Mid Wales - Glasgwm & Pen y Brynn-fforchog

[woodie31]

With good weather predicted and a free day it was off to mid Wales to tick off two more Hewitts, Glasgym and Pen y Brynn-fforchog.
The starting point was at the end of a minor road in Cwm Cywarch, about four miles north of Dinas Mawddy. Generous car parking space is available on open land that has been made good by Snowdownia National Parks, there is even a portaloo.

Car parking is available at the end of the lane.

Leaving the car park and following the track north past the farm house and ignoring the footbridge on the right as this leads up to Pen yr Allt Uchaf. Within a couple of hundred yards there was a ladder stile on my left. Over the stile, the path is well marked and climbs steadily. The building that you see on your right is the Bryn Hafod Club hut.

Bryn Hafod Club Hut

Following the path I crossed a small wooden bridge.

Cross the wooden bridge

Looking down the col towards the bridge

At this point the path does zig zag, but you are able to pick your way up the col. Towards the top of the col, on your left is the remains of a shepherds hut.

Ruins of the shepherds hut

The fence on my left acted as a guide for a short distance. Carrying straight on, until a small pool was on my right and a fence coming down the hillside on my left.
Crossing the stile I followed this fence up the hillside for approximately 800 yards, when it turns right. The summit soon came into view.

Glasgwm approaching

.

Glasgwm conical cairn

The summit is marked by a large conical cairn. With such good weather it would have been rude not to take in the views for ten minutes, while enjoying a spot of lunch. The summit looks down onto Llyn y Fign, lake of the bog.

The lake of the bog

In poor visibility the fence provides an excellent hand rail to the next summit of Pen Y Brynn-Fforchog. I however straightened the route out where possible, heading roughly south west towards the forest. Parts of the open land were boggy and wet and large areas of the forest have been cut down.

The ladder stile, to head west

At the far corner of the forest I crossed a ladder stile and followed the fence west until it turned south, this leads to the summit.

The summit is grassy and has been marked by a few pieces of slate. There is no cairn.

Pen y Brynn-fforchog summit

Heading back to the forest, hop over the fence at the corner as the barb wire top has been removed. Heading east over the rough ground; which again in places was boggy and wet. You are aiming for the approach track that allows good progress to be made. Follow the gravel track to the edge of the forest and is marked by a gate. Unfortunately you have to climb over this gate as it has been secured using fencing wire. After a short distance, the track will bend sharply to the right by a second gate. Here I headed left and crossed the fence. This is a public right of way, although there is no stile. The hillside is very steep but a narrow path zig zags down towards the farm.

The walk covered approximately six and half miles and took me 3 ½ hours with lots of fantastic views.

[yokehead]

What a cracking day you had, and great photos! Glasgwm has special memories for me and I was there again a couple of days ago, report to come!