Recent photos

Looking North along Aberystwyth promenade

Looking South along Aberystwyth Promenade

Domen Milwyn

Duke of Edinburgh Group

Wed 28 July

Bothy to Devil's Bridge

After going to bed early (around 8:00 pm) I was awakened by a loud banging about 9pm. It was a friendly farmer, Ian, delivering wood to the bothy, so I got up, dressed and gave him a hand to unload it. When we had finished I made a cup of tea and we had an interesting chat.

I left the bothy at about 9am, shortly after the group from Burton. It was ideal walking weather with clear views but no direct sunlight. It was marvellous to be able to see a route miles ahead rather than a few metres ahead like it had been on the walk up to Garn Gron. Being able to choose the terrain over which one is walking can make the going much easier.

The weather held all the way to Domen Milwyn, but it was a bit windy by the cairn. The weather closed in on the way down to Cwmystwyth, and it got much worse heading for the forest. It was very boggy underfoot, reminiscient of Brown Rigg Head, for those who know it.

I am now camped at the Devil's Bridge campsite. Tomorrow I intend taking the narrow guage steam railway down to Aberystwyth. I will then head for Torquay, to meet up with Shiel who arrives from NZ today. I've just walked about half of the Cambrian Way and may come over and do the second half next year, hopefully in better weather.

Tue 27 July

Pontrhydfendigaid to Claerddu Bothy.

An easy day today. I stayed at Red Lion, a hotel which is in the process of renovation. I left at about 9:30 am in very very light rain. The weather improved as day wore on, but there was very little sun so no suntan lotion or sun hat needed.

A new path has been put in on the left, just before Tyncwm Farm , removing the need to go through the farm. A new bridge has been put in to make it possible to cross the river higher up the valley.

I had a pleasant time walking up to Teifi Pools, but it was still a bit wet underfoot. I may have seen two red kites.

Got to Bothy about 2:00 pm and just spent time relaxing and enjoying a short day. After about an hour a group of 4 teenagers turned up and camped outside. They are doing their Duke of Edinburgh awards. I had a good time chatting to them.

Mon 26 July

Ty'n-y-cornel to Pontrhydfendigaid

I left the YHA in slight drizzle, which got worse as the day progressed. I had kindly been advised to walk on the ridge and keep the forest, a few 100m away, on my left. I saw the forest once for a few minutes and that was it!

Visibility was dreadfull, making it difficult to avoid rough boggy ground, or find the path. It was all compass and gps work. Being alone, unable to see any distant land features, it was reassuring to at least know where I'd got to on the map. I was relieved to find the road near Nantymaen. Sadly the phone box had been badly vandalised and was unuseable.

I then rejoined the battle and set off to find Garn Gron. I had to get within about 30 m of the summit before I could see any cairn or the trig point. So much for the extensive views. It was only around 3:30 when I was nearly down off the moor, near the road, that it started to clear.

It was a very pleasant evening but a very hard day. I had made a really good job of drying and polishing my Scarpas before I left the YHA, but they are saturated again. I can remember one similar bad rainy day on the Pennine Way when it took me 10 hours to get from Edale to Crowden . Todays walk was only about 8 hours but there was no steep climbing involved just very rough terrain.

Garn Gron

Grotty visibility on Garn Gron!--

Sun 25 July

Rhandirmwyn to Ty'n-y-cornel YHA

It rained overnight, but by the time I left at 9am the tent was almost dry. Breakfast was chocolate and a muesli bar. A lovely walk up the Doethie Valley gradually climbing into better weather. A very clear track, compared to yesterday, but sometimes a little boggy. As I had been unable to get any sense from the YHA, after numerous phone calls, or visiting the web site (today) I didn't know what to expect. It turns out they had plenty of room in a great location. The hostel is privately owned now and I arrived just as a meeting of the trustees was coming to an end. I had a very pleasant evening in the company of Nigel, who is currently duty warden.

If you are walking the Cambrian Way, or would simply like an overnight walk from the C&CC site at Rhand.. this is a geat spot to choose. A good way to introduce your family to the pleasures of walking and hosteling.

Sat 24 July

Talsarn to Rhandirmwyn

Nice quiet campsite for only 5 pounds, but no evening meal available at pub (Red Kite). Showers at site under renovation. I left the campsite just after 8am and headed by road to Sarnau, and thento Myddfai, where I picked up Tony Drake's route. I got lost trying to find way into wood above Llandovery, where I arrived a little after 12. I did some shopping then headed off on my own route to Rhand, via the river Towy. I thought it would be easier!

I found some 'rights of way' blocked by head high nettles and blackberry. I was wearing shorts and got very badly scratched and nettled. I washed arms and legs in the river but forgot about my face, not being able to see it. There was sufficienr blood running down the right side of my face that it caused a women to cry out in shock when she saw it near the campsite! I didn't see it until I was having a shower at the ccc site. If I had seen it earlier I would have blogged it. It looked much worse than it was. The worst problem was the pain and irritation from the nettle stings. I had a good ostrich steak in the pub but it is up quite a hill from the ccc site.

Fri 23 July

Glyntawe to Talsarn

Had breakfast at the Cave Cafe, but it was not ready before about 9:30 rather than the 9:00 quoted.

It was a hard but very pleasant climb beside the river up the east side of Fan Hir. I was a bit worried what the climb up on to the ridge would be like just near Llyn Fan Fawr, but it turned out not to be too bad. There was then another hard pull up to the top of Fan Brycheiniog. I shared walking experiences on a little of the route, with a couple out walking for the day. They offered to take photos of me so I have proof I reached the top!

The walk down to Llyn y Fan Fach gave me one of the best all round views I've ever experienced in the British Jsles, simply magic.

The couple mentioned a farm selling puppies and they suggested I should query if they were doing teas today. They weren't but they said they would! I got a pot of tea and carrot cake in a beautifully peaceful farm garden. I had a most interesting chat with the couple running the farm and cafe.

The cafe is called, not surprisingly, The Farmyard Cafe. Kathrin Hofer, ran the cafe and said they sometimes allow campers to stay overnight. There are toilet facilities but no showers. She also mentioned the possibility of an evening meal being available. As the pub (Red Kite) at Talsarn closes now at 5:00 pm this could be a useful resting place for a Cambrian way walker. Contact details:- kathrin.hofer@ymail.com

I am currently at the campsite at Talsarn, good showers [50p] but no food available locally after 5pm.

Just a note of caution regarding compasses

Because of dip angle effects I bought a new compass in the UK rather than trying to use my NZ compass. Last night when pitching camp I wanted a clear line of sight to the morning sun to dry the tent. I took out my compass. According to my compass East was in the wrong place, just about where the sun was setting! Low cloud hid the exact location. MY COMPASS IS NOW MAGNETISED 180 DEGREES OUT OF ITS ORIGINAL ALIGNMENT! I remember things didn't seem right getting off Fan Gyhirych and I resorted to checking wih gps. Because of the remagnetisation the weight compensation, to balance the dip effect, is also now in the wrong direction. The compass now sticks! I kept my cell phone and compass in the same jacket pocket for a while and l think that is when the remagnetisation must have taken place.

I have now narrowed down the compass problem to the case I bought for the cell phone. It is held shut by a powerful magnet! Beware Paul as I think you have the same sort of cell phone case!

Thu 22 July

I dad a rest day today. I went looking around the Dan-yr-Ogof Caves. One of the longest cave systems I've walked in. The weather was mostly dry and sunny, but for a short period of rain about 4:00 pm. Tomorrow l head over Fan Hir and Fan Brycheiniog. I will camp or stay at the YHA depending on availability.

A summit

Chartist's Cave

Cliffs above Llangattock