After our start to the Snowdonia tour around Barmouth yesterday this second day shattered any illusions about this being easy.
The Snowdonia National Park officially adopted its traditional Welsh name, Eryri, in November 2022. Our tour had been booked before and for simplicity I have retained its original name.
Day 2: Saturday 13th May 2023
I was glad that I had laid out all my clothes and camera gear the night before. We had an early start at 3am and walked through the empty streets to the minibus. Our destination was Llyn Cau and to be there as the sun rose. To get there we had to pass familiar ground for me along the A487 past the Cross Foxes and down to the Dôl Idris car park. This was pitch dark at this time of the morning and getting ready for our walk and sorting out our backpacks and torches took a little time!
This is a walk that I have tried before when we took a break from the Mach Loop a few years before. My memory was of steep paths and lots of steps. Some of the steps wer soil help ny wood and others were rock. Even more important that we abandoned the effort near a waterfall as we were gasping for breath and needed a break.
Not a great portent!
The big difference about doing the climb in the dark was the complete lack of awareness of what was to come. The steps were just as I remembered. As were the scrambles up rocks and occasional (very occasional) flat sections. We did have to stop for everyone to catch up before starting again. After a while I was just existing putting one foot in front and then other. On the steps I tried to alternate which leg would pull me up to the next and everything ached.
We eventually past the waterfall and bridge where I had turned back before and discovered that we still had a long way to go yet.
To my surprise we started to be past by others who seemed to be almost running up the hill to get to Llyn Cau before sunrise. This was hen all had to hurry especially on the flat stretches so as not to be late. Thankfully the last parts of the walk were “just” a slope!
By my estimate we had been “climbing” for almost 90 minutes virtually non-stop.
Llyn Cau plus a view of Cadair Idris
Llyn Cau is a glacial lake (tarn) on the southern slopes of Cadair Idris. Once the sun had risen we could see that the tarn sat in a sort of bowl. It is situated at 1,552 feet above sea level.
Reference: Photographing North Wales – Page 144
Then it was a race to get our cameras and tripods ready for the sun to rise behind us and illuminate the slopes of Cadair Idris. It was 5:15 am.
The sun was now well and truly high in the sky and it was time to consider returning down.
This is the final “slope” up to Llyn Cau and the “easy” paths.
Once back at the car park we piled into the minibus and headed back to Dolgellau for breakfast and most of all a sleep !!!
Porthmadog for lunch
After breakfast I had a shower and tried to get some sleep. I wasn’t sure which part of my ached the most but after a while my legs won. We met at 12:20 and walked, gingerly, to the minibus for our second site of the day.
In Porthmadog we ate lunch at the Port Cafe Deli & Restaurant.
Llanfihangel-y-Pennant/Church of St Michael
From Porthmadog we headed off to Llanfihangel-y-Pennant. Stopping sometimes for the views off the narrow roads…
The Church of St Michael really is remote by the Afron Dwyfor river .
Reference: Photographing North Wales – Page 112
Cwm Pennant
Our main site for the afternoon was the Cwm Pennant valley. As promised the hills were covered in bluebells.
From the car park we climbed to the ruined house (shepherd’s home?).
The view back down the valley.
From the ruin we walked along the hillside.
The bluebells …
The industrial ruins…
Reference: Photographing North Wales – Page 112
The Ynys y Pandy Slate Mill
Once at the slate mill we had to find somewhere to park as the road was narrow and had no nearby parking. Walking back down the road I had my first proper views of the Slate Mill.
From the gate we climbed up to the mill.
I explored the spaces below the mill that were open.
Away from the mill towards the farm there was a slope covered in yards deep of slate offcuts. This is where we took it in turns to take the “classic” images of the mill.
As long as we were careful(!) the slate offcuts didn’t move about too much…
Then we left and headed back to Dolgellau.
References : Photographing North Wales – Page 116 and The Photographer’s Guide to Snowdonia and North Wales – Page 67
After our evening discussion I headed off to bed as we had yet another early start on the third day.