The forecast for today was for persistent rain, I therefore decided to stay low and head out West to the Lleyn Peninsula.
I had hoped to visit Bardsey Island however, on calling to book the boat, I was advised that there were no trips running until the weekend
. Never mind, I could still ascend a number of Lleyn Peninsula sub2000ft Marilyns.
I drove out to the furthest West Marilyn first, parking near Rhiw.
Hill: Mynydd Rhiw
Date: Wednesday 9th May 2012
Company: Just myself
From the start, I walked up the tarmac road towards the first transmitter. It is also possible to park near the first transmitter.
While it was nice to see Bardsey Island, a visit will need to wait until my next trip to Wales.
View towards Bardsey Island:
Rhiw:
On reaching the end of the tarmac track, I continued along the dirt track to the summit.
Mynydd Rhiw:
There is an interesting small mound beside the first transmitter.
Looking back along track:
I was pleased with the weather – no sign yet of the persistent rain.
Hell's Mouth:
Summit trig point and transmitter:
A short distance from the summit transmitter, I left the main track to ascend to the summit.
Approaching the summit:
The summit is a rock a few metres away from the trig point – it is obviously higher.
View from the summit of Mynydd Rhiw:
View from the summit of Mynydd Rhiw:
I then walked a short distance beyond the summit transmitter to get a decent view across to Snowdonia, without the transmitter in the way.
View from just beyond the transmitter:
I then returned to the car via the same route and drove round to a potential starting point for Carneddol.
There was no sign of a right of way / path up Carneddol on the map. A search on the internet suggested ascending the hill using this route.
Hill: Carneddol
Date: Wednesday 9th May 2012
Company: Just myself
I parked just off the road, room for one car. I then had to climb over a fence to enter a field with a number of cowpats in it, but no cattle today.
Carneddol from start of walk:
I ascended the grassy field as far as a dry-stane dyke. On reaching the dyke, I had to climb over it and then over a barbed-wire fence.
Ascent towards Carneddol:
Once over the fence a short-steep ascent saw me to the summit.
Final ascent:
The summit is the wall passing over the grassy knoll.
Summit of Carneddol:
The views from the summit were quite good for minimal effort.
View from summit of Carneddol:
Mynydd Rhiw from summit of Carneddol:
Carn Fadryn from summit of Carneddol:
Snowdonia from summit of Carneddol:
From the summit, I returned via a slightly different route, crossing the dyke and barbed-wire fence at the corner of the dyke.
Once back to the car, I drove to the starting point for Carn Fadryn.
I parked beside a disused church where there is room for a number of cars.
Hill: Carn Fadryn
Date: Wednesday 9th May 2012
Company: Just myself
I parked just off the road, room for two or three cars. I then walked along the road as far as the road leading to Caer Bwlch.
Garn Boduan from start:
I was a bit hesitant to walk along the road leading to someone's house, given the different access laws in Wales.
Track leading to house:
Behind the house, beside a large caravan I accessed the right of way path. For a path marked on a map, it is really poor quality. Lots of brambles and several trees across the path.
Poor quality path:
The path!:
However, as I started my ascent up through the forest the path improved considerably.
An improved path ascending through the forest:
The final ascent was quite steep.
Final ascent of Garn Boduan:
View from Garn Boduan:
The summit of Garn Boduan was the most interesting of the four Marilyns. There are substantial remains of an old fort at the summit.
Summit shelter:
Summit shelter:
The summit is apparently the brass circle on the plinth. The shelters and fort are all higher.
I had to look up “Cymru Rydd”. My guess was that it would be the same as “Saor Alba”. My guess was correct.
Summit of Garn Boduan:
Summit fort:
Summit fort:
From the summit, I took an easier line down the steep section but this meant I then had to cross an area of felled trees, bracken and lots of brambles to get back to the path. I should have come down the same way!
I then returned to the car via the same route. During the walk back, the persistent rain had arrived.