put into the track on the lower slopes through the bog. Makes for quicker progress than if you had to wade through the bog.
The summit of Foel-fras is littered with boulders. Thought about heading over and bagging Llwytmor but with SMRussell complaining that these hills were little better than those in the Borders decided against it. Anyway the clouds were darkening over Foel-grach. Belted along to Garnedd Uchaf and upto Foel-grach to marvel at the bulk of the Carnedd's and ridgy profile of Yr Elen. Another wee bite to eat before heading back past the rocky outcrop of Garnedd Uchaf - good place to hide if Cerbain were after you! - and down to Bera Mawr. Plenty of scrambling fun can be had here. Drogsl was a quick km away and then off toward the Aber Falls. Our route took us quite near the cliffs, I would recommend making a beeline for the "settlement sheepfolds" on the map. We had to cut down through heather, not easy to see where our feet were going.
Crossed the stream with the help of some boulders and then followed the narrow track down across the steep hillside and then across a bank of scree. Make sure you visit the Aber Falls, they are stunning!
September 30, 2014-3 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
If you can see this waterwheel then you are on the wrong track!
September 30, 2014-3-2 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Thought we were in deliverance country for a minute!
September 30, 2014-3-4 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
No sheep apparently
September 30, 2014-3-12 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Foel Dduarth
September 30, 2014-3-17 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Remains of an enclosure
September 30, 2014-3-19 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Views opening up across Anglesey
September 30, 2014-3-22 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
First wild pony
September 30, 2014-3-24 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Yr Orsedd
September 30, 2014-3-32 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Path across lower slopes of Foel-fras
September 30, 2014-3-35 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Foel-fras
September 30, 2014-3-37 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Garnedd Uchaf
September 30, 2014-3-43 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
More wild ponies
September 30, 2014-3-44 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Foel-grach
September 30, 2014-3-48 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Yellow chopper
September 30, 2014-3-54 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Yr Aryg
September 30, 2014-3-60 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Bera Mawr
September 30, 2014-3-65 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Looking west
September 30, 2014-3-67 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Chilling
September 30, 2014-3-71 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Plenty scrambling oppertunity
September 30, 2014-3-75 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Drogsl
September 30, 2014-3-81 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Ponies
September 30, 2014-3-84 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Heathery track!
September 30, 2014-3-92 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Crossing the stream
September 30, 2014-3-95 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Path high up above the falls
September 30, 2014-3-98 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Scree
September 30, 2014-3-99 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
There's a path here somewhere
September 30, 2014-3-110 by
r.t.mcb, on Flickr
Aber Falls