13.12.25 Ffridd Trawsgoed (SH 837 328) and Moel Hafod yr Ŵyn (SH 841 322)
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| Moel Hafod yr Ŵyn (SH 841 322) |
There is bleak beauty in
venturing on to rough, unremitting ground and especially so during the onset of
winter where grey skies predominate and a brisk wind echoes across the land.
Today we visited two
hills positioned just west of the southern most part of Llyn Tegid. Both are relatively easy to access from the
narrow road that winds its way across these hills toward Bronaber. I hadn’t been on this road in many years and
had not until today visited these two hills.
I met Mark and Aled in Y
Bala, where we left two cars and then continued on the A494 road heading
south-west beside the lake toward the minor road that in time would take us to
our designated parking spot on a grass verge beside an old metal gate.
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| Heading toward the forest track |
The forecast gave south-westerly
winds, so not chilled and relatively mild for the time of year. I set off before Mark and Aled, but soon
stopped and waited as the continuation of the way up the hill was indistinct
with slender long grasses amongst bracken and stunted trees giving little
indication of a path. However, one did
exist and once on it I followed my companions up to a forest track that shortly
afterward bisected another track where a person was standing beside a gate. As we approached we said hello; Andrew Graham
was the landowner, his sister was standing a short distance further down the
track. We chatted for five minutes or
so, he was concerned as the gate had been left open and wondered who had done
it. He’d come to the area in the 1960s
having bought the land to turn it over to the conifer plantation that now
surrounded us.
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| Andrew Graham |
As Andrew walked down
the track to join his sister, we headed in the opposite direction looking for a
convenient access point on to the upper hill, which now rose in front of us a
mass of heather and roughness. The going
uphill from this point was steep and ponderous with no semblance of path. It was hard work, but also a marvelous place
to find oneself on a Saturday afternoon in December.
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| The steep heathery slopes leading to the summit of Ffridd Trawsgoed |
I arrived on top last
out of the three and was immediately buffeted by the brisk wind. Although I’d brought the Trimble I had little
intention of using it unless the tops were covered in clag and then only as a
hand-held GPS device. However, I still
placed it on the high point for the customary photograph.
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| The summit of Ffridd Trawsgoed |
To our south Moel Hafod
yr Ŵyn looked a wild inviting hill, with a rather unpleasant bog
between us and it. Leaving the summit we
stumbled our way down the steep pathless slope and back on to the relative
comfort of the forest track. However,
the comfort didn’t last long as soon the bog would have to be tackled.
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| Moel Hafod yr Ŵyn and its unsavoury looking bog |
There’s a pleasing
aspect to bogs. Many are lush with
copious amounts of undergrowth and this one was definitely one to savour. Progress through it was never difficult and
wearing vibram soled wellies certainly helped.
I followed Aled as he furrowed his way through, only stopping
occasionally to regather my breath during which I looked at the slender threads
of long grasses as they gently danced in the wind. As I said; there is beauty in a bog.
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| Mark tackling the bog |
Mark soon joined us on
the other side of the bog and as Aled headed up to gain height, Mark continued
flanking the upper hill on the periphery of the bog before then heading up
toward the summit cone. Oh decisions
decisions, what one to follow? I opted
for Aled and was soon being left behind as I made slow progress through the
undergrowth. By the time I spotted Mark
he had gained height and was approaching the upper part of the hill, Aled was
already nearing the summit. I continued
my slow plod up in to the realms of wind and views.
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| Aled heading toward the summit of Moel Hafod yr Ŵyn |
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| The upper cone of Moel Hafod yr Ŵyn |
The upper hill proved a
delight with a small rock band to veer past.
Having reached the summit I did as I had done on top of Ffridd Trawsgoed
and placed the Trimble on the high point for its customary photograph. The view compensated for my tiredness, with
the land to the west a wild and remote place of more tussocks, bog and rising
hills, whilst to our south-east the descending slopes headed down to the
gentler climes of the valley below.
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| The summit of Moel Hafod yr Ŵyn |
Leaving the high point I
followed Aled down through mixed ground of heather and intermittent hidden
rock. Our route down led to a wall which
had a barb wired fence perched menacingly on top of it. This was not good news for the two elderly
gentlemen in our walking party. However,
with the help of our younger colleague there was no mishap and soon we were standing
on relatively safe ground on the other side.
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| The last steep slope leading back on to the narrow road and the car parked beyond |
From here it was only a
short walk back to the car; with an initial steep slope leading on to the narrow
road where we veered right and followed the thin width of tarmac a few hundred
metres back to where we had started our walk from.
We were back in Y Bala
at around 4.40pm and soon happily seated in the Plan yn Dre for an early
evening festive meal, which proved an excellent way to end another good day on
the hill.
Survey Result:
Ffridd Trawsgoed
Summit Height: 423.9m (LIDAR)
Summit Grid Reference: SH 83755 32841 (LIDAR)
Bwlch Height: 384.2m (LIDAR)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 83731 33086 (LIDAR)
Drop: 39.7m (LIDAR)
Dominance: 9.36% (LIDAR)
Moel Hafod yr Ŵyn
Summit Height: 398.2m (LIDAR) (significant height revision)
Summit Grid Reference: SH 84199 32238 (LIDAR)
Bwlch Height: 358.4m (LIDAR)
Bwlch Grid Reference: SH 84033 32465 (LIDAR)
Drop: 39.8m (LIDAR)
Dominance: 9.99% (LIDAR)
For further details please consult the Trimble Survey Spreadsheet
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