Hillwalking in Wales - Vol 1. Peter Hermon

should bear L for the farm at Craig y-tan. A path, exiguous in places, continues up this sylvan vale to a bridge at 831323 and then Buarthmeini (AG23,1), a beautiful ending to a memorable day! For Dolhendre turn R to regain the bridge at 853308 in an easy 10min with Castell Carndochan casting an aura of mystery and romance to the very end.

      Craig y Llestri route (AG25)

      A rough, ‘sporting’ walk.

      The route starts along the SW fork of the crossroads at 853308, S of the bridge at Dolhendre. Where the road swings L (almost at once), carry straight on through a gate and progress along a grassy lane to a spoil heap at 848306. The lane continues through a rusty old gate but you must leave it here and bear R on a green track through a gap in the wall that parallels the slopes of Castell Carndochan. Stay with the wall as the crags of Craig y Llestri rear ahead, then cross the Afon Fwy (you may have to head upstream to a bridge when it is in full spate) to climb one of several bracken-clad breaches in the crags. As you top the crest the great wedge of Dduallt appears in all its dark, brooding splendour.

      A shallow ridge falls away from Craig y Llestri before rising again to spot height 493m (820281). This is the next objective. At the time of writing the intervening ground is newly afforested but there are plenty of firebreaks and, whatever their demerits, at least they are relatively dry and certainly preferable to the quagmire around Nant y Fign. As you approach Dduallt trend N to a grassy rake for an easy pull up to N ridge and AG22.

S ridge (AG26)

      Park well down the valley as there is scant space higher up.

      The entrée to this route is the mountain road that leaves the A494 at 798217. It winds through foothills to what used to be the old stone cottage of Ty-newydd-y-mynydd (recently demolished).

      Just short of the cottage site is a firebreak where old forestry plantations give way to new. Continue along the road for another 0.25 mile until, at the top of a small rise, by a stone gatepost and a fire station, there is a further firebreak where the new plantation ends and the old is resumed. Turn R here and walk through the firebreak until you meet a fence bounding the forest at its far end (804259). Turn L along the fence and walk down and up two depressions until, at a little knoll following the second, the forest boundary leaves you L and the S ridge comes into view half-L (806259). Stay with the fence to another gate but then strike out direct for the ridge.

      It is trackless, marshy and tussocky at first, but the going soon improves as height is gained in a series of rocky steps. Higher up a fence comes in R, with a faint track which leads to the cairn. Avoid the temptation to stay with this too long in descent as it would eventually land you in difficult boggy country well to the SE. On the other hand (AG26,1) you might well decide to cross the forest using the more S of the two firebreaks mentioned earlier. You would then be ideally placed, at 799257, for an ascent of Rhobell Fawr on AG27.

      Rhobell Fawr

      Where Dduallt is sharp, precipitous and severe in its ridges and the plunge of its E face, Rhobell Fawr exudes a quiet dignity, presenting a gently rounded profile to the world. Nevertheless there is power too, albeit power with serenity, for Rhobell Fawr is as rugged as the best. Only close by the summit cairn do boul-der-strewn slopes succumb to grass. The view rivals that from Dduallt in scale, but is more easily achieved. It would be hard to take an hour over the climb from Ty-newydd-y-mynydd, a small price to pay for such a pearl.

      Ty-newydd-y-mynydd route (AG27)

      The shortest way to Rhobell Fawr.

      The route starts from 799258 where the old cottage of Ty-newydd-y-mynydd used to stand (see AG26). The cottage has gone but the site is still identifiable since it is on the boundary between new and mature forestry plantations. Across the road is a gate. Go through this and walk up the gentle rise W. This brings you to a small depression with a wall climbing the bouldery slopes beyond. Follow this until the gradient moderates and another wall crosses your path. Now bear slightly S of W, across increasingly grassy terrain, until the trig point springs up on the skyline behind yet another wall.

      Allt-lwyd route (AG28)

      By steering N from the cairn a descent can be made to Cwm yr Allt-lwyd. There is no track, and knobbly tussocks and a succession of drainage leats make for tedious walking.

      Cors-y-garnedd route (AG29)

      The old drovers' road that skirts Rhobell Fawr's W flanks, crossing Bwlch Goriwared on its way to Cors-y-garnedd and Llanfachreth, offers connoisseurs a novel way down in wild country. Leave the trig point SW, threading through boulders until you meet a wall descending in much the same direction. This carries on to the drovers' road with a sketchy track alongside and beautiful views over the Mawddach Estuary.

      High-level Walks

      Arenig Fawr/Moel Llyfnant circular (AG H1)

      If you only have time for one walk in the N Arenigs this should be it.

      Start by scaling Arenig Fawr on AG1, viewing Llyn Arenig Fawr en route. Continue S for lunch at the tarns near Craig y Bychau, AG2. Cross the col to Moel Llyfnant, AG6. Descend Llyfnant's N ridge, AG5, and carry on via Amnodd-bwll and Amnodd-wen to the road at 823393, leaving a 1.5-mile trudge back to base.

      Arenig Fawr/Foel Boeth circular (AG H2)

      For peak-baggers after Foel Boeth's scalp, or anyone seeking a moorland hike with guaranteed solitude, this fits the bill.