walkhighlands

Arenig Fawr

Hewitts: Arenig Fawr, Gallt y Daren, Moel Llyfnant

Date walked: 27/08/2010

Time taken: 7 hours

Distance: 19km

Ascent: 1100m

This is a nice quiet walk south of the A4212, although rather boggy over most of the route. I started at a track that comes off a minor road signposted to Arenig, just after some electric cables on pylons cross the road. The day included adjacent Nuttalls with the Hewitts giving 6 summits altogether. I've tried to put the route on a map with the route editor facility, but the mapping doesn't seem to want to load

Briefly, the route follows the track until you reach a wall after just over a km, then you head straight up the wall/fence line to Arenig Fawr. The way off to the south is obvious, going over a Nuttall then down to a boggy plateau on which sits another Nuttall next to some small pools. The col between here and Moel Llyfnant is bog, good and proper; I tried the direct approach and had to return to take a line more to the NW in order to keep dry feet. Once through there's a short climb up grassy slopes to Moel Llyfnant. Gallt y Daren and Foel Boeth both looked a long way off from here, but in reality it wasn't too bad, although the going was a little boggy, with care needed in placing ones feet to avoid the occasional channel that was obscured by vegetation. After those last two it was the case of following very wet ground along a fence across first Bwlch y Bi then over Moel y Slates. I recalled the Nuttalls' book suggesting a descent along Nant y Gist-faen, but considering the conditions underfoot I chose to stay on the high ground until nearly at Penllyn Forest, then descend to where the Nant y Gist-faen crosses the old rail bed, where a stile allows access to a permissive path along the route of the old rail. Just prior to reaching this I'd be thinking how well I'd done in keeping dry feet, and of course at this point I got a boot full. The old rail bed looked like a nice easy walk back to the car, but even this turned into bog within the some of the sections of cutting. Further along this rail line meets the track on which I started.

Despite the bog, it was a good day out. But if you're thinking of doing it then it would be best after a dry spell, or after hard frost.
arenig01.jpg
The track

arenig02.jpg
Looking down the route up Arenig Fawr

arenig03.jpg
Arenig Fawr

arenig04.jpg
The top of Arenig Fawr looking down the final approach

arenig05.jpg
The way off to the south

arenig06.jpg
The plateau area with pools is crossed after descending the route in the previous photo

arenig07.jpg
Moel Llyfnant several kilometres away with the outline of the Rhinogs (I think) behind.

arenig08.jpg
Foel Boeth and Gallt y Daren around 3Km away from the top of Moel Llyfnant.

arenig09.jpg
Looking back from somewhere near the last hill to the hills crossed earlier in the day.

arenig10.jpg
The way back across Bwlch y Bi.

arenig11.jpg
The old rail bed that leads back to near the start. This is an unusually dry section.

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Comments: 3



Carmarthen Fan

Attachment(s) Hewitts: Bannau Sir Gaer - Picws Du, Fan Brycheiniog, Fan Hir, Garreg Las [Twyn Swnd]
Date walked: 17/04/2010
Distance: 23km
Ascent: 960m
Comments: 5
Views: 6978


South Wales

Attachment(s) Hewitts: Cribyn, Pen y Fan
Date walked: 02/03/2010
Distance: 15km
Comments: 8
Views: 5459

wurzel



Munros: 5
Hewitts: 48



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Statistics

2010

Trips: 3
Distance: 57 km
Ascent: 2060m
Hewitts: 9


Joined: Nov 05, 2009
Last visited: Nov 21, 2013
Total posts: 25 | Search posts