First of all - Happy New Year! Bit disappointed that we didn't complete the end of this walk in 2016 - but not to worry, the end is almost in sight.....
Good news is that Esco's Stores in the village - a great shop! - kindly donated the money raised from the Christmas raffle to this walk and so to our great cause:
Velindre Fundraising. Another £160 went to the
Justgiving page - thank you very much Esco's!
So our new year walks begin....we were going to do this next section,
Aberhosan to Machynlleth yesterday but the
taxi advised me that Thursday looked the better day - and he was quite right.......
We left home around 8am, it had been a lovely sunrise and stunning scenery all around as we left, white frost on the grass against the blue sky! It was -3˚ at our house but went up and down on the journey, the minimum being -6˚
We arrived in Mach(ynlleth) and were duly picked up by the driver - a very pleasant lady who even took us right up to the farm at Aberhosan saving us a little extra mileage!
We had a pleasant "Bore Da" greeting with the farmers there - and their friendly dogs!
What a view they have from their home - clear across the valleys to Cadair Idris sitting further north, today with the clear blue sky as a backdrop - remember, we hadn't seen any views at the end of our last walk!
We certainly were going to make up for that today!
Off we set along the icy track
and today was not all up and then down as we were mostly walking along the tops which was so lovely with such fantastic, panoramic views!
At one point on an uphill section just past a pretty farm, we disturbed a group of sandpipers. At first I thought they were snipe, certainly too small and quiet for curlews, but on reflection, I think they were sandpipers or even dunlins - we weren't so far from the sea today really.
The Dovey estuary was clear to see down below us later on....We also had kites
and buzzards to accompany us as well as stonechat, blackbirds and the ubiquitous robin; often one was showing us which way to go! There were also plenty of sheep today - mostly Kerry Hill sheep with their black noses and black eyes....it was a bit difficult for them to find non crunchy grass but often we smelt the fresh, sweet smell of the hay in their feeders. But, you may note, I didn't mention cows! This time of year they are all indoors so no worries about bulls today! We headed now and then along mountain bike territory but not a bike in sight today either. A few of the tracks were through dark, deep forestry
- and some other tracks were described in our old, original guide book (2002 when this path opened..) as going through high, dark conifers whereas in fact these are now deforested - which we were glad of with the marvellous views to be had! We could see for a while in the distance the hill we later found was Rhiw Goch (red hill).
It is a very discernibly pointed shape with a treeline on its top and is alongside other smaller hills with "dimples" on the top.
Ultimately, Chris was right in his assumption that we would have to go up this hill.....we did! There was an alternative route on its approach which we assumed would go on a lower route (strange being offered alternative routes ....except on the coast for high water and low water, we haven't seen that before), but we decided to go up!
And what a good idea! The views were amazing. And icicles were hanging in a small quarry -
and the ground heave looked spectacular - like mini columns of ice!
Along the pass leaving Rhiw Goch behind, all the skyline was covered in dimples - we guessed they must be old mine/quarry workings - although I felt sure one at least was a hillfort....
We stayed on the tops then for most of the rest of the walk.
We had seen - well mostly heard - Provost jets streaking overhead quite often today and even saw a Typhoon (apparently it goes faster that a Provost but not at full speed today - he was probably enjoying the views too). And then the Hercules made its appearance!
From these uplands we could see the sea down at Aberdyfi
and across the estuary ....
....we retraced our footsteps in our minds of the coastal walk - it is now almost
3 years since we walked it! Before long we were looking down on Machynlleth
and crossing icy marshland (glad of the ice here to save us from mud) we soon joined the finger post for both Glyndŵr's Way and the Coast Path as they both drop down into the town.
Another circle completed! Just before we dropped down to the so called roman steps into the town, we had a chat with a local chap who had been up to Pwllheli today and he said it had been beautiful along the coast today and a young couple were enjoying a coffee after a walk on the hills. We all agreed how lucky we were to have had such a wonderful day! A perfect walk in a beautiful place....
Another 10 miles along the way....
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