Ramblers trip to Wales - May 2014 - Part One

Monday the 19th of May

Caernarfon was the destination for me and thirteen other walkers for an away group walking trip.

The trip was organised by our good lady secretary A' O'K and her other half 'Shorty'.

We shared cars, I took mine with one other passenger, the 'Teacher'.

 Our accommodation was inside the town walls. Isfryn is a grade II listed Georgian town house in a cobbled street a short way from the town square, the castle and the harbour.

(/ˈnoʊtɑːˈbɛnɛ/; this post will cover days one and two)

After settling in we headed out for our first walk.

Though we never visited Caernarfon Castle it seemed popular, there were well attended guided tours taking place.

  

Showers were the order of the day as we set off round the south end of the castle.

The Caernarfon Harbour Trust Offices.

The men on this trip are outnumbered two to one by the ladies.

This embedded bike denotes the Lon Eifion Cycleway.

Our route follows the Welsh Highland Railway line to begin with.

Penygraig, a converted Welsh Baptist chapel.

We were soon treated to a great sea view. This appears to be Fort Belan, a group of six self catering cottages in a historic setting. 

Our route took us back to the coast at Ysgubor Isaf.

The rafters were calling for another to join them. The parrot wasn't real.

A heron gave us a lot of enjoyment.

The fourth rafter appeared.

We were a little stretched out as us photographers lagged behind. We really should have been quicker as the heavens opened. After crossing the footbridge over the Afon Seiont we were 'drookit' and we all dived into the Anglesey Arms. We had a drink and some of the group stayed to eat. A few of us headed back to Isfryn to change into drier clothes.  

Myself and the 'Teacher' headed up the High Street to dine at the Tafarn Y Porth.

The 'Teacher' being a member of Camra enjoyed some of the local quaff........as did I.

Night was falling as we made our way home.

We took a quick look and a few pictures of the historic Black Boy Inn (we'd all dine here on Thursday night) before we rejoined our fellow walkers back at the house for a relaxing evening get together.

Tuesday the 20th of May

Tuesday morning had a forecast of showers.

View from the raised deck at the back of the house.

We travelled to Beddgelert for Tuesday's walk.
It's the Cwm Bychan and Aberglaslyn Pass walk

A colourful vista of mountain and shrubbery. As in other parts of the country though, the Rhododendrons are being controlled by burning.

A notice board close to the car park told the story of Owain Glyndwr (Anglicised, it wasOwen Glendower in my history lessons)

The village of Beddgelert is a gem when the weather is fine. 

It's a few years since me and mine visited. I never realised that the 'Inn of the Sixth Happiness' was filmed here.

We've passed  some wonderful souvenir and craft shops on the way to the river.

We were to spend a little while looking around on our return.

I got this group picture just before leaving the village.

For the first part of the walk we followed the course of the Afon Glaslyn.

The grave of Gelert - It reads.

IN THE 13TH CENTURY, LLYWELYN, PRINCE OF NORTH WALES, HAD A PALACE AT BEDDGELERT. ONE DAY HE WENT HUNTING WITHOUT GELERT "THE FAITHFUL HOUND" WHO WAS UNACCOUNTABLY ABSENT. ON LLYWELYN'S RETURN, THE TRUANT STAINED AND SMEARED WITH BLOOD, JOYFULLY SPRANG TO MEET HIS MASTER. THE PRINCE ALARMED HASTENED TO FIND HIS SON, AND SAW THE INFANT'S COT EMPTY, THE BEDCLOTHES AND FLOOR COVERED WITH BLOOD. THE FRANTIC FATHER PLUNGED THE SWORD INTO THE HOUND'S SIDE THINKING IT HAD KILLED HIS HEIR. THE DOG'S DYING YELL WAS ANSWERED BY A CHILD'S CRY. LLYWELYN SEARCHED AND DISCOVERED HIS BOY UNHARMED BUT NEAR BY LAY THE BODY OF A MIGHTY WOLF WHICH GELERT HAD SLAIN, THE PRINCE FILLED WITH REMORSE IS SAID NEVER TO HAVE SMILED AGAIN. HE BURIED GELERT HERE. THE SPOT IS CALLED BEDDGELERT.

I also learned this legend at school.

(Never let the truth get in the way of a good story)

Back towards the village, the hills in view are Craig Wen and Yr Aran.  

We crossed the river.

Through the tunnels alongside, the restored Welsh Highland Railway now runs. Me and the family walked through one of them a while back.

The heading above is deliberately large for my girls and the memory of the fun we had misusing the word.

The waterfalls of the Pass of Aberglaslyn 

At Pont Aberglaslyn we left the river. There's a Devil's Bridge here, but it may not be this one. I think it's an old bridge just the other side of the river.

An old cottage in great condition.

Once through the tunnel, we took a break intending to await a passing train. Industrial remains were evident.... 

The midges however had other ideas. My 'Skin So Soft' did the rounds to alleviate the biting, but we decided to move on................

............luckily we weren't out of sight when the train passed by.

From here on we climbed. We were now walking in a north easterly direction. 

We took a break after a fairly sharp incline....

..........but not for long.

A seat located by some sheep pens a little further on were put to use.

We now passed ruins and slag heaps (or bings) from the one time Cym Bychan copper mine workings.

Mine workings on this site date back to 1720.

There are some cracking black and white pictures on this Cym Bychan Wordpress site.

  

Lunch was taken at Bwlch-y-Sygyn. 

The extensive views were spectacular.

Group photographs were in order..............

.................and thanks to Shorty I got in one.

We descended via Grib Ddu.

We soon overlooked Llyn Dinas, a lake formed by the River Glaslyn.

We took another short break at the lakeside.

Lots of colour. Bottom right above hidden below the road is a large waterwheel.

We passed the Sygun Copper Mine entrance. It's a Victorian copper mine that was closed in 1903, but was renovated and the underground workings reopened as a tourist attraction in 1986.  

Another waterwheel turned near the entrance.

The last section of the triangular walk took us along the riverside back to Beddgelert.

We took a last short break before heading back to the cars.

After boots and rucksacks were stowed away we enjoyed and purchased much of what the village had on offer. We all agreed we'd had a fabulous day.

The next post will be Snowdon. 

Did I or didn't I conquer the highest in Wales and the highest point in the British Isles outside the Scottish Highlands?

Watch this space !

Here's a late addition.

   Thanks to Miss Goodnight for her excellent pictures. I'm not in anyway vain, but I must admit I've looked worse !