The weather forecast was for showers all day, so when I awoke to blue skies, I
determined to get a walk in before the rain came. A route I had worked out on
an earlier stay came to mind. This would go up the back of the village and up
to Drum Ddu, then around the hills to Waun Bwlch and up to Craig Chwefri. A
drop down and up to Lan Fach, Lan Ganol, and the end crag Allt y Clych, back
to Lan fach and down to the back road at Cwm Clyd Uchaf. To its name share at
Cwm Clyd Isaf before heading back up to Ty-Link and across to Llysdinam, and
so to Newbridge.
Leaving the village and across the river Wye, up the other side and along the
Wye valley walk. Staying on the back road when this turned off opposite the
field centre.
The path I had planned did not exist to Tyn Rhos, so I continued on the road up
to the crossroads, taking on in the direction of the path, meeting it where it
crossed the road going through a gate.
Leaving the fields and up a gravelled farm track, past the farm buildings. The
path was supposed to go through the fields, but a new gravel farm track led up
to the open access hill sides above.
In the open access area, I almost took the wrong track and had to climb up
across the hillside to find the correct one.
The path was a sheep track climbing up to the skyline in a diagonal across the
slope. The track vanished after a while and I continued angling up the slope.
Reaching the first flatter areas, still climbing to a rocky bump on the skyline.
This was Drum Ddu
the view south from Drum Ddu
The view north from Drum Ddu.
Heading along the slight ridge line as it dropped down, before climbing back up
to a small lake/ pond on the next bump.
Up tot eh lake before turning around the slope and following a rough path down
to a col, weaving through the maccha.
Down to Waun Bwlch, through some young ferns - later these would be complex to
pass through. Then joining a quad bike track through horses and sheep
grazing.
Up the next slope, then turning towards Llethr Melyn
Over this and turning again towards Craig Chwefri - the trig point standing up
on the skyline.
Looking south from the trig point
Looking North from the trig point.
The rain arrived as I descended down the far side, after crossing the partner
top - just a bump.
Down to the col - I could have turned home here, but despite the rain I
continued over it and on to Lan Fach in a curving sheep track.
On to Lan Ganol and another curving path to a saddle on the side then steeply up
to the top.
Over the top and looking over to Allt y Clych, still on the sheep path as it
crossed the col and angling up to the top.
looking around from the top
Around to the East.
Heading back across the other side of the ridge to my approach - still on sheep
tracks.
Across to the col and then angling down a wide green track dropping down to the
end of a back road. The rain stopped as I came off the hills.
Along the back road to find a path leading across fields to Cwm Clyd Isaf. The
path had to angle back from a gate then up to the farm. The onward path from the
farm was not obvious and I followed the drive until a gate opened into a field
where I could get back on track.
The path still remained elusive and I stayed on farm tracks - probably for the
best as it made the climb easier than forcing through rough ground. Following
the farm tracks across the slope, then a zigzag down to a second bridleway.
The bridleway followed the edge of a ploughed field, and a line of cut trees. I
stopped on the end stump for some refreshments and over onto a very overgrown
extension of the track. I had taken off the waterproofs at the break in the hope the rain would keep off until I got home.
The track improved at Ty-Link and dropped down to Pen-y-Rhiw, where after a
zigzag over a stream and throguh the farmyard. Onto a track I knew from a
previous walk.
The track continued traversing the slope with undulations to a new "architect house" where the track became a back road.
The back road joined my outward track at Llysdinam, where I then followed it back to the village. At this point it started raining once again, but not so heavy.
