Arans: Eastern Hills

[jonathan - norfolk]

Not too bad a walk, it saves the best until last. This is a moorland walk, rough walking, poorly defined paths, boggy and with significant areas of peat groughs/hags, until Bwlch Girddyn, where the quality of the walking improves significantly. The walk down to it fairly steep and the re-ascent short, but brutal. It's worth it (unlike my excursion to Foel Rhudd, unless you're collecting Nuttalls - which I'm not, as there's not much pleasant I can say about it). The ridge of Foel Hafod-Fynydd is a good one with enticing views of the crags of the main Aran ridge. The descent off the ENE ridge is ok, but a lot of care needs to be taken getting across the stream and then finding a way up onto the main path. I'd not lead a group off it that way - I'd retrace my steps to Bwlch Girddyn and follow the well-constructed track down from there. It's much more pleasant and safer, and not badly eroded at all in my opinion. The views of the hills and across the valley are excellent. There is just about room for one vehicle at the bottom of the track and a better walk would start and finish here and forget about Foel Rudd and Llechwedd Du altogether (unless you are "doing" all the Welsh Hewitts and/or Nuttalls - good luck with that!)
That said, it was a good day out in ideal walking weather, exploring hills I'd not walked before. I'd certainly walk at least one of them again.

Length: 6.86 miles 11.0 km Ascent: +445m -778m.