Читать книгу Hillwalking in Wales - Vol 1 - Peter Hermon - Страница 22

High-level Walks

Cwm Croes horseshoe (AN H1)

If I had to recommend just one walk in the Arans it would have to be this, despite the omission of Cwm Cywarch.

Start from Llanuwchllyn and climb Aran Benllyn's N ridge (AN1). Carry on over the central spine to Aran Fawddwy. Backtrack to Erw y Ddafad-ddu, scamper down the grassy nose to Creiglyn Dyfi and then tackle the gentle rise up to Foel Hafod-fynydd. Descend S of E along the fence until you meet another fence dropping away more steeply N. Use this (AN17,1) as your guide to cross Bwlch Sirddyn and for the pull up to Esgeiriau Gwynion (AN19). Next follow the N ridge (AN18) back to the road at 895270, leaving a 2.5-mile slog along the road to regain your car. You could shorten the day by returning down Cwm Croes (AN3), but the views from Esgeiriau Gwynion are so dramatic that it would be a shame to miss them.

Cwm Cywarch/Hengwm circular (AN H2)

This runs the Cwm Croes horseshoe a close second.

The kernel of the walk is scaling Aran Fawddwy via Cwm Cywarch on AN5 and then returning down Hengwm on AN6. However this is easier than it looks, and three additions should be considered:

 The first is to branch out to Pen yr Allt-uchaf, maybe using Cwm Terwyn rather than Hengwm for the way home.

 The second is to include Gwaun y Llwyni en route to Aran Fawddwy in the morning. Gwaun does not look exciting, but as a vantage point over Hengwm it is second to none.

 Thirdly you could start on AN23, climbing Glasgwm first before following the fence down its NE slopes to join AN5 on the moors above Cwm Cywarch. The trouble with this is that you miss the best part of the cwm.

Llanymawddwy horseshoe (AN H3)

A walk for the connoisseur!

Put simply this combines two routes on Aran Fawddwy (AN7 and AN9), and it is a toss-up which is the better way round. What you can be sure of are charming valleys at either end of the day, the grandeur of the high Arans in the middle, solitude and the excitement of treading self-effacing little tracks that normally only see sheep and the odd shepherd.

Dolobran circular (AN H4)

Another walk for Aran devotees seeking new pastures.

Climb Glasgwm from Dolobran (AN21), follow the edge of the woods round to Pen y Bryn-fforchog and then descend on AN24. These are the bare bones of a walk that offers more than you might think from the map. It is more like a day in the Dovey hills or the Tarrens than the Arans, with wide grassy ridges predominating and only sheep for company. Having said that you pass close by the massive crags of Craig Cywarch and the views, both of the distant Arans and of the Dovey hills across Bwlch Oerddrws, are magnificent.

N–S traverse (AN H5)

This is an obvious walk and a grand one, taking in the core of the Aran massif in its entirety; provided your logistics can cope. Simply combine AN1 and AN5.