I had been hoping for a good day, however the sun failed to arrive, but neither did the rain. I had planned a walk up along one of the ridges leading away from Rhayader, and up to Esgair Dderw, then following the rolling tops to the hanging valley marked as Y Gors. Back along the path around Moelfryn and down to the A470 crossing into the Gilfach nature reserve. Now on the Wye valley trail and up and over the hills behind the farmhouse and down to follow a back road back into Rhayader, and through the village to the car park.
I parked in the car park at the end of the Elan valley trail, but went in the opposite direction up the bac road (mountain road) to Aberystwyth.
Then chasing some sheep up towards Gwardola farm, as they had escaped onto the road.
Up a by way, past a house where the track became more rutted and snaked up to the ridge.
Approaching Llawr Dderw I crossed the snow line
The track snaked around as it climbed the broad ridge, into the mist, and around the side of llawr Dderw.
Now with more snow on the ground I continued along the top of the ridge to Esgair Ddrew. This was a prominent point to see along the rest of the ridge.
Staying on the track - severely rutted and with several points where it was best to escape the large puddles to the sides - as it continued along the ridge.
Around the side of Penrhiw-wen and the track continued to contour to meet the back road I had started along that had come up the valley.
A short section along the road then a hunt to find the bridleway that should have gone down the valley to the east side.
In the end I followed a compass bearing across the tundra until I reached a stream crossing where a better path started on the far side. Although crossing it without getting wet was a challenge!
The path here contoured around the side of Cafn Nannerth - once again on a compass bearing as on the ground there only appeared to be sheep tracks.
Across a more grassy (under the snow) area marked as Lluest-pen-rhiw on the map, and another stream crossing brought a more marked track that climbed around the side of Moelfryn.
Over the shoulder and onto a ridge line that would eventually drop down to teh river Wye.
The track definitely became more marked here, but the compromise was that as the day wore on and the temperature climbed this became very slippy!
Crossing the snow line through a new plantation and onto the farm tracks that zigzagged down to Nannerth-fawr
After passing the farm I followed the back road (not much more than a farm driveway) up the valley until I could transition onto the Wye valley trail.
After a steep descent onto the trail and returned underneath the previous section.
The trail dropped down to the river (note to avoid the farm tracks going back up hill). then over a footbridge to reach a layby on the A470.
I avoided the car park to Gilfach nature reserve car park and followed the map over the river and picked up the reserve footpath on the far side.
This path followed an old railway line and climbed the south side of Afon Marteg, with views over to the other side of the valley and the more popular side of the reserve.
The map showed the Wye valley trail continuing on the rail track over the river to follow the far side, however the reserve management seem to have made a preferred track climbing the south side.
As this contoured up the steep side it made sense to continue up and I regained the Wye valley trail near the top. Then continued up to the fence on the ridge.
Looking back down to the Gilfach reserve and the hills beyond.
Finding the gate through the fence and onto farm tracks that led down through very muddy sheep fields to a back road at Tynshimley.
A less interesting walk following the Wye Valley trail down the back road into Rhayader. Apart from a nasty climb out of the stream - Nant Serth - this was more of a slog
Through the village and back to the river Wye itself. Over this and a short walk along the B4518 to get back to the car park
