Wye Valley Trail, Garreg Lwyd

The forecast was for another sunny (or rather not raining) day, so Sue and I took the opportunity for another day out. The plan was to complete the next section of the Wye Valley trail above Rhayader starting at Gilfach nature reserve. We would follow a route from the Kittywake books, that went through the reserve then around the back of Yr Wylorn up to Blaen y Bwlch. From here up to Garreg Lwyd and then the wind turbine field at Gwastad, before dropping to Dolhelfa-ganol farm. Over the river adn back along the Wye valley trail.

We parked at the first area beside the reserve welcome hut, and had a look at the local map. This showed a "local" path that walked over the side of the slope of Yr Wylorn (purple track).

The track started opposite the sign and climbed gently up the grass through the heather and bracken.

Around the rib coming down on a traverse path - this was very churned up by the passing of animals who chose it in preference to the hillside.

Back down to the road below and along it to the branch to the old farm house. Over a cattle grid continuing to the driveway to Pen-rhiw farm, and up it.

Follow it to a junction, and bend around it on a farm track up to a cottage. Opposite we could see the paths up to the ridge I had followed last week.

From the cottage the track traversed and climbed up the side of Yr Wylorn. The track merged with a second farm track as it moved up the valley.

The track climbed up to a shoulder where it opened out to "improved" grasslands rather than the scrub on the way up.

Across the meadows (marked as Blaen y Bwlch). Up here the wind was a bit stronger and quite biting.

Back into the open access land (more scrubby) and the wind farm turbines came int view.

Looking aback along the ridge showing where we had come from. Then we left the main path and cut up the side of the summit cone to reach the top of Carreg Lwyd.

Looking over to Elan valley

Looking north to the lower hills.

Back down to the main track and continuing along to the wind farm.

Picking up the maintenance track through the windfarm, then following the main access track down the slope.

We eventually found a site for a lunch stop sheltered from the wind opposite a small waterfall coming from a large pond.

The track continued down to the farm on the side of the A470. Over the busy riad and down a minor road that led steeply down to the river Wye.

Crossing the river at the same time as several canoeists paddled under. Then along the road to a junction where we met the Wye Valley trail. This climbed a steep slope up and around a house in a wide U turn.

This back road followed parallel to the river passing Safn-y-coed.

The road meandered along the side of the slope. A couple of gates to get through would provide discouragement to vehicles.

Where the valley narrowed and the road climbed up through a petrified wood, before the Wye valley trail split off through some grass scrub. Meeting up with where this joined my track from last week.

Still on the Wye valley trail across to a footbridge over the river, climbing up to a layby where the canoeists exit. Opposite this was the entrance to the nature reserve.

Penygarreg Reservoir & Crugyn Ci, Elan Valley

There was another relatively "good" day forecast in a week of rain showers, so Sue & I chose to go back to Elan Valley and visit the two dams further up the valley we had been to last week. The idea was to start at Penygarreg dam and walk along the Elan valley trail to Craig Goch dam, then up onto the plateau above to Esgair Perfedd. Down to the mountain road via the roman camp, before returning to the plateau via Crugyn Ci, finally along the bridleway back to the lower dam.

We drove along the access road and parked in the car park below the dam. Back across the junction to Garreg-Ddu reservoir, Through the trees we could just see the dam ahead. 

We joined the path through the woods climbing gently towards the dam. Where we met the path coming up from the stream below - a round trip path for those just looking at the dam.

A steep climb up to the top of the dam, with views across the water falling over the top.

At the top we paused to look over the dam, before joining the Elan valley trail (the old railway line) along the side of this lake.

The trail followed the edge of the reservoir.

Through Devil's gulch (a passage cut through the rock) and past an island.

Arriving at the top of the dam and its small car park. Above the promised sun had not yet broken through the moody clouds.

The Craig Goch dam had a road over the top, but still looked impressive with the water tumbling over.

On the reservoir side we continued on the path around the edge.

Looking over the reservoir as the sun broke through at last.

The path continued around the edge of the reservoir, however climbing as it went.

Into a cwm and over a stream, before the final climb(s) up to the plateau. This was a series of false summits as each time we through we had reached the plateau another rise showed itself! Up on the top the wind was ever present - not cold just draughty.

Up on the plateau we followed the path, however this turned away from where we wanted to go and after following it for a while we cut over the tundra (and peat cuttings)to get to Esgair Perfedd on a rough compass bearing.

Looking over towards Crugyn Ci where we would be later, we picked up a narrow path that was the one we wanted.

We followed this path down past the site of a roman camp and down to a ford over the stream - nant Gwynllyn. A convenient hollow provided shelter from the wind and a place to have lunch.

Down the road for a half kilometre before picking up our path - the map showed this starting lower down, but on investigation we could not find a sensible way over the stream.
After wandering around trying to find a point to cross we returned to a farm track slightly above and prepared to cross.

This ford was wider, but shallow enough to wade over (after removing our boots).
After drying our feet and replacing the boots we continued to climb back up to the plateau.

The climb up was steep(ish) however we could look back and see that we took the most sensible option to cross the stream. There were water falls below where we crossed.

Back up on the plateau looking behind us to the Penrhiw-wen ridge I had climbed when it was snow covered last week.

Ahead was the rockier summit of Crugyn Ci with the bridle path traversing below the tops.

We took a side path up the end of the summit ridge, and crossed over to the trig point on the highest of the bumps.

looking east

Around to the west.

Then back down to the bridle path and along to the edge overlooking the reservoirs.

A gradual descent to start with, coming down the side of a cwm with slate outcrops.

Then the more steeper section looking down the length of Garreg-ddu reservoir and down onto the Penygarreg dam.

Following the trail to the Penygarreg farm - there were no path signs here so we freewheeled it though  the farm yard.

Leaving the farm dogs behind we continued down the driveway. After a slight rise to the next farm and joined a back road

Some zigzags on the back road took us back down to the path we had started on, beside the bridge over the stream from the dam above.
back to the car and a drive home.