We finally had a predicted break in the rain, between fronts, lasting for part of the morning. I chose to take advantage and get out for a walk.
After all the recent rain, I did not want to really go up into the hills, so chose a route along the Elan Valley trail. This is a shared use track along the old railway to the dams, and is tarmacked for most of the way to the visitors centre. My plan was to follow it to the first dam and see if the water is flowing over the top, then returning much the same way.
I parked in the associated car park at the exit from the village of Rhayader. Crossed the B4518 and onto the trail.
The trail curved away from the road following the old railway trace.
Up and over the tunnel - closed for public access and reserved for the bats.
Down the other side and curving back to the road. The trail was lined with pine trees on both sides.
A short section along a footpath beside the B4518, before returning to its own trace.
Approaching the hotel on the edge of Elan village. Then along into the village.
Here I chose to cross over the stream and walk through the village.
There were a large number of signs showing the walks and local info, as well as toilets.
Continuing along the village street (lots of signs to keep off the grass). At the old suspension bridge the path angled up the hillside.
I followed the lower path to the bottom of the dam. This had water flowing over the top and cascading down - it looked like an ice sheet.
Across the bridge between the two turbine buildings. looking down the river over the weirs.
A look back to the dam from the north side and along the track to the visitors centre.
Along the centre driveway back to the B4518 and at the junction a prominent sign post.
I made a decision here - the rain had not yet come back, so I chose to divert up a track behind the water treatment works, climbing steeply.
The path zigzagged through the bracken on a drier line, climbing up to the first skyline.
From the top of this slope the path cut back above a grass field - this was the first boggy part of the walk, and involved following the fence line avoiding the little rivulets, until it turned along the next wider track.
This came out onto the rolling tops and I could see all around.
The high point of this section of the walk was just ahead, across a hanging dip
Then up the steeper side and aroudn the corner..
Here I turned to go across a plateau to the next bump.
Crossing the plateau was very boggy and there was no sign of a path (although I was following a route from a local guidebook).
With wet feet I now climbed up to the next bump and picked up a path.
Following the path to look over to the north. I could have continued around here and down the other side of Pen Y Bwlch back to Rhayader. However I stuck to the guidebook route.
The path curved around above Llethr Llwyd.
Down to the farm Nant-yr-haidd, through it and along the access track down to Galedrhyd.
Again I could have followed this back road back to the B4518 closer to Rhayader, but I chose to follow the guidebook route along farm tracks down the hillside.
At lower Llanfadog farm I followed the driveway back to the road.
Unfortunately I had to walk along the road as access to the Elan valley trail was difficult here.
Eventually at the next farm I found a gate and crossed onto the trail.
Back along the trail to Rhayader. The rain had still not arrived, and I had sneaked in a dryish walk.
